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Bhutan launches decades-long Bitcoin development pledge for its citizens and future.
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The pledge includes BTC mining activities, long-term investment strategies, and a 10,000 BTC allocation to its fund.
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Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) will lead the initiative to boost job creation and economic development.
In its recent quest to lead the world in Bitcoin development strategies, the Kingdom of Bhutan has launched a national Bitcoin Development Pledge, aiming to run for the coming decades. The pledge, unveiled this Wednesday, is a three-step pledge to ensure the citizens and future people in the country benefit from the value growth and economic prosperity that the leading cryptocurrency will offer in the future.
Notwithstanding, the pledge is designed to support the country’s long-term economic development, job creation, and national resilience. The pledge is rooted in the country’s national beliefs of strengthening its people, preserving its culture, protecting the environment, and preparing for future generations. The pledge is a brainchild of the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC), a Special Administrative Region (SAR) building a new economic hub in southern Bhutan designed around mindfulness, sustainability, and innovation.Speaking on the unveiling of the pledge, His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck reflected on the journey the country has already taken in advancing Bitcoin and advanced technologies, as well as the benefits the Bhutanese people enjoy from such projects.
“As your King, I must ensure that every Bhutanese is a custodian, stakeholder, and beneficiary of GMC. We are therefore developing a new land policy that protects landowners, prevents widening disparities, and ensures shared national prosperity,” the leader stated on the unveiling of the pledge. “Think of GMC as a company and landowners as its shareholders. Since most land is state-owned, Bhutanese from all Dzongkhags will share in its success.”
The oyster of the pledge lies in the government’s commitment to acquire over 10,000 BTC (nearly $8.6 billion, at current rates) in its sovereign national reserves to help support the Bitcoin Development Pledge. This is in line with the King’s vision to apply modern digital technologies with care, patience, and responsibility, in the service of its people and future generations.
“To support this policy, I am announcing today the allocation of up to 10,000 BTC, valued at approximately USD 1 billion. This commitment is for our people, our youth, and our nation,” King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck added.
Principles Guiding The Bitcoin Development Pledge
As alluded to, the pledge rests on three main pillars to ensure Bitcoin is not only a speculative tool or investment vehicle, but brings nationwide benefits to the Bhutanese people. First, the pledge aims to continue leveraging its excessive hydroelectric power reserves to mine Bitcoin, hence turning clean energy into long-term national value. Secondly, the Bitcoin mined or acquired will be used to improve the economic and social livelihood of its citizens. Lastly, the pledge welcomes domestic and foreign partners to build its Bitcoin Development Strategy through trust, shared purpose, and long-term commitment.The BTC development strategy is still in its early days, with GMC evaluating a range of responsible approaches for long-term growth. The approach will be determined in the coming months, with options under consideration including collateralising the Kingdom’s BTC holdings, risk-managed yield and treasury strategies, and intentional long-term holding approaches designed to preserve and protect the value of its digital assets.The overall approach on how to secure and use the mined and acquired Bitcoin will be “guided by strong governance and prudence”, the pledge reads. It aims to ensure capital preservation, appropriate oversight over the funds, and transparency. All in all, the strategy aims to focus on the long-term value of BTC in the coming decades, ensuring development proceeds stably and sustainably, delivering positive economic and social outcomes—particularly for the country’s young population.
As a pioneer in sovereign Bitcoin mining and excess hydroelectric power, Bhutan will also use its Bitcoin mining proceeds to create meaningful and dignified work for its youth; cultivate new skills in technology, finance, and clean industries; create a fulfilling an high value of life among its people (especially creating close family ties, culture and community); and strengthen Bhutan’s long- term financial resilience in a changing world.Finally, the pledge also promises to work with like-minded organizations and individuals to bring its goals to fruition. It reinforces engagement with responsible international fintech and digital asset partners to participate in the development of Gelephu Mindfulness City. As a Special Administrative Region, GMC is being developed to provide regulatory clarity, modern financial connectivity, and a long-term, values-led environment for collaboration and growth.“We welcome investors, builders, and enterprises who share our long-term outlook and who respect the values by which we live,” the pledge reads.
Growing Bhutan’s Bitcoin Development Strategy
The latest pledge is a salute to the massive Bitcoin strategy the country has adopted over the past decade or so. The country became the first sovereign nation to adopt a Bitcoin mining strategy, tapping into its renewable energy to mine Bitcoin. The strategy saw Bhutan holding a significant amount of Bitcoin in its national reserves through clean energy. In addition, last week, the country launched $TER, a sovereign-backed digital token linked to physical gold, allowing potential investors to easily and conveniently purchase and own physical gold. Bhutan also announced the launch of its national digital identity system, built on a public blockchain, enabling nearly 800,000 citizens to securely verify their identities and access public services. The country, via GMC, also launched a nationwide initiative allowing millions of merchants to accept crypto payments through Binance Pay.
Together, these initiatives reflect a deliberate, long-term approach to innovation grounded in governance, sustainability, and real-world utility.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.