Bhutan’s Gelephu Mindfulness City has appointed Toronto-based 3iQ Corp as the first institutional manager for a portion of its sovereign Bitcoin reserves to support regional economic development.

Key Points

• Bhutan selected 3iQ Corp, a subsidiary of NASDAQ-listed Coincheck Group, to manage a portion of its Bitcoin treasury for the Gelephu Mindfulness City project.
• The mandate follows Bhutan’s December 2025 announcement to allocate up to 10,000 Bitcoin to support the development of its new digital offshore financial hub.
• 3iQ will establish a permanent office in Gelephu and focus on local talent development and knowledge transfer alongside its asset management responsibilities.
• Bhutan’s sovereign Bitcoin holdings, managed by Druk Holding and Investments, have shifted from pure accumulation to active deployment for infrastructure projects.
• While the specific amount of Bitcoin under management remains undisclosed, the partnership signals a transition toward professionalized, long-term sovereign asset management.

Why it Matters

This partnership marks a significant shift in how sovereign nations integrate digital assets into their national economic strategies by moving from simple accumulation to institutional-grade management. It positions Gelephu as a serious contender in the global race to attract digital financial firms through specialized regulatory frameworks and sovereign-backed infrastructure.