Bhutan's GMC Appoints 3iQ to Manage Bitcoin Reserves
Bhutan's Gelephu Mindfulness City has appointed Canadian digital asset management firm 3iQ to manage a portion of its Bitcoin reserves. 3iQ will manage the Bitcoin allocation used to support the development of Gelephu (the scale has not been disclosed) and will establish a long-term business locally, invest in local talent, and provide training. In December 2025, Bhutan announced the allocation of up to 10,000 Bitcoins from its national holdings to support GMC, but the actual management amount, custody arrangements, and whether lending or derivative strategies are allowed have not been disclosed. Source: Public Information
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Bhutan has been mining Bitcoin using surplus hydropower capacity, accumulating national holdings, and in 2025, the King announced the allocation of up to 10,000 BTC to support the construction of Gelephu Mindfulness City, aiming to create a sustainable digital asset investment center and offshore financial hub. In terms of capital pathways, GMC has entrusted part of the national Bitcoin reserves to 3iQ for institutional management, while requiring local operations and talent training, transferring funds and expertise from sovereign reserves to professional asset management firms to support urban development rather than direct sales. Similar cases can be seen in El Salvador using part of Bitcoin for national projects, and other sovereign funds bringing in external managers to optimize digital asset allocation; currently, Bhutan is transitioning from passive accumulation and mining to active institutional management and local capacity building. Essentially, this is a restructuring of the industry chain: sovereign Bitcoin is shifting from a mere reserve asset to a capital tool supporting real cities and financial ecosystems, with the mechanism being the introduction of external professional managers to achieve long-term value protection and local knowledge spillover. ABAB News · Cognitive Laws 1. Sovereign reserves require professional custody 2. Capital deployment must be accompanied by knowledge transfer 3. Long-term holding is better than short-term liquidation.