THIS ANNOUNCEMENT ("ANNOUNCEMENT") AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS RESTRICTED AND NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO OR FROM THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO DISTRIBUTE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF ARTICLE 7 OF REGULATION 2014/596/EU WHICH IS PART OF DOMESTIC UK LAW PURSUANT TO THE MARKET ABUSE (AMENDMENT) (EU EXIT) REGULATIONS (SI 2019/310) ("UK MAR"). UPON THE PUBLICATION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, THIS INSIDE INFORMATION (AS DEFINED IN UK MAR) IS NOW CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.

17 February 2026

Sterling Digital plc

("Sterling" or the "Company")

Purchase of ASIC Mining Servers

Sterling Digital plc (AQSE: ASIC), a company established to develop low-energy-cost Bitcoin mining operations in the United States, is pleased to announce the purchase of application-specific integrated circuit ("ASIC") mining servers.

ASIC servers are specialised, high-performance computing devices designed to carry out the cryptographic calculations that validate transactions on the Bitcoin network. In return for contributing computing power to secure and maintain the decentralised Bitcoin blockchain, miners that successfully validate blocks may receive Bitcoin block rewards and transaction fees.

The Company has acquired 450 new generation ASIC servers representing approximately 193,500 terahashes per second (TH/s) of computing capacity. This acquisition is consistent with the Company's stated business plan and has been completed at a cost below the original budgeted allocation. Pricing for ASIC mining equipment is influenced by several factors, including the prevailing price of Bitcoin and broader market conditions within the digital asset and hardware sectors. The Board believes that the recent decline in the Bitcoin price provided an attractive opportunity to secure the required hashrate capacity on favourable commercial terms.

Sterling Digital's operational model is centred on deploying mining infrastructure at sites with access to low-cost natural gas energy. By generating power directly at source, the Company aims to reduce exposure to grid price volatility and transmission constraints, thereby seeking to enhance cost predictability and operational efficiency relative to conventional grid-supplied mining operations.

The timing of this purchase aligns with the Company's operational objective of producing its first Bitcoin during the second quarter of 2026, and further announcements with respect to the installation of the ASIC servers will be made in due course.

Stefan Michealides, Chief Executive Officer of Sterling Digital plc, commented "Securing this level of hashrate marks an important milestone for Sterling Digital and positions us to commence Bitcoin production in Q2 2026, in line with our stated strategy.

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"Our focus remains on disciplined capital deployment and building a scalable, energy-efficient mining platform."

The Directors of the Company accept responsibility for the contents of this announcement.

For further information please contact:

About Sterling

Sterling Digital plc was incorporated for the purpose of establishing a Bitcoin mining business and was admitted to trading on the AQSE Growth Market on 1 December 2025. The Company intends to locate modular, self-contained Bitcoin mining operations directly on stranded gas fields in the United States, providing the Company with a low-cost energy solution for its mining operations.

The Company's objective is to deliver sustainable long-term capital growth for shareholders via:

• compounding Bitcoin exposure via cheapest-in-class mining; and

• active management of the Company's Bitcoin reserves.

Sterling Digital's strategy of utilising stranded natural gas to generate its electricity requirements enables the Company to produce Bitcoin at materially lower costs than comparable grid-connected miners, while simultaneously achieving ESG alignment by monetising gas resources that are otherwise flared as a by-product of the oil and gas industry.  This model delivers both enhanced mining efficiency and a significant competitive cost advantage within the Bitcoin mining sector.

The Company benefits from a highly experienced management team with proven track records across Bitcoin mining, energy management, fintech and capital markets. Their combined expertise spans modular mining deployments, power infrastructure, capital raising, and regulated crypto exchange operations.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements in this announcement are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as "believe", "could", "should", "envisage'', "estimate", "intend", "may", "plan", "potentially", "expect", "will" or the negative of those, variations or comparable expressions, including references to assumptions. These forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts but rather on the Directors' current expectations and assumptions regarding the Company's future growth, results of operations, performance, future capital and other expenditures (including the amount, nature and sources of funding thereof), competitive advantages, business prospects and opportunities. Such forward-looking statements reflect the Directors' current beliefs and assumptions and are based on information currently available to the Directors.