Bhutan retains talent through Bitcoin mining, exploring new paths for global economic innovation.

In recent years, the brain drain issue in Bhutan has become increasingly severe. In response to this phenomenon, the Bhutanese government is actively opening its doors to global investors and emerging industries, trying to find a balance between traditional values and modern economic opportunities.

Bhutan is known for its national happiness index, but not limited to this; the country is now planning to create job opportunities through clean energy and economic special zones. However, this ambitious plan faces multiple challenges during its implementation.

In 2023, about 13,500 Bhutanese (accounting for 1.6% of the national population) chose to migrate to Australia, reflecting the younger generation's pursuit of broader markets and opportunities. However, this population outflow has also led to a shortage of skilled workers domestically, posing challenges during a critical period for the country's innovative development.

In addition, Bhutan's geographical location has also exacerbated the difficulties of economic development. As a landlocked country situated between India and China, it faces issues such as high transportation costs and lengthy infrastructure construction times.

Despite its limited domestic resources, Bhutan is committed to turning its natural resources into economic advantages. Bhutan is working to convert its abundant hydropower resources (2.5 GW completed, 3 GW under construction) into economic benefits, including utilizing them for Bitcoin mining since 2019 and incorporating it into the national wealth fund.

Moreover, Bhutan plans to build a 2,500 square kilometer Grelpu Mindfulness City Economic Zone near the Indian border, aimed at developing healthcare, technology, and green energy. However, the project requires huge infrastructure investment and will take years to complete.

Behind this series of bold attempts, Bhutan's GNH index has risen to 0.781 in recent years, and the per capita GDP has increased to $3711. However, the tourism industry has been severely impacted by the pandemic, with only 145,000 visitors in 2022, far below the 315,590 visitors in 2019. Against this backdrop, how to revive the tourism industry and stimulate economic growth has become an important issue for Bhutan.

In terms of governance model, the Druk Holding and Investments (DHI) emulates Temasek, aiming to promote national economic development with its streamlined management model and green energy conversion strategy.

Therefore, if the pilot project is successful, it will open up new prospects for Bhutan, attracting more young people to stay and injecting vitality into the country.

#不丹 #Bitcoin #清洁能源