Bitcoin Beach Opens Its Doors: First Public Summit on Bitcoin Circular Economies in El Zonte
On 19 and 20 November 2026, the small surf town of El Zonte in El Salvador will host the Global Bitcoin Circular Economies Summit. It is the first time the gathering is open to the public. Communities from Latin America, Africa and Asia will share how bitcoin is used as everyday money – from street food stands to small shops.
Where it all began
El Zonte is the birthplace of Bitcoin Beach. Since 2019, residents and merchants there have been paying for everyday things in bitcoin – pupusas, groceries, surfboards – long before the topic attracted worldwide attention. The project became a model for many so-called circular economies, in which people earn bitcoin and spend it directly again locally, without converting it into another currency.
What is on the programme
The summit consists of workshops, panels and fireside chats. The topics are:
- bitcoin as everyday money
- building circular economies
- how merchants can accept bitcoin
- education and tools for bitcoin payments
Speakers include Gerardo Linares and Evelyn Lemus from the Salvadoran communities Bitcoin Berlin and Bitcoin La Laguna, as well as Jeremy Almond, head of the payment company Paystand. Registration is free, but places are limited.
Part of a bitcoin month in El Salvador
The summit concludes a series of events in November: the Bitcoin Capital Summit (10 November) and the Bitcoin Histórico festival in the historic centre of San Salvador (11–12 November), for which tickets can only be paid in bitcoin.
Why this matters
Since the reform of the Bitcoin law in 2025, no one in El Salvador is obliged to accept bitcoin anymore. Communities like Bitcoin Beach show that bitcoin can still work as money – where people use it voluntarily and see a practical benefit. Their experience is valuable for similar projects around the world.
Sources
