Bitcoin Ownership by Country in 2025 Revealed
🌍 Governments across the globe are quietly amassing billions in Bitcoin reserves, with both public and secret holdings shaping the future of state-level crypto strategies.
🌐 Bitcoin Ownership by Country — The Global Picture
Roughly 463,000 BTC, or about 2.3% of Bitcoin’s total supply, is now in government hands, according to blockchain data and official disclosures. While this may seem small, the value runs into tens of billions of dollars, giving Bitcoin ownership by country an increasingly important role in global finance. Two nations dominate this space — the United States and China.
🇺🇸 The US holds nearly 200,000 BTC, worth $18–$22 billion, accumulated through major seizures like the Silk Road case and ransomware takedowns. In March 2025, President Donald Trump created a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, marking a historic shift in how Bitcoin ownership by country is approached in Washington.
🇨🇳 China’s position is more opaque. Following the 2019 PlusToken scam bust, it seized over 190,000 BTC, but analysts remain unsure how much is still held. Despite banning domestic trading and mining, China continues to be a major influence in Bitcoin ownership by country politics.
🏔 Bhutan’s Green Bitcoin Strategy
Tucked in the Himalayas, Bhutan is perhaps the most surprising name in Bitcoin ownership by country rankings. Through its sovereign fund, Druk Holding & Investments (DHI), Bhutan began mining BTC in 2019 using 100% renewable hydropower. By 2025, its holdings reached an estimated 12,000–13,000 BTC, worth up to $1.3 billion — an amount equal to 30%-40% of its GDP.
This makes Bhutan’s approach unique in Bitcoin ownership by country trends: no seizures, no speculative trading — just steady, eco-friendly accumulation. The strategy is centrally managed and integrated into its long-term economic plan, proving that even small nations can be big players in Bitcoin geopolitics.
🇬🇧 The UK’s Unexpected Entry into Bitcoin Holdings
The UK rarely features in Bitcoin ownership by country discussions, but a 2021 seizure of 61,000 BTC during a money laundering investigation changed that. Valued at about £5 billion, this cache has sparked debate on whether to liquidate or keep it as a sovereign reserve.
If retained, the UK would rank among the largest state Bitcoin holders, behind the US, China, and possibly the UAE. Whether by accident or design, the UK is now part of the growing list of nations redefining Bitcoin ownership by country strategies.
🇺🇦 Ukraine’s Digital War Chest
Since the Russia conflict began in 2022, Ukraine has pioneered wartime use of cryptocurrency. Over $70 million in BTC was donated to the government in the first year of fighting, making Bitcoin ownership by country not just about reserves, but also about real-time funding in crises.
By mid-2025, Ukraine’s holdings had fallen to just 186 BTC, showing its approach was rapid deployment rather than accumulation. This unique use case highlights a different side of Bitcoin ownership by country — as a tool for immediate, borderless capital in emergencies.
🌋 El Salvador’s Legal Tender Experiment
In 2021, El Salvador made Bitcoin legal tender, pushing it into the spotlight of Bitcoin ownership by country rankings. By early 2025, it held over 6,000 BTC and was still adding more daily under its “1 Bitcoin per day” initiative.
Despite losing legal tender status in 2025 under IMF pressure, the government continues to accumulate BTC, proving its commitment to Bitcoin ownership by country as a long-term economic play.
🇮🇷 Iran’s Sanctions-Bypassing Mining Model
Since 2019, Iran has regulated Bitcoin mining with one condition — licensed miners must sell their BTC to the Central Bank. This allows it to turn subsidized electricity into a direct pipeline for Bitcoin ownership by country growth, sidestepping sanctions and funding imports.
While precise numbers are unknown, Iran’s mining once accounted for up to 7% of the global hash rate, likely feeding into hidden reserves. This makes Iran a quiet yet significant player in Bitcoin ownership by country politics.
🕵️ Rumors, Speculation, and Silent Hoards
Some countries are whispered to be major holders, though proof is scarce. The UAE is rumored to control up to 420,000 BTC, a claim unverified by blockchain analysis. Bulgaria’s alleged 200,000 BTC seizure in 2017 is equally disputed. Yet, in discussions about Bitcoin ownership by country, these names keep surfacing.
Smaller confirmed holders include Finland (90 BTC), Georgia (66 BTC), and Venezuela (240 BTC), often from legal seizures. While modest in scale, these reserves still place them on the map of Bitcoin ownership by country in 2025.
🌎 Why Silent Accumulation Matters
Not all nations announce their holdings. Some, like Bhutan and Iran, integrate Bitcoin into core strategies. Others, like the US, repurpose seized assets into strategic reserves. The motivations behind Bitcoin ownership by country range from hedging against inflation to bypassing sanctions.
Despite volatility and policy challenges, sovereign Bitcoin wealth is becoming a key part of the global financial landscape. Whether hidden or declared, Bitcoin ownership by country is shaping the next chapter of monetary geopolitics.
