The Kingdom of Bhutan will become a validator for the Sei network

The collaboration between Sei and the Kingdom of Bhutan will expand Sei's global validator node network, enhance Bhutan's national capabilities in blockchain infrastructure, and create opportunities for asset tokenization and innovative economic initiatives.

New York City, New York - January 20, 2026 - The Sei Development Foundation (the team dedicated to promoting and developing the world's fastest EVM Layer 1 blockchain, Sei) today announced a partnership with Bhutan's major sovereign wealth fund, Druk Holding and Investments Ltd (DHI), to deploy and operate Sei validator nodes in the Kingdom of Bhutan. The project is led by DHI's InnoTech department. The validator node is expected to go live in the first quarter of 2026.

This collaboration will significantly enhance the Kingdom of Bhutan's national capabilities in blockchain infrastructure while opening new avenues for data valorization, scientific advancement, and fintech development. Furthermore, this partnership creates opportunities to explore asset tokenization and deploy new economic incentive mechanisms in the Kingdom of Bhutan. This collaboration is a result of Bhutan's ongoing digital transformation program.

Part of the funding for this project is provided by Sapien Capital, an investment firm focused on accelerating scientific and innovative development on the Sei platform.

"The Kingdom of Bhutan is an early adopter of advanced technologies, committed to leveraging cutting-edge technology to support national economic and social development. We are honored to be selected by DHI InnoTech to deploy Sei infrastructure to support key national development projects," said Eleanor Davies, Director of Science and Innovation at the Sei Development Foundation. "This collaboration represents a significant investment in Bhutan's national blockchain applications, further expanding Sei's global validator node network and laying the groundwork for our future collaborations on innovative projects in payments, tokenization, and personal identification."

"This collaboration marks an exciting step for Bhutan in strengthening its role in the global blockchain innovation space while opening new avenues for data valorization, scientific advancement, and fintech development," said Phuntsho Namgay, Head of DHI's Innovation and Technology Department. "DHI looks forward to building on this foundation and continuing to work with the Sei Development Foundation to explore more impactful opportunities to achieve Bhutan's digital transformation goals."

About Sei

Sei is a blockchain designed for fast, low-cost financial transactions, combining the network effects of Ethereum with the high performance of Solana. Sei has processed over 4 billion transactions, covering more than 80 million wallets, and has become the leading EVM-compatible chain by active user count. The team has received support from top investment firms such as Multicoin, Jump, Coinbase Ventures, and Circle Ventures, with team members coming from renowned companies like Robinhood, Google, Coinbase, Databricks, Uber, and Goldman Sachs.

About Sei Development Foundation

The Sei Development Foundation is an independent U.S. nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and popularizing open-source, permissionless protocols like Sei. Sei is currently the fastest EVM Layer 1 blockchain, designed to support world-class decentralized applications. The foundation collaborates with global developer and user communities through education, funding support, and ecosystem building to promote and expand the advantages of Sei and related projects.

About Sapien Capital

Sapien Capital is a venture capital firm dedicated to accelerating scientific and innovative development on Sei. Sei is the fastest EVM Layer 1 blockchain in the world. Science and innovation are expected to become one of the most influential and decisive fields in the crypto space, but this area is currently severely underfunded. The Sapien Open Science Fund I, with a scale of $65 million, is one of the largest investment tools in the industry focused on decentralized science (DeSci) startups and founders.

About Druk Holding and Investments Ltd

Druk Holding and Investments Ltd (DHI) is the commercial arm and trusted asset manager of the Royal Government of Bhutan, established in 2007 to hold and manage the Royal Government's existing and future investments for the long-term benefit of the people of Bhutan. As Bhutan's largest and only state-owned holding company, DHI holds stakes in 25 different companies across various sectors, including manufacturing, energy, natural resources, finance, telecommunications, aviation, trade, and real estate.

DHI's portfolio is diverse, covering various asset classes, including both traditional industries and sectors driving the modern economy. This includes global equities, fixed income, and venture capital in promising startups; domestic and international real estate; renewable energy, including hydropower; health tech, biotechnology, life sciences, and agri-tech; as well as digital asset mining and investment.

DHI's future-oriented investment strategy is helping to build a more interconnected and sustainable Bhutan by deepening the country's understanding and engagement in the technology sector. At the same time, it cultivates relevant talent for future industries, creates job opportunities, and helps Bhutanese citizens participate in the modern global economy domestically.