Data from Arkham Intelligence reveals United Arab Emirates-linked mining operations have amassed approximately $344 million in unrealized Bitcoin profit. Wallets associated with Abu Dhabi’s Royal Group currently hold $453.6 million in Bitcoin, with mining activities yielding a consistent 4.2 BTC daily. Fund outflows have been absent for four months, indicating a long-term holding strategy.
The UAE's industrial-scale crypto mining initiative began in 2022, with significant expansion in 2023 through collaborations to develop extensive immersion-cooled mining infrastructure. At present, the Royal Group holds an estimated 6,782 BTC, representing about 0.03% of Bitcoin's total supply. Unlike some nations, the UAE retains the majority of its self-mined assets.
In contrast, Bhutan has shifted its strategy, liquidating over $100 million worth of Bitcoin in the past five months, reducing its holdings by more than half. The country's remaining 5,600 BTC is valued at approximately $375 million.
The United States leads sovereign Bitcoin holdings through seized assets, accumulating 328,000 BTC valued at around $22 billion from cases like the Bitfinex hack and Silk Road. The UK government holds approximately 61,000 BTC, valued at $4 billion, acquired through a 2018 money laundering case seizure.
These diverse sovereign policies, ranging from mining and holding to seizing and selling, highlight evolving approaches to digital assets and their influence on the global market.