Bhutan is among the three countries with the largest bitcoin reserves (although currently ranked fifth). Thanks to the use of excessive hydroelectric power, the country managed to accumulate 13,029 BTC worth $1.3 billion. This is equivalent to almost 38% of GDP, which is $3.42 billion.
Since 2020, Bhutan has been quietly ramping up cryptocurrency mining, utilizing its abundant hydropower resources to fuel a sustainable and highly profitable enterprise. By 2022, four state-owned mining facilities were in operation, and satellite imagery now confirms at least six facilities across the kingdom, powered by Bhutan’s vast hydropower network.
This was done by the state-owned company Druk Holding & Investments (DHI) through its Green Digital division. Bhutan’s bitcoin reserves are stored in a wallet managed by DHI, the government’s commercial investment arm.
In April 2025, the country’s then Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay revealed in an interview with Al Jazeera that the government sold $100 million worth of bitcoins in 2023 to finance a doubling of civil servants’ salaries. Also in July 2025, Bhutan sold $59.42 million worth of bitcoins through Binance. On August 6, $60 million worth of bitcoins were transferred to the Cobo hot wallet.
By the way, back in 2018 Bulgaria sells confiscated 213,500 BTC worth $3.5 billion. Today, this amount of coins would be worth about $25 billion, which is more than the country’s national debt.
Spelling error report
The following text will be sent to our editors: