Bhutan moves another 500 bitcoin to exchanges as 2026 outflows top $150 million

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.