KOYN vs COIN vs MARA vs RIOT

For growth investors, Riot Platforms, Inc.

(RIOT) is the stronger pick with 71. 9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 9. 4% for Coinbase Global, Inc. (COIN). Coinbase Global, Inc. (COIN) offers the better valuation at 46. 7x trailing P/E (83. 6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Coinbase Global, Inc. (COIN) a "Buy" — based on 37 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

Over the past 5 years, CSLM Digital Asset Acquisition Corp III Class A Ordinary Shares (KOYN) delivered a total return of +1.

8%, compared to -44. 3% for Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc. (MARA). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: RIOT returned +747. 2% versus MARA's -57. 0%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), CSLM Digital Asset Acquisition Corp III Class A Ordinary Shares (KOYN) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

01β versus Riot Platforms, Inc. 's 3. 92β — meaning RIOT is approximately 28124% more volatile than KOYN relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Riot Platforms, Inc. (RIOT) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 10% versus 105% for Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Riot Platforms, Inc.

(RIOT) is pulling ahead at 71. 9% versus 9. 4% for Coinbase Global, Inc. (COIN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Coinbase Global, Inc. grew EPS -53. 1% year-over-year, compared to -673. 5% for Riot Platforms, Inc.. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Coinbase Global, Inc.

(COIN) is the more profitable company, earning 17. 6% net margin versus -144. 6% for Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc. — meaning it keeps 17. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: COIN leads at 20. 0% versus -90. 6% for MARA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — COIN leads at 74. 6%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for MARA: 26.

8% to $16. 13.

None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.

All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, CSLM Digital Asset Acquisition Corp III Class A Ordinary Shares (KOYN) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

01)). Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc. (MARA) carries a higher beta of 3. 10 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (KOYN: +1. 8%, MARA: -57. 0%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Financial Services sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: KOYN is a small-cap quality compounder stock; COIN is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; MARA is a small-cap high-growth stock; RIOT is a small-cap high-growth stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.