El Salvador’s Bitcoin Circular Economy Project “Bitcoin Beach” Expands Globally

El Salvador’s Bitcoin experiment, which began with a small coastal community in El Zonte, is now inspiring projects across the globe. Roman Martinez, co-founder of the Bitcoin Beach initiative, revealed that more than 70 Bitcoin-based community projects are active worldwide, supported by a new grants program and a fellowship network designed to foster circular economies modeled after El Zonte’s success.

The project, launched in 2019, helped pave the way for El Salvador’s historic 2021 decision to adopt bitcoin as legal tender. Four years later, the government amended its Bitcoin Law to make acceptance voluntary in order to secure a 1.4 billion dollar loan from the International Monetary Fund and access to further multilateral financing. Despite the shift, Martinez insists El Salvador remains “Bitcoin Country,” citing ongoing education initiatives, tourism, and grassroots adoption efforts.

“El Salvador continues to welcome Bitcoiners every week,” Martinez said. “The work does not stop. Communities are still learning, adopting, and building circular economies inspired by Bitcoin Beach.”

Meanwhile, the government has not slowed its accumulation strategy. According to official records, El Salvador continues to buy one bitcoin per day. The public treasury address now holds 6,313.18 BTC, with President Nayib Bukele occasionally marking milestones, such as purchasing 21 BTC to celebrate the anniversary of the Bitcoin Law.

For Martinez and his team, Bitcoin Beach remains proof of concept that a small community initiative can scale into a nationwide and now global movement. “What started in El Zonte has shown the world that Bitcoin can be a tool for inclusion and transformation,” he noted.