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Ciena Logs $7.8B Orders as Global AI Infrastructure Race Triggers Capacity Crunch

Ciena posted record $7.8B orders for fiscal 2025 as hyperscalers worldwide raced to expand optical networks for AI data centers hitting capacity limits. The networking equipment supplier saw revenue climb 19% to $4.77B, with routing sales surging 49% amid deployments from North America to Asia-Pacific.

ViaNews Editorial Team

February 24, 2026

Ciena Logs $7.8B Orders as Global AI Infrastructure Race Triggers Capacity Crunch
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Ciena reported record orders of $7.8B for fiscal 2025 as hyperscalers across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific accelerated optical networking deployments for AI data centers. Revenue reached $4.77B, up 19% year-over-year, with routing and switching sales jumping 49% as customers deployed 3005 series equipment for direct-connect optical modules.

The company's 800G WaveLogic 6 Nano pluggables generated $168M in revenue, more than doubling prior-year sales. CEO Gary Smith said "hundreds of millions of dollars" in additional hyperscaler contracts are advancing through pipeline discussions, with fiscal 2026 revenue guidance set at $5.7B to $6.1B.

Micron held an official groundbreaking for its New York chip megafab in January, designed to produce memory chips for AI accelerators. The facility aims to reduce U.S. dependence on Asian semiconductor supply chains, which currently dominate global chip production. Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian said the plant "will strengthen the domestic supply chain and support innovation required to meet accelerating AI demand."

Nvidia received China export approval for its H200 GPU, expanding access to advanced AI chips despite prior regulatory restrictions. The approval signals potential easing in U.S.-China tech trade tensions as President Trump moved to limit state-level AI regulations, streamlining compliance for data center operators.

Liquid cooling deployments are accelerating globally as chip power densities rise. Ciena's reconfigurable line systems grew 72% year-over-year, reflecting network bottlenecks from AI training clusters that require high-bandwidth interconnects spanning multiple continents.

DMG Blockchain Solutions shifted mining equipment to prioritize profitability over hashrate, receiving a $1.5M energy efficiency incentive in February. The company adjusted operations to reduce power consumption as data center energy costs climbed across North American markets.

Ciena expects operating margins to reach 17% in fiscal 2026, up from 11.2% in 2025, as scale efficiencies offset $250M to $275M in capex for 3nm chip mask sets and production capacity. The company ended 2025 with $5B in backlog, including $3.8B in hardware and software orders from global customers.


Sources:
1 Nasdaq, "Ciena (CIEN) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript" (December 11, 2025)
2 Globe Newswire, "DMG Blockchain Solutions Announces AI Strategy Update and November Preliminary Operational Results" (December 04, 2025)
3 Globe Newswire, "DMG Blockchain Solutions Announces Receipt of $1.5 Million Energy Efficiency Incentive, January Prel" (February 06, 2026)
4 Yahoo Finance, "Exascale Labs Inc. to Combine with D. Boral ARC Acquisition I Corp. to Become Publicly Listed Compan" (January 12, 2026)
5 Globe Newswire, "Mawson Infrastructure Group Inc. Adopts Limited Duration Stockholder Rights Agreement" (February 02, 2026)