UAE Holds $344M in Bitcoin Profit Through HODL Strategy

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been a great success story in the mining of Bitcoin mining, collecting almost 453.8 million Bitcoin and reporting a gross profit of 344 million Bitcoin

ContentsUAE’s long-term Bitcoin strategyBhutan shifts to Bitcoin liquidationEl Salvador and Ethiopia lead the way in sovereign Bitcoin miningTrends in Sovereign Bitcoin Mining around the worldThe nation is pursuing a very strict HODL (hold on dear life) policy, whereby it refuses to sell its mined products

The approach is compared to Bhutan, which has started selling its Bitcoin stocks after years of holding the cryptocurrency

One of the emerging trends is sovereign mining, as countries are looking to exploit digital assets.

UAE’s long-term Bitcoin strategy

By February 19, 2026, the UAE had collaborated with Citadel and mined and retained the majority of $453.8 million worth of Bitcoin

Source: Arkham Intelligence

According to an Arkham Intelligence news report, the UAE has been applying a HODL strategy, and this will see it gain the advantages of a long-term increase in the cryptocurrency market

Through this strategy, the gross profit is attained at $344 million without the cost of energy

Besides mining, the UAE has also developed crypto-friendly zones and has developed clear regulations to entice blockchain businesses and investments.

Bhutan shifts to Bitcoin liquidation

Bhutan has adopted a different path from the UAE is holding its Bitcoin

Bhutan, which has secretly been mining Bitcoin over a number of years, has begun to sell off its reserves

Latest reports indicate that the nation has sold Bitcoin worth 22.4 million to market makers

The Bhutan mining reached its maximum of more than 13 000 BTC on its hydroelectric power

The government has, however, started to sell at periodic intervals, with its sales getting to about 50 million

In order to avoid disruption in the market, Bhutan has hired professional services, including the help of QCP Capital, to sell huge volumes of Bitcoin.

El Salvador and Ethiopia lead the way in sovereign Bitcoin mining

In some countries, such as El Salvador and Ethiopia, sovereign mining is also on the right track

El Salvador also remains committed to buying a single Bitcoin daily, and is also using volcanoes to mine geothermal energy

El Salvador currently owns approximately 7,566 BTC, amounting to 506M

Source: El Salvador Bitcoin Office

To monitor its Bitcoin, the nation has introduced a live transparency program to follow its Bitcoin reserves.

In the meantime, Ethiopia has become a force to reckon with in the Bitcoin mining market in Africa, where it controls 2.5% of the world’s hash rate with 25 licensed miners

The Ethiopian government is currently in search of international collaborators so as to develop state-sponsored mining projects

Ethiopia has also received international companies with its low electricity prices and good mining conditions

The nation has also entered into agreements with Chinese companies to construct giant data centers.

Trends in Sovereign Bitcoin Mining around the world

The sovereign Bitcoin mining is on the rise across the world

The decision of the UAE to hold mined Bitcoin in the long term is opposed to the need for regular liquidation in Bhutan

Countries such as El Salvador and Ethiopia are taking advantage of sovereign mining to harness the benefits of digital assets, with Russia intending to change its major regulations by July 2026

These events accentuate the increased attention of governments to cryptocurrency and their attempts to use digital resources to benefit their economies in the long run.