Bhutan Pledges 10,000 Bitcoin Worth $1 Billion to Fund Gelephu Mindfulness City
On December 17, 2025, Bhutan pledged up to 10,000 BTC, valued at approximately $1 billion, to fund the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) located in southern Bhutan. The Bitcoin will be held exclusively for the benefit of GMC, with Bhutan committing not to sell the assets. Instead, options such as collateralization, yield-generating strategies, and long-term holding are being considered to support GMC's growth.
King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck emphasized in a National Day Address that Bhutanese citizens will be custodians, stakeholders, and beneficiaries of GMC. The pledge marks one of the largest sovereign digital-asset commitments to infrastructure to date. Additionally, a new land policy is set to treat landowners as shareholders of GMC across various Dzongkhags.
According to GMC board director Jigdrel Singay, the 10,000 BTC is intended solely for GMC's benefit and is expected to generate yields to fuel the city's development, with the detailed approach to be defined in the coming months. Currently, Bhutan holds 5,984 BTC valued at over $522 million, ranking seventh globally among sovereign Bitcoin holders, per Arkham Intelligence.
Earlier in the year, GMC designated Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Binance Coin as strategic reserves. In May, GMC partnered with Binance Pay to facilitate cryptocurrencies for tourism payments. Moreover, Bhutan's National Digital Identity system is anchored on Ethereum, making it the first nation to link a population-scale identity to a public blockchain.
Further expanding its digital asset initiatives, GMC launched TER, a gold-backed digital token on the Solana blockchain, with DK Bank serving as the exclusive distributor.
