UAE Government Holds 6,300 Bitcoin Valued at $700 Million

Highlights:

• UAE controls nearly 6,300 BTC mined through Citadel Mining, worth over $700 million.
• The UAE Royal Group, led by Sheikh Tahnoon, largely owns Citadel Mining.
• UAE ranks sixth globally in nation-state Bitcoin holdings, which shows growing crypto influence.

On August 25, Arkham Intelligence revealed that the United Arab Emirates government possesses nearly 6,300 Bitcoin, worth an estimated $700 million to $740 million. Unlike typical sovereign holdings bought directly from the market, the UAE accumulated this reserve through mining operations. 

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The UAE mined Bitcoin through Citadel Mining, a company controlled by the Royal Group. By retaining the majority of its mined Bitcoin, the UAE treats crypto holdings as strategic assets, akin to gold or foreign currency.

BREAKING: THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES IS NOW ON ARKHAM

The UAE’s $700M BTC holdings are now labeled on Arkham. These holdings come from Bitcoin mining operations carried out by Citadel, a public mining company majority owned by UAE Royal Group through IHC.

Arkham is the first to… pic.twitter.com/eIGut5pJXN

— Arkham (@arkham) August 25, 2025

The firm reported that miners have produced roughly 9,300 BTC so far, with at least 6,300 BTC remaining in wallets controlled by the UAE. Arkham highlights that 2pointzero, entirely owned by IHC, holds an 85% stake in Citadel Mining. In turn, IHC is around 61% owned by the UAE Royal Group, a leading conglomerate headed by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi’s ruling family. “In conjunction with Phoenix Group (a public UAE mining company) and the UAE government-owned IHC, Citadel built an 80,000 square meter bitcoin mining facility on Al Reem Island in Abu Dhabi in 2022 in 6 months,” Arkham detailed on X.

In conjunction with Phoenix Group (a public UAE mining company) and the UAE government-owned IHC, Citadel built an 80,000 square meter bitcoin mining facility on Al Reem Island in Abu Dhabi in 2022 in 6 months.

We were able to corroborate the timeline of on-chain mining activity… pic.twitter.com/MyTJQRzh7K

— Arkham (@arkham) August 25, 2025

UAE Expands Crypto Influence with Mining, Investments, and Regulatory Support

The news comes after CZ’s claims last year that the UAE holds more than double the US Bitcoin reserves. Some reports even suggested 420,000 BTC. Authorities link these numbers to their crackdown on fake investment schemes and Ponzi operations in the Emirates.

The Gulf nation is fast-tracking efforts to lure blockchain companies with supportive regulations and abundant energy for mining. It is also directing institutional capital toward the sector, further strengthening its crypto-friendly environment. In addition to its mined Bitcoin reserves, Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund has invested $534 million in a Bitcoin ETF. This highlights the UAE’s broader commitment to cryptocurrency, showing its strategy extends well beyond mining activities.

UAE Rises Among Top Nation-State Bitcoin Holders

The UAE holds the sixth spot in global nation-state Bitcoin reserves, between Bhutan’s 11,286 BTC and El Salvador’s 6,246 BTC. At the top, the U.S. possesses 198,012 BTC, mostly obtained through criminal seizures, followed by China with 194,000 BTC and the U.K. at 61,245 BTC. BitBo estimates that sovereign nations together control about 517,000 BTC, accounting for roughly 2.4% of all Bitcoin in circulation.

On the individual side, Satoshi Nakamoto remains the largest holder with an estimated 1.096 million BTC. On the corporate side, Michael Saylor’s company, Strategy (MSTR), leads with 629,376 BTC in its treasury. The UAE’s increasing Bitcoin holdings reflect its ambition to become a key player in the Bitcoin ecosystem and to diversify its national reserves. Japan is also changing its financial system to support investments and digital assets.

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