Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC), a Special Administrative Region (SAR) in Bhutan, has included digital assets such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH) and Binance Coin (BNB) in its strategic reserves .
The move makes GMC one of the first regions in the world to officially adopt cryptocurrency as part of its financial strategy.
Bhutan Pioneers Strategic Reserve of Cryptocurrency
The official announcement emphasizes SAR’s commitment to economic sustainability through the inclusion of digital assets.
“The inclusion of digital assets in GMC’s strategic reserves will enhance the economic sustainability of the SAR and reflect the growth in participation in bitcoin mining in this region,” stated clearly.
The city’s strategy focuses on digital assets with large market capitalization and high liquidity. This ensures that they can be traded easily without greatly affecting the price. Besides, GMC plans to prioritize assets issued on mature and secure blockchains, allowing for robust on-chain transaction monitoring.
GMC’s strategic location as a land bridge between South Asia’s rapidly growing economies provides access to a large market. This advantage positions SAR to become the center of technological innovation and financial services.
“GMC wants to become the Hong Kong of South Asia,” Wu Blockchain share.
Notably, this development follows the enactment of GMC Act No. 1 of 2024, known as the ‘Applicable Act 2024’. This law, implemented on December 26, 2024, establishes the regulatory framework for companies providing financial services related to digital assets within the GMC.
By combining this legal basis with the recognition of BTC, ETH, and BNB as strategic reserve assets, SAR aims to foster a thriving digital asset ecosystem in a secure environment. complete and well regulated.
To strengthen its role in the global cryptocurrency sector, GMC plans to hold a high-level meeting in March 2025. The meeting will bring together senior government officials and industry leaders from around the world at a summit. This meeting will deal with the recognition of digital assets as part of strategic reserves and explore the creation of an international advisory council on digital assets for the GMC.
The recognition of BNB as a strategic reserve asset has attracted significant attention from the cryptocurrency community. Binance founder and former CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) praised the decision in a post on X (Twitter).
“BNB is now a strategic reserve asset in Bhutan,” CZ share.
According to BNB Chain, Binance Coin BNB was chosen along with BTC and ETH due to its utility in the ecosystem. Network also emphasize maturity, security and scalability of BNB Chain. It also points to the possibility of supporting on-chain transaction monitoring to ensure transparency.
Kyle Chasse, a famous cryptocurrency expert, expressed his excitement, praise Bhutan for deciding to bet on cryptocurrency. Meanwhile, this pioneering move by GMC reflects the growing role of cryptocurrencies in the national financial strategy. Bhutan’s decision is in line with the broader global trend of adopting crypto assets as reserves.
As TinTucBitcoin reported, the Czech National Bank is considering including Bitcoin in its reserves. Similarly, Bitcoin reserves are gaining popularity in the United States, with 13 states leading the way in 2025.
Switzerland is also considering holding Bitcoin as a strategic reserve, further highlighting the growing role of cryptocurrencies in financial innovation.
These moves reflect the growing role of cryptocurrencies in the nation’s financial strategy. By integrating digital assets into its reserves, GMC not only strengthens its economic resilience but also paves the way for broader adoption of blockchain technology in the region.
As other regions watch Bhutan’s progress, this bold initiative could inspire similar efforts around the world. Such an outcome would reshape the way countries approach financial innovation and technological development.
