- According to the unconfirmed wallet tags, Bhutan’s Bitcoin holdings could have dropped by 46%.
- Bhutan has active mining operations and likely uses more wallets than the number of wallets tracked.
- Analysts call for more transparency as Bitcoin becomes a substantial part of Bhutan’s national revenue.
According to blockchain data aggregator Arkham Intelligence, a steep fall in Bhutan’s Bitcoin holdings can be traced to the nation. Market analyst Pledditor tweeted that the Himalayan nation may have cut its treasury by 46 percent over the last year. This estimate relies completely upon the unverified fact of Arkham’s wallet tagging and limited disclosures.
Bhutan was first identified as one of the wallets marked for seizure by Arkham after the country was listed in bankruptcy filings for both BlockFi and Celsius. Through the exposure, there were certain wallet addresses that Arkham now tracks, some of which these labels are questionable. These figures are speculative as Bhutanese authorities have not received official confirmation.
Longtime crypto advocate Yves Bennaïm, founder of 2B4CH, also criticized the on-chain assumptions. Bhutan has been conducting large Bitcoin mining since 2019, he noted. Bennaïm, however, cautioned that dropping tracked wallet numbers doesn’t mean national reserves are running dry when mining infrastructure is still expanding.
He likened Bhutan’s count of visible addresses to those of major miners such as Marathon or Riot, adding that most operations don’t share such wallet-level data. Bennaïm also pointed to Bhutan’s energy strategy, which directs surplus hydroelectric-derived summer power into mining Bitcoin and liquidating it to cover winter energy imports from India.
Calls for Greater Transparency Intensify
As the blockchain sleuths debate the numbers, worries are mounting over the opacity with which Bhutan manages its crypto. According to Pledditor, since Bitcoin is now a large source of income for governments, more transparency about the numbers is required.
With outside observers relying on fragmented data and bankruptcy fallout, they have no official wallet disclosures or mining revenue statements. Arkham’s critics even agree that Bhutan’s use of Bitcoin is worthy of public accountability. If Bitcoin remains a significant national asset, the lack of financial clarity could become a policy risk.
Bhutan Taps Clean Energy to Power Mining Strategy
Bhutan has become a pivotal player in the cryptocurrency world by utilizing hydroelectric surplus as a digital asset strategy. Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) says the Himalayan kingdom has Been mining Bitcoin for years using its abundant renewable energy.
While speaking with Real Vision CEO Raoul Pal on TOKEN2049, CZ elaborated that Bhutan’s leadership saw the crypto play early. The country capitalized on its clean hydropower efficiently and discreetly to mine Bitcoin, led by its monarch, he noted.
This is no symbolic move. Arkham estimated that Bhutan will hold $750 million worth of Bitcoins by 2024. This figure amounts to almost 28% of the country’s 2023 GDP of $2.686 billion. Bhutan’s crypto policy has moved away from Bitcoin mining. CZ states that Bhutan has now included Ethereum and Binance Coin (BNB) in its national reserves.
Not many countries hold cryptocurrency as sovereign wealth. Bhutan is exceptional for having accumulated these assets and having a long-term strategy of not selling them. CZ said that it looks like Bhutan is committed to keeping their Bitcoin in reserve and using it in the long run instead of short-term gain.
