Bhutan moves another 500 bitcoin to exchanges as 2026 outflows top $150 million
The Royal Government of Bhutan transferred 519.707 BTC on Wednesday, the latest in a series of increasingly large moves that have taken its holdings from a peak of roughly 13,000 BTC to 4,453.
By Shaurya Malwa Mar 26, 2026, 5:08 a.m.
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What to know:
- Bhutan has accelerated sales from its state-owned bitcoin reserves, moving about $152 million worth of BTC so far in 2026, including a 519.7 BTC transfer worth $36.75 million on Wednesday.
- The kingdom's holdings have fallen roughly 66% from a late-2024 peak of about 13,000 BTC to 4,453 BTC, as larger March transactions replace the smaller $5 million to $15 million clips seen in January and February.
- Repeated transfers to Singapore-based QCP Capital suggest a structured over-the-counter selling arrangement, and the drawdown has left Bhutan with fewer than half the coins needed to meet its earlier pledge of up to 10,000 BTC for the Gelephu Mindfulness City project.
Bhutan has sold a part of its BTC stash again, and the pace is accelerating.
The Royal Government of Bhutan moved 519.707 BTC worth $36.75 million on Wednesday to an external address, according to Arkham Intelligence data. The transfer continues a drawdown that has intensified sharply over the past two weeks, with approximately $152 million in total outflows in 2026 alone.
The week before Wednesday's move was the most active period in the kingdom's bitcoin history. Arkham's outflow data shows a cluster of transfers totaling roughly $72 million in a single week, headlined by a 595.848 BTC transfer worth $44.44 million, the largest single move of the year.
That was followed by 205.53 BTC ($15.14 million) and 150.047 BTC ($11.14 million) sent to external addresses, plus 20.506 BTC ($1.52 million) to QCP Capital's merchant deposit address.
In January, Bhutan moved 184 BTC ($14.09 million) to an external wallet, sent 100.818 BTC ($8.31 million) to QCP Capital, and transferred $1.5 million in USDT to a Binance hot wallet. In February, another 100 BTC ($6.77 million) went to QCP. Two weeks ago, 175 BTC ($11.85 million) went out. Then last week's $72 million burst. Then Wednesday's $36.75 million.
The pattern shifted from $5-15 million clips in January and February to $35-45 million transfers in March.
QCP Capital has been the most consistent counterparty, receiving three separate transfers totaling roughly $16.6 million this year. The Singapore-based trading firm's repeated appearance as a destination suggests an OTC relationship for structured selling rather than ad hoc liquidations.
Bhutan's stack peaked at roughly 13,000 BTC in late 2024, built over several years through state-backed hydroelectric mining where the cost basis is effectively zero.
Every coin sold is profit for the country, whose economy depends heavily on hydroelectric exports to India.
The drawdown began after October 2024 and has been steep. Current holdings sit at 4,453 BTC worth $315 million, a 66% reduction in coins from peak. The Arkham balance chart shows the portfolio value peaked near $1.88 billion and now sits at $315 million, hit on both sides by the selling and bitcoin's decline from $119,000 to $70,000.
In December, Bhutan unveiled a Bitcoin Development Pledge committing up to 10,000 BTC to fund Gelephu Mindfulness City. At the time that was worth roughly $860 million. The government now holds fewer than 4,500 coins. The pledge in its original form is mathematically impossible to fulfill without reversing the drawdown entirely.
CoinDesk has reached out to Druk Holding & Investments, the government's commercial arm, for comment on the recent transfers and whether the Gelephu commitment remains active.
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