3iQ to Manage Part of Bhutan’s Gelephu Bitcoin Treasury

Gelephu Mindfulness City has appointed Canadian digital-asset manager 3iQ to manage an undisclosed portion of Bhutan’s Bitcoin allocation. The firm will establish a long-term presence in Gelephu, invest in local talent and provide training and knowledge transfer.

Under the agreement, 3iQ will take responsibility for part of the Bitcoin Bhutan set aside to support Gelephu’s development as a special administrative region and digital-asset investment hub. The firm will operate on-site, develop local expertise and support the city’s efforts to attract institutional digital-asset activity. The parties did not disclose the size of the mandate or the transfer timetable.

Bhutan announced in December 2025 that it would allocate up to 10,000 Bitcoin from national holdings to back Gelephu’s development. Officials describe the 3iQ appointment as the next phase in putting some of those holdings to work for the city’s growth and infrastructure.

Key operational details remain undisclosed. Neither 3iQ nor Gelephu released the exact amount of Bitcoin placed under management, the custody arrangements that will be used, or whether the mandate permits lending, derivatives or other yield-generating strategies.

Pascal St-Jean, 3iQ’s chief executive officer, described the firm’s approach as bringing “institutional discipline” and helping to put Bhutan’s capital to work “responsibly, transparently and for the long term.”

Jigdrel Singay, a director on Gelephu’s board, called 3iQ one of the city’s founding institutional partners and indicated that further milestones will be announced as the partnership develops.

Gelephu is positioning itself as a digital offshore financial center with a focus on innovation, sustainability and institutional asset management. City officials plan to attract licensed crypto firms and build local capacity so Gelephu can support a broader digital-asset ecosystem. The appointment of 3iQ is the latest public action to move the Bitcoin allocation into operational use and to integrate external managers into the city’s financial framework.