Bitcoin Ownership by Country: Unveiling the Astonishing Secret Strategic Holdings
Ever wondered who truly holds the reins of the Bitcoin market? Beyond the headlines of institutional investments and retail traders, a silent revolution is underway. Governments worldwide are quietly accumulating Bitcoin, transforming it from a niche digital asset into a pivotal component of national asset strategies. While the US and China often dominate discussions, their stories are just the tip of the iceberg. What about the nations making moves in the shadows, building significant Bitcoin ownership by country without fanfare?
Roughly 463,000 BTC — or about 2.3% of Bitcoin’s total supply — is currently held by governments globally, according to publicly available blockchain data and legal disclosures. While that might sound like a small percentage, it equates to tens of billions of dollars in sovereign Bitcoin wealth, giving Bitcoin a growing role in national asset strategies and state-level accumulation. Two countries dominate this list, and their positions are no secret.
The Public Players: US and China’s Dominant Bitcoin Holdings
The United States government is by far the most visible player when it comes to Bitcoin holdings. Through high-profile seizures from the Silk Road marketplace to dark web operations and ransomware takedowns, it has accumulated nearly 200,000 BTC. As of early 2025, that stash is estimated to be worth between $18 billion and $22 billion. In March 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order formalizing the creation of a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, consolidating all seized BTC under federal control. This signaled a new geopolitical mindset: Bitcoin isn’t just a forfeited asset — it’s part of the foreign government Bitcoin strategy.
Second on the Bitcoin ownership by country list is China, though its position is shrouded in opacity. In 2019, Chinese authorities shut down the PlusToken scam and confiscated over 190,000 BTC — one of the largest crypto seizures in history. The fate of these funds remains largely unknown. Some analysts suggest parts of this holding were quietly liquidated, while others believe the coins are sitting dormant in government Bitcoin wallets. Despite its ban on domestic trading and mining, China remains a key player in the geopolitics of Bitcoin ownership, potentially one of the largest non-US Bitcoin reserve holders.
Here’s a snapshot of the known top government Bitcoin holders:
| Country | Estimated BTC Held | Estimated USD Value (approx.) | Primary Acquisition Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | ~200,000 | $18B – $22B | Seizures (Silk Road, etc.) |
| China | ~190,000 | $17B – $21B | Seizures (PlusToken) |
| United Kingdom | ~61,000 | ~$5B | Seizures (Money Laundering) |
| Bhutan | ~12,000-13,000 | $1.1B – $1.3B | Mining |
| El Salvador | ~6,000 | ~$550M | Purchases, Mining |
| Ukraine | ~186 | ~$17M | Donations (Wartime) |
| Iran | Undisclosed | Undisclosed | State-regulated Mining |
Beyond the Duopoly: Unveiling Hidden Bitcoin Ownership by Country
While the US and China dominate headlines, their stories are widely reported. What’s far less understood is the silent Bitcoin accumulation by countries outside of this duopoly. From Himalayan monarchies to debt-ridden democracies, a new group of nations is quietly reshaping the global Bitcoin ownership by country map.
Bhutan: The Hydropower-Fueled Accumulator of Sovereign Bitcoin Wealth
Tucked away in the Himalayas, Bhutan has been quietly building one of the largest nation-state Bitcoin reserves in the world. Starting in 2019, Bhutan’s sovereign investment fund, Druk Holding & Investments (DHI), began mining Bitcoin using the country’s vast hydropower capacity. Cool temperatures, excess renewable energy, and stable governance made it ideal for long-term accumulation. By 2025, Bhutan is believed to have mined between 12,000 and 13,000 BTC worth $1.1 billion-$1.3 billion. That figure is staggering for a country with a GDP of just over $3 billion. Bhutan’s Bitcoin holdings now represent as much as 30%-40% of its national economy — higher than any other country.
Several things make Bhutan’s strategy unique in the landscape of state-backed Bitcoin holdings:
- It’s Green: 100% renewable hydropower, avoiding the energy debate that haunts most miners.
- It’s Economically Sound: Rather than sell electricity at low export prices, Bhutan transforms it into crypto assets.
- It’s Centrally Managed: The effort is coordinated through DHI, part of Bhutan’s long-term development plan.
Unlike others that gained reserves through law enforcement seizures, Bhutan’s approach is quiet, strategic, and fully sovereign. It’s possibly the clearest example of hidden secret Bitcoin holdings by governments being used as a core economic pillar instead of simply a hedge.
United Kingdom: Seizures and Strategic Decisions on State-Backed Bitcoin Holdings
The UK rarely comes up in conversations about countries that own Bitcoin, but recent events put it among the top holders. In 2021, British authorities seized approximately 61,000 BTC during a money laundering investigation. The coins, linked to a Chinese-origin fraud ring, are now under the control of the Metropolitan Police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). At current prices, the haul is worth around 5 billion British pounds. What to do with that windfall is still being debated. Traditionally, the UK sells seized crypto. However, the CPS has proposed retaining the Bitcoin rather than liquidating it, potentially establishing one of the world’s most unexpected state-backed Bitcoin holdings. While there’s no formal move yet to treat these assets as part of a strategic state-level Bitcoin reserve, the UK is already a major stakeholder in the unfolding Bitcoin adoption by countries.
Ukraine: A Digital War Chest Driven by Necessity
Since the start of the war with Russia in 2022, Ukraine has become one of the first examples of Bitcoin adoption by countries driven not by ideology, but necessity. It used cryptocurrency as a large-scale, borderless fundraising tool for national defense. In the first year of the conflict, Ukraine received over $70 million in BTC donations from around the world. These funds were deployed rapidly for military equipment, humanitarian relief, and emergency logistics. By mid-2025, the government’s Bitcoin holdings had dropped to roughly 186 BTC, showing that the coins weren’t stockpiled but spent — fast. Unlike state-level Bitcoin accumulation through mining or seizures, Ukraine’s strategy was reactive: crypto assets held not for reserve-building, but as real-time, wartime capital.
El Salvador: The Bold Legal-Tender Experiment and Government Bitcoin Strategy
In 2021, El Salvador became the first nation to declare Bitcoin legal tender. President Nayib Bukele framed the decision as a path to financial sovereignty and broader inclusion. By January 2025, the government had accumulated over 6,000 BTC, placing it firmly in the upper tier of Bitcoin ownership by country. That number continues to grow with daily purchases under the “1 Bitcoin per day” initiative. The country also launched state-backed “Volcano Bonds,” built geothermal-powered mining facilities, and opened a National Bitcoin Office to coordinate strategy. It became a poster child for sovereign Bitcoin wealth, blending investment, infrastructure, and nation branding.
Still, the plan hit turbulence. In early 2025, amid pressure from the International Monetary Fund, El Salvador agreed to repeal Bitcoin’s legal tender status in exchange for a $1.4-billion bailout. Yet despite these changes, El Salvador’s government Bitcoin wallets remain active. Daily purchases continue, and the state still views Bitcoin as a long-term asset. Though no longer a legal currency, it remains central to El Salvador’s unique foreign government Bitcoin strategy.
Iran: Quietly Turning Bitcoin into State Reserves through Secret Bitcoin Holdings
Iran rarely appears on lists of countries with the most Bitcoin, but its influence is quietly growing through a legal-mining-for-reserves model. Since 2019, Iran has treated Bitcoin mining as a state-regulated industry. Any licensed miner is required to sell mined Bitcoin directly to the Central Bank, turning cheap, often subsidized electricity into a pipeline for accumulating state-backed Bitcoin holdings. This approach allows Iran to bypass sanctions and pay for imports — without declaring a single wallet address. It’s a textbook case of silent Bitcoin accumulation by countries, where the objective isn’t visibility, but utility. While exact figures are unavailable, estimates once placed Iran’s mining activity at 4%-7% of the global hash rate — a significant share that likely fed into hidden secret Bitcoin holdings by governments. Domestic exchanges ensure that all mined coins can be tracked and absorbed.
Rumored and Emerging Players: Where Else are Secret Bitcoin Holdings Lurking?
Not every government publicizes its crypto strategy. Some accumulate in silence. Others are the subject of speculation. As global attention sharpens on Bitcoin ownership by country in 2025, a few names keep surfacing — often without clear confirmation, yet impossible to ignore.
United Arab Emirates (UAE): The Billion-Dollar Whisper
For years, crypto circles have whispered that the UAE may control up to 420,000 BTC — a number that, if true, would make it the world’s largest holder of state-backed Bitcoin holdings by a wide margin. These figures are usually linked to enforcement actions against fraudulent investment schemes. However, this remains one of the most debated examples of secret Bitcoin holdings by nations. There’s no government record, no public wallet address, and no official acknowledgment. Blockchain analysts have failed to verify the claim. While it may reflect some truth — such as asset confiscations — most researchers agree the number is likely inflated or misunderstood. Still, the UAE’s name often appears in lists of countries hoarding Bitcoin, keeping it a notable part of the sovereign Bitcoin wealth conversation.
Bulgaria: The Vanishing Fortune
Bulgaria’s Bitcoin story dates back to 2017, when authorities reportedly seized over 200,000 BTC in a raid on a cybercrime network. At the time, this haul briefly made Bulgaria one of the most Bitcoin-rich governments on the planet — at least on paper. But clarity faded. Official statements became contradictory. Some reports claim the coins were sold off, others that they were never actually in government wallets. A 2023 Freedom of Information request yielded a blunt denial: No such BTC is currently held by the state. Even so, the tale persists — a prime example of how the line between actual government Bitcoin wallets and rumors can get blurred.
Other Smaller Players: Quiet Accumulators on the Global Bitcoin Ownership Map
A number of smaller nations have documented, if modest, nation-state Bitcoin reserves — typically the result of legal seizures rather than strategic policy.
- Finland: Believed to hold around 90 BTC, stemming from criminal investigations.
- Georgia: Has around 66 BTC, also tied to court actions.
- Venezuela: Estimated to possess roughly 240 BTC, possibly linked to Petro-related crypto activity or confiscations.
These holdings are small in global terms, and there’s no public evidence of ongoing state-level Bitcoin accumulation in these countries. Still, they’re part of the broader global Bitcoin ownership by country map, reflecting how even minor players are being drawn into the crypto reserve race. CoinGecko also lists Germany and Hong Kong among emerging sovereign Bitcoin holders.
Why Quiet Bitcoin Accumulation Matters: A Shifting Government Bitcoin Strategy
You don’t need to issue a press release to enter the Bitcoin game. Some governments loudly declare their intentions. Others mine in silence, regulate quietly, or build holdings through indirect means. The motivations vary, but the pattern is increasingly familiar: Silent Bitcoin accumulation by countries is rising. For some, it’s strategic diversification. Bitcoin acts as digital gold — scarce, borderless, and disconnected from central bank policy. It’s especially attractive to nations looking to hedge against inflation or de-dollarize reserves. In Bhutan, mining turns surplus renewable energy into sovereign Bitcoin wealth. In Iran, Bitcoin bypasses global sanctions to help fund imports. Even in the US, a government Bitcoin wallet once used to liquidate seized assets is now part of a federally managed “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.”
The Future of Sovereign Bitcoin Wealth: Challenges and Opportunities for State-Backed Bitcoin Holdings
The trend of nations accumulating Bitcoin, whether openly or discreetly, highlights a fundamental shift in how countries view digital assets. This evolving government Bitcoin strategy presents both challenges and opportunities:
- Challenges: Volatility remains high, transparency is rare, and geopolitical pressure from traditional financial institutions could push some countries to rethink or conceal their strategies. Security of large state-backed Bitcoin holdings is paramount, and regulatory uncertainty persists globally.
- Opportunities: Bitcoin offers a unique avenue for diversification away from traditional fiat reserves. For sanctioned nations, it provides a means to bypass financial blockades. For smaller economies, it can empower financial inclusion and leverage unique national resources. Ultimately, accumulating Bitcoin could become a new form of soft power and geopolitical influence.
This quiet movement isn’t without complexities, but nations that hold Bitcoin are no longer outliers. Whether their accumulation is loud or discreet, they’re shaping a new layer of global economic strategy.
Conclusion: Bitcoin is now a tool of the state. Its role in national asset strategies is evolving, from seized assets to strategic reserves and wartime capital. The global Bitcoin ownership by country map is far more complex and intriguing than just the public players. As more nations explore sovereign Bitcoin wealth and implement their unique government Bitcoin strategy, the geopolitics of crypto will only deepen, making these hidden holdings a critical area to watch in the years to come.
