President Nayib Bukele’s Bitcoin Law was passed in the Salvadorian congress tonight.
The president of El Salvador’s bill to make Bitcoin (BTC) legal tender in El Salvador passed congress with a supermajority just before 6 am UTC.
In a Twitter Spaces conversation that began just after 5 am UTC with 22,000 listeners, President Nayib Bukele said he would sign off on the historic law later tonight or first thing tomorrow.
“It goes into effect immediately,” he said, clarifying the government would allow 90 days for the infrastructure to be put into place.
The #BitcoinLaw has been approved by a supermajority in the Salvadoran Congress.
62 out of 84 votes!
History! #Btc
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) June 9, 2021
He said that accepting Bitcoin would be mandatory for all businesses. “They have to take it by law,” he said of merchants in the country. “If you go to Mexico they have to take your pesos.”
“In the case of El Salvador Bitcoin is going to be legal tender just as the US Dollar.”
He revealed that he will be meeting with the International Monetary Fund on Thursday. The government will also be releasing an official Bitcoin wallet (however, this will not be mandatory). The government intends to hold $150 million equivalent of Bitcoin in a trust fund in its development bank to assume the risks of merchants.
Permanent residency will be available for those who invest 3 BTC in El Salvador. Asked if the country would put Bitcoin in its reserve, he said there were no immediate plans:
“I don’t know this is evolving very fast. We’re not ruling out having Bitcoin in our reserves in the near future.”
The president said he hasn’t thought of Bitcoin mining but was favorably disposed toward the idea of renewable energy Bitcoin mining.
The Bitcoin law was a bill submitted earlier today after Bukele tweeted that “I’ve just sent the Bitcoin Law to congress” and uploaded copies of the bill in Spanish and English.
I’ve just sent the #BitcoinLaw to Congress pic.twitter.com/DljnxsXlyt
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) June 9, 2021
“The purpose of this law is to regulate Bitcoin as unrestricted legal tender with liberating power, unlimited in any transaction, and to any title that public or private natural or legal persons require carrying out,” the bill reads.
The bill includes a list of interesting proposals such as zero capital gains tax on BTC, tax payments allowed in BTC, and economic agents “must” accept BTC as payment when offered by “whoever acquires a good or service.”
La #ComisiónFinanciera emite dictamen favorable a la iniciativa del Presidente de la República @nayibbukele en el sentido se apruebe la #LeyBitcoin que le permitirá al país reconocer al #Bitcoin como moneda de curso legal. pic.twitter.com/hPh0OfVgJB
— Asamblea Legislativa (@AsambleaSV) June 9, 2021
According to the bill, the state will provide the infrastructure that enables Bitcoin users to instantly convert from BTC to the United States dollar if need be. Additionally, the state will provide “training and mechanisms” to aid citizens unfamiliar with Bitcoin — as many will need to learn how to use the digital asset.
Interestingly, following Bukele’s latest announcement, he changed his Twitter profile picture to one that features blue laser eyes, as opposed to the red ones usually found in the iconic crypto meme.
#NewProfilePic pic.twitter.com/StGY0ctyk0
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) June 9, 2021
Bukele’s progressive crypto move has sparked enthusiasm from a number of politicians throughout Latin America, who have either touted crypto proposals of their own or donned red laser eyes in support of crypto.
On Monday, Paraguayan congressmember Carlitos Rejala posted laser eyes and promised a Bitcoin announcement later this week.
The following day, Mexican senator Eduardo Murat Hinojosa revealed he plans on “promoting and proposing a legal framework for crypto coins in Mexico’s lower house.”
While Gabriel Silva, a Panamanian congressmember, also stated plans to submit a pro-crypto bill that same day.
The president of El Salvador @nayibbukele is on Twitter spaces right talking about the Bitcoin bill that’s about to pass
The government is going to create a Bitcoin wallet for merchants (opt-in, can use any wallet)
Accepting Bitcoin is a mandate by lawhttps://t.co/He2u1HQiXN
— ChainLinkGod.eth 2.0 (@ChainLinkGod) June 9, 2021
