Who would have bet on this small Himalayan kingdom? Bhutan, land of mountains and meditation, first dipped a toe into crypto via Bitcoin mining. Today, he throws himself into it body and soul. Behind this rise in power, a milestone: that of digital sovereignty. While many countries are still hesitant, Bhutan is charging ahead, and it is Ethereum which is becoming the keystone of its digital future.
In brief
- Bhutan now uses Ethereum to host the digital identities of its 800,000 citizens.
- The system is based on BhutanNDI, a self-sovereign identity technology with zero-knowledge proofs.
- Vitalik Buterin and Aya Miyaguchi attended the inauguration ceremony at the state summit.
- The country holds more than 11,000 bitcoins, thanks to 100% hydroelectric and clean mining.
Why Bhutan swapped Polygon for Ethereum for its digital identity
Bhutan doesn’t do things by halves. In less than two years, it moved from Hyperledger Indy to Polygon, then to Ethereum, to host its national digital identity system. From now on, every citizen — almost 800,000 people — will have a self-sovereign identifier secure on the blockchain.
This infrastructure is supported by BhutanNDI, a system allowing you to verify your identity online, without losing control over your data. This move to Ethereum is not trivial: it relies on zero-knowledge proofs, a technology that guarantees confidentiality while offering public verifiability.
During the official ceremony, Vitalik Buterin and Aya Miyaguchi were present alongside the Prime Minister and the Crown Prince. In an eloquent tweetMiyaguchi summarized the importance of this moment:
This milestone marks not only a national achievement, but also a global step forward towards a more open and secure digital future in the long term.
This shift also coincides with the 10th anniversary of Ethereum. For Miyaguchi, it is a perfect illustration of how far we have come:
This moment seemed even more significant since it coincided with Ethereum's tenth year. A reminder of how far we have come, from ideas to their concrete impact in the real world.
Crypto sovereignty: when Bhutan charts its path
Behind the technological shift lies a strong strategic vision. It is no coincidence that Bhutan is now among the five largest state holders of Bitcoin, with 11,286 BTC valued at $1.31 billion. An accumulation made possible thanks to clean mining, powered by Himalayan hydroelectric dams.
That's not all. The country seems to want to become a laboratory for digital sovereignty. Between responsible energy exploitation, the anchoring of identities on Ethereum, and the meeting in 2025 with Changpeng Zhao, the clues converge.
What to remember in 4 numerical points
- 3 blockchains used for national identity: Hyperledger Indy → Polygon → Ethereum;
- 2026: planned end date for the complete migration of identifiers;
- 11,286 bitcoins: what Bhutan currently holds, approximately $1.31 billion;
- 5th in the world: position of Bhutan among the nations holding BTC.
This choice to switch to Ethereum is therefore not just a technical improvement. It is part of a logic of global positioning, where a small state shows that it is possible to take the initiative, even without being a superpower.
Bhutan found in Ethereum a promise consistent with its need for decentralization, verifiability and respect for privacy. By aligning its digital infrastructures with the principles of self-sovereign identity, it places itself at the forefront of a State 3.0 model. Here, technology does not crush humans: it accompanies them, with transparency and trust.
Maximize your Tremplin.io experience with our 'Read to Earn' program! For every article you read, earn points and access exclusive rewards. Sign up now and start earning benefits.
