Bhutan's Gelephu Allocates Up to 10,000 BTC to 3iQ for Development Support

ChainCatcher report: Bhutan’s Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) has appointed Canadian digital asset management firm 3iQ to manage an authorization backed by a portion of its Bitcoin reserves, as GMC builds a digital asset investment hub. Under the partnership agreement, 3iQ will manage a portion of Bitcoin allocated to support Gelephu’s development, though the exact amount has not been disclosed. 3iQ will also establish a long-term local presence, invest in local talent, and provide training and knowledge transfer. In December 2025, Bhutan announced it would allocate up to 10,000 Bitcoin from its national holdings to support GMC. Neither party has disclosed the actual managed amount, custody arrangements, or whether the authorization permits lending, derivatives, or other yield-generating strategies. 3iQ CEO Pascal St-Jean stated that the company will bring institutional discipline to the authorization and deploy Bhutan’s capital responsibly, transparently, and with a long-term perspective. Jigdrel Singay, a member of the Gelephu Board of Directors, said 3iQ is one of the founding institutional partners of the city.