Bhutan Transfers 100 BTC as Mindfulness City Launches Fintech Pathway

Bhutan transferred approximately 100 Bitcoin, valued at around $8.1 million, from state-linked wallets on Tuesday, continuing a pattern of outflows totaling more than $230 million so far this year, according to blockchain analytics firm Arkham Intelligence. The move coincided with the launch of an accelerated licensing pathway by Gelephu Mindfulness City, Bhutan's Special Administrative Region, aimed at attracting regulated digital asset and fintech firms.

The Bitcoin transfer involved three transactions at 5:27 a.m. UTC to an unlabeled wallet, reducing Bhutan's holdings to roughly 3,100 BTC worth $252 million. This marks a sharp decline from nearly 13,000 BTC at the end of 2024. Arkham data shows outflows averaging $50 million per month in 2026, with prior transfers linked to exchanges like Binance and firms such as Galaxy Digital. Analysts describe the sales as a deliberate treasury strategy to monetize profits from state-backed mining operations powered by the country's surplus hydroelectricity, rather than a sign of market pessimism. Bhutan's reserves, built since 2019 through green mining, remain profitable, with potential unrealized gains of $767 million at current prices...