Bhutan partners with 3iQ to manage sovereign Bitcoin holdings

Canadian asset manager 3iQ will run part of Gelephu Mindfulness City's Bitcoin treasury using low-risk, market-neutral strategies Bhutan is putting some of its Bitcoin to work. Canadian digital asset manager 3iQ Corp. has partnered with Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC), the Himalayan kingdom’s planned financial hub, to manage a portion of its Bitcoin treasury. The partnership was announced on July 30, 2026. The goal is to earn returns on sovereign Bitcoin through low-risk, market-neutral strategies, rather than simply leaving the coins to sit in cold storage. What the deal actually covers Under the arrangement, 3iQ will oversee a segment of GMC’s Bitcoin reserves. The size of that segment has not been disclosed. The partnership also comes with commitments that go beyond portfolio management. 3iQ plans to establish a physical presence in Gelephu, invest in local talent, and support knowledge transfer to Bhutanese staff. 3iQ’s CEO emphasized a commitment to responsible and transparent capital management. The partnership is being framed as the first recorded instance of a sovereign Bitcoin treasury being managed by an external entity. The royal Bitcoin behind GMC The funding for GMC has...