UAE controls 6,450 Bitcoin from state-backed mining

Key Takeaways

• The UAE holds approximately 6,450 Bitcoin from state-backed mining operations, ranking as the fourth-largest sovereign holder.
• Citadel Mining, majority-owned by International Holding Company, acquired these Bitcoin through mining rather than market purchases.

The UAE’s Royal Group, a major conglomerate tied to Abu Dhabi’s ruling family, has amassed about 6,450 Bitcoin via state-sponsored mining, placing the country among the largest sovereign holders of BTC, according to Arkham Intelligence data .

By the end of August 2025, Arkham reported that the Royal Group held more than 6,300 BTC worth about $700 million. With Bitcoin’s sharp volatility since then, the holdings are now valued at roughly $590 million.

The digital assets have been accumulated through Citadel Mining, a publicly listed company majority-owned by the UAE’s International Holding Company. Citadel Mining operates an 80,000-square-meter mining facility built in Abu Dhabi in 2022, developed in partnership with Phoenix Group, another UAE public mining company.