<h2 id="bhutan-crypto-news">Bhutan Crypto News</h2>
Bhutan will deploy and run a Sei Network validator in the first quarter through a collaboration between the Sei Development Foundation and Druk Holding and Investments (DHI), the country's primary sovereign wealth fund. The validator represents the latest addition to the kingdom's digital transformation push.
Phuntsho Namgay, head of DHI's Department of Innovation and Technology, said the collaboration marks an exciting step toward strengthening Bhutan's role in global blockchain innovation while unlocking new pathways for data valuation, scientific advancement, and financial technology. DHI plans to continue exploring opportunities with the Sei Development Foundation.
Validators are critical components for proof-of-stake networks, helping secure the network, validate transactions and blocks, and vote on protocol upgrades. The partnership positions Bhutan to participate directly in <a href="https://coinmarketcap.com/academy/glossary/blockchain" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">blockchain </a>infrastructure rather than simply using applications.
Bhutan has quietly become a leader in cryptocurrency adoption. The nation's nearly 800,000 residents can verify their identities and access government services through a self-sovereign ID system powered by Ethereum.
Eleanor Davies, science and innovation lead at Sei Development Foundation, said the collaboration represents significant investment in national blockchain adoption. The partnership expands Sei's global validator footprint and will set the stage for innovative projects in payments, <a href="https://coinmarketcap.com/academy/glossary/tokenize" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">tokenization</a>, and personal identification.
Future collaborations between Bhutan and Sei could include tokenization initiatives, Davies indicated. The partnership creates a foundation for projects beyond basic validator operations.
The kingdom holds the fifth-largest Bitcoin stash among countries, with most coins acquired through mining operations. Bitbo <a href="https://bitbo.io/treasuries/countries/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">estimates</a> Bhutan holds around 11,286 coins worth over $1 billion, with some earmarked to help build the Gelephu Mindfulness City special administrative region.
A growing number of companies are running validators alongside Bhutan. German telecommunications giant Deutsche Telekom launched validators on Injective in February, Polygon in June 2023, and Celo in June 2021. Google Cloud became a central validator of the Cronos blockchain in November, joining a pool of 32 others on the Cronos Ethereum Virtual Machine protocol.

Bhutan To Run Sei Network Validator in Q1 2026

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