Bhutan, a tiny South Asian country, reportedly sold about $22.4 million worth of Bitcoin this week, extending a quiet but steady pattern of state-level BTC USD selling. With the Bitcoin price now trading dangerously close to $70,000, many are left wondering whether crypto will recover in 2026.

Arkham Intelligence data has shown that Bhutan has been selling Bitcoin accrued from mining activities in $50M clips since September 2025, and with its latest sales, the nation still holds $405M in BTC at current prices of $71,100.

This mix of falling prices and sovereign nations selling can feel scary. Bhutan’s sale of its stake, while significant, doesn’t compare to the US, China, and the UK, which hold far more BTC than Bhutan, and if they began selling, the Bitcoin price would likely crash even harder.

The Fear and Greed Index is currently sitting at 12/100, right in the depths of ‘Extreme Fear’ and underscores current market sentiment as traders like you and I wait for a local bottom to form and better days to come.

Why Is Bhutan Selling Bitcoin Right Now: Another Reason to Panic?

Bhutan is not panic-selling. The country has been mining Bitcoin since 2019, using surplus hydropower to convert excess electricity into digital gold. When Bhutan sells, it does so in planned chunks to fund public needs and reduce exposure to Bitcoin price swings.

Arkham Intelligence estimates Bhutan’s total energy costs for mining at approximately $120M. They believe it is likely lower because Bhutan relies on hydroelectric power as a major source of electricity for its mining activities.

The South Asian nation mined most of its BTC USD before the 2024 halving and tapered significantly afterward. This is because the cost to mine a single Bitcoin roughly doubled, which made mining less efficient.

Bhutan’s heaviest mining year was 2023, when it produced around 8,200 BTC. At their peak, they held over 13,000 BTC, valued at $1.63Bn at Bitcoin’s $126,000 all-time high.

Will crypto recover in 2026? The current outlook is bleak following Bhutan and BlackRock ETF sell-offs, and the Bitcoin price nearing $70,000

(SOURCE:Arkham)

Will Crypto Recover in 2026 or Will Sovereign and Institutional Sell Pressure Keep it Down?

When a government sells Bitcoin, it increases the supply by taking it from a single entity and releasing it into the market. More supply makes it harder for prices to bounce back quickly, and without buyers ready to step in, these large sell-offs often result in huge red candles on the charts.

With traders currently experiencing extreme fear regarding crypto and with the looming threats of global wars and recessions, many are asking ‘will crypto recover in 2026?’ But right now, things aren’t looking too great.

The total crypto market cap experienced one of its largest daily declines in recent times, dropping -6.5% and taking it below $2.5 trillion for the first time since early mid-2025.

DISCOVER: The 12+ Hottest Crypto Presales to Buy Right Now 

Bhutan is not the Only Entity Selling BTC USD as BlackRock, and Other Bitcoin ETFs see HUGE Outflows

At the sovereign level, Bhutan is currently the only nation selling BTC USD, as thankfully, the likes of the US, China, the UK, and El Salvador are displaying diamond hands.

In stark contrast to Bhutan, the US has added 4,400 Bitcoin to its holdings over the past 30 days, bringing its total to 329,693 BTC, according to CoinGecko data.

On the institutional side, things look very ugly right now. Yesterday (February 4), we saw over $544M in outflows from Bitcoin ETFs, with BlackRock accounting for $373M of that figure.

This is a worrying trend: over the last 8 of the last 10 days, Bitcoin ETFs have closed in the red, with negative flows. For those wondering whether crypto will recover in 2026, we first need to see institutional sell-offs slow down.

Will crypto recover in 2026? The current outlook is bleak following Bhutan and BlackRock ETF sell-offs, and the Bitcoin price nearing $70,000

(SOURCE: CoinGlass)

BONUS: Will Crypto Recover in 2026? If Not, Bitcoin Hyper (HYPER) Could be the Bear-Market Proof Utility Play for 2026

While the crypto market feels brutal right now, moments like these are where the strongest narratives are born. Bitcoin Hyper (HYPER) isn’t chasing hype; it’s positioning itself as a safe haven for believers who know downturns don’t last forever.

Will crypto recover in 2026? Who knows? But if we are truly in a bear market, everyone knows this is where real builders knuckle down and produce the next big thing in crypto.

HYPER is built for that future upturn: limited supply, a community-first presale, and a vision aligned with Bitcoin’s long-term dominance and resilience. This isn’t about quick flips; it’s about planting a flag before momentum returns.

And what exactly is Bitcoin Hyper bringing to the table? Not much, just the first-ever native Layer-2 protocol for the Bitcoin core layer, opening up its stagnant ecosystem to billions of dollars in untapped liquidity with the introduction of DeFi, GameFi, NFTs, AI Agents, and much more.

While Ethereum has dozens of L2s all vying for the same pool of finite liquidity, sharing more than $10Bn in TVL (Total Value Locked), HYPER is a first mover, with no competition, which could make it one of the smartest plays in 2026.

Still in its presale phase, investors can buy HYPER for just $0.0136751, with nine hours until the ICO moves to the next price stage, locking in profits for anyone who gets in before the timer hits zero.

Visit HYPER Here

EXPLORE:

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Alex Ioannou
Alex Ioannou
On-Chain Journalist

Alex is a seasoned cryptocurrency trader and market analyst with over seven years of active experience in the digital asset space. Since entering the markets in 2017, Alex has specialized in identifying emerging "meta" trends and high-volatility narratives. Notably, Alex... Read More

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