$10,000 for a three-year residence permit in Bhutan? Solana tokenized gold visa model opens a new track for crypto immigration

On February 25, Bhutan announced the launch of a blockchain-based digital nomad residence program that directly links tokenized assets with residency rights, attracting attention from the crypto community and high-net-worth individuals. According to the latest plan, applicants only need to purchase approximately $10,000 worth of TER tokens or on-chain tokenized gold assets and pay a $2,800 management fee to obtain residency in Bhutan for up to 36 months. The underlying infrastructure of the project is built on the Solana network.

The core of this visa mechanism is the asset-backed structure. The TER tokens received by applicants represent ownership shares of physical gold stored in a secure vault, making it a gold-backed on-chain asset. The official policy allows for refunds after the visa period ends, creating a “recyclable investment” model that is relatively rare in global digital nomad visa systems. This significantly reduces capital lock-in risk and encourages participation from crypto users.

Technically, Solana was chosen mainly for its high throughput, low transaction fees, and fast settlement capabilities, suitable for handling token issuance, asset custody records, and cross-border identity verification. Unlike traditional crypto assets, gold-backed tokens tend to have lower volatility, which helps improve project stability and reduces applicants’ concerns about market price swings.

Additionally, this program is seen as an important case of blockchain real-world application, extending digital assets from trading and speculation to practical scenarios such as immigration, residency, and global liquidity management. For freelancers, remote workers, and Web3 professionals, this “crypto-friendly residence plan” offers a more flexible solution for cross-border living.

However, market discussions mainly focus on the details of the refund mechanism, such as whether refunds are based on token market value, gold value, or equivalent fiat currency. Transparency in custody, vault audit security, and operational efficiency will directly impact the project’s long-term credibility. If successfully implemented, this model could encourage more countries to explore tokenized asset-based visa systems, accelerating the application of blockchain in government governance and global identity systems.