The UAE government is currently sponsoring Bitcoin mining operations that take advantage of the country’s large natural gas supplies. czech republicfoIt was interjected on social media that the UAE, under the ownership of Binance, has been “mining Bitcoin for a long time.” meanwhile. “
Governments of countries such as Japan and Elle salvador And Russia is already sponsoring Bitcoin mining And according to recent reports, the UAE has joined the group.
Is the UAE government involved in Bitcoin mining?
According to a recent announcement circulating on social media, the United Arab Emirates has joined the list of countries that have chosen to adopt government-backed Bitcoin mining. Binance founder CZ responded to an announcement post regarding UAE mining activities with the following: knowledge. “
Arkham Intelligence revealed in August of In 2025, the UAE held approximately 6,300-6,450 Bitcoins worth $700 million, acquired through state-sponsored mining operations conducted through Citadel Mining.
Rather than allowing private companies to control the sector or attempting to limit it through regulation, the UAE government is choosing to directly participate in or sponsor mining operations.
However, to protect energy resources and land use laws, the Emirate of Abu Dhabi banned cryptocurrency mining on agricultural land in September 2025 and imposed fines of up to Dh100,000 on violators.
Nevertheless, the UAE considers Bitcoin mining to be a core national infrastructure, in the same way that countries treat data centres, telecommunications networks, or energy projects.
News from Dubai and Abu Dhabi in recent years reinforces the country’s progressive approach to regulating the digital asset sector, attracting major crypto exchanges and blockchain companies, and establishing free zones specifically designed for crypto businesses.
What other countries are participating in Bitcoin mining?
Although El Salvador adopted Bitcoin as its legal tender in 2021 and abolished it in 2025, the country still holds 7,517 BTC. The country mined 474 BTC in three years using geothermal energy from volcanoes.
In 2023, the small Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan revealed that it had secretly started mining Bitcoin in 2018 using its abundant hydroelectric power resources. Mine 55-75 BTC every week and use the tokens to fund civil servant salaries and public services.
Ethiopia has an agreement with an international mining company to use the country’s surplus hydropower to operate mining operations.
Iran, Japan And Russia also has crypto-friendly policies to benefit in various ways. Iran legalized mining at the national level in 2019 to generate revenue and pay for imports under economic sanctions. The country will close 100 illegal mines in 2025 and regularly bans even legal mining during energy crises.
Japan recently launched state-sponsored mining to balance power grid loads. Russia’s regional governments and Siberian state-owned power companies have hydroelectric mining operations. However, mining is currently prohibited in various regions of Russia due to energy issues.
The French government-backed mining project is still in the proposal stage and not fully operational, but the country intends to use surplus nuclear energy to power the operation. By way of background, France produces more than 70% of its electricity from nuclear power, and 1 gigawatt of surplus energy can generate $100 million to $150 million annually.
