Bhutan partners with Cumberland DRW to expand digital asset infrastructure
Bhutan has signed a multi-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) with crypto market maker Cumberland DRW to collaborate on building digital asset infrastructure in Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC). The agreement deepens Bhutan’s long-term strategy of integrating digital assets into a sustainability-focused economic model.
The special administrative region said the partnership supports Bhutan’s vision of developing a modern digital economy aligned with environmental stewardship and strong governance principles, reports Cointelegraph.
Jigdrel Singay, board director of Gelephu Mindfulness City, said Cumberland will assist with Bitcoin reserve management, establish a local presence in the GMC and hire Bhutanese talent. The firm will also deploy subject-matter experts to help train and develop the local workforce.
Gelephu Mindfulness City is a special administrative region designed to attract global talent while integrating technology, sustainability and mindful development.
Exploring a national digital asset ecosystem
Cumberland, the digital asset arm of Chicago-based trading firm DRW, is one of the largest institutional liquidity providers in crypto markets. Active since 2014, the firm services global institutions across spot and derivatives markets.
Under the MoU, Bhutan and Cumberland will explore building a national digital asset ecosystem, including modern financial frameworks, sustainable mining operations, artificial intelligence compute infrastructure, yield generation models and stablecoin systems.
The initiative is being led by Green Digital, a GMC-linked infrastructure company focused on developing renewable energy-powered computing facilities. Green Digital’s mandate is to ensure that digital asset development aligns with Bhutan’s broader sustainability goals and economic diversification strategy.
Bhutan’s economic framework is guided by its Gross National Happiness (GNH) model, which prioritizes collective well-being over purely economic metrics and remains central to national policymaking.
“Bhutan’s clarity of vision and emphasis on sustainable development make it a natural partner for responsible and forward-looking innovation,” said DRW founder Donald R. Wilson. “We are honored to support Bhutan as it builds the foundations of a modern digital economy.”
The MoU outlines areas of cooperation but does not constitute binding commitments or guarantee the deployment of specific infrastructure.
Bhutan deepens its role in digital assets
Bhutan is among the earliest sovereign Bitcoin miners, using surplus hydropower to build a national Bitcoin reserve powered entirely by renewable energy.
The country has also incorporated digital assets into GMC’s strategic reserves, enabled crypto-based payments across tourism and merchant services, and launched TER, a sovereign-backed digital token linked to physical gold.
Taken together, these initiatives position Bhutan as a rare example of a nation-state treating Bitcoin, stablecoins and blockchain infrastructure as long-term economic tools rather than speculative instruments.
Recently we wrote that Itaú Asset Management, Brazil’s largest privately owned asset manager, has begun officially advising clients to allocate between 1% and 3% of their portfolios to Bitcoin, marking a significant shift in Latin America’s institutional stance on crypto.
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