Bhutan has launched a digital nomad residence program that uses Solana-based tokenized gold (TER) as a refundable deposit, in a move aimed at attracting remote workers and talent tied to technology and crypto.
Under the “sandbox” program run by Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC), applicants pay a $2,800 program fee and are required to maintain the equivalent of $10,000 in TER in an account with DK Bank, with the deposit described as refundable upon program exit. The permit is structured as a 12-month stay with renewals available for up to 24 months, according to the program’s published terms.
TER is a gold-backed token issued through GMC and built on Solana, tying the residency program directly to Bhutan’s broader push to bring real-world assets on-chain. Bhutan introduced TER in late 2025 as a sovereign gold-backed token distributed through DK Bank, which it has positioned as a regulated on-ramp for the product.
The digital nomad program is pitched to professionals, entrepreneurs, and self-employed applicants aligned with GMC’s development priorities. Applications are being handled through GMC’s partner site, which lists the fee andthe TER deposit as the core financial requirements.
The initiative arrives as governments and special economic zones experiment with new residency and capital-attracting tools, while crypto rails are increasingly incorporated into real-world programs beyond payments and trading. For Bhutan, the structure effectively links longer-term residency access to participation in a local, gold-backed digital asset system, using Solana for settlement and token transfers, and DK Bank for custody and account handling.
