Can a rural village in El Salvador actually replace the central bank?
Host Jethro Toro hangs out with Mike Peterson and the founders of Bitcoin Berlin, Evelyn Lemus and Gerardo Linares. They talk about a grassroots movement that is changing how people use money. We explore the true story of El Zonte, where a project focused on community development built a true circular economy. They used the Lightning Network to make fast digital payments just to survive the pandemic proving the experts wrong years before big banks caught on.
Evelyn and Gerardo explain exactly how they got a whole town excited about Bitcoin without asking the government for permission. We follow their journey from the coast to the mountains of Berlin. They are teaching high school students about decentralized finance so they can run their own independent systems instead of trusting apps to hold their money. They also highlight how El Salvador tourism is booming as Bitcoin fans visit to support local shop owners who are saving in Bitcoin.
We also look at how they are fighting back against expensive money transfer companies. You will learn how a new project in La Laguna uses a local hardware store to help families send money home without paying Western Union's high fees. The team explains why they stopped using the government's Chivo wallet to use better open tools. They even share a new guide for anyone who wants to start a Bitcoin community in their own neighborhood.
Subscribe to the channel to see the proof that this works, and leave a comment if you are ready to try a new way of using money.
-Bitcoin Beach Team
Connect with Gerardo Linares and Evelyn Lemus:
https://x.com/GR_Linares1
https://x.com/Evelynlemus2906
https://www.youtube.com/@BitcoinBerlinSV
Connect and Learn more about Jethro Toro:
https://x.com/JethroToro
https://rumble.com/user/BitcoinCountry
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Browse through this quick guide to learn more about the episode:
02:13 - The History of Bitcoin Beach
15:04 - Why El Zonte Switched to Lightning
20:46 - How to Build a Bitcoin Circular Economy
32:00 - Living on a Bitcoin Standard in El Salvador
39:41 - Teaching Students to Run Nodes
47:51 - Replicating the Model in La Laguna
57:44 - Solving the Remittance Problem
1:09:58 - Building Bitcoin Network Effects Locally
1:22:45 - Bitcoin Merchant Onboarding Guide PDF
Live From Bitcoin Beach
