Panama City Steps Into the Spotlight as Latin America’s Next Crypto Gateway

Panama City may be preparing for a major leap into the crypto space after a subtle but telling move by its mayor.

Mayer Mizrachi’s recent one-word post—“Bitcoin Reserve”—has sparked intense speculation following a private meeting with El Salvador’s prominent Bitcoin advisors, Max Keiser and Stacy Herbert.

The post came just days before Mizrachi is set to speak at the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas, suggesting that his administration could be aligning with El Salvador’s pro-Bitcoin stance. While Panama has yet to propose a national digital asset reserve, the idea of a city-level Bitcoin treasury is gaining traction among crypto advocates.

Panama City has already laid the groundwork for broader adoption. A local measure would soon allow residents to pay taxes and municipal fees using Bitcoin, Ethereum, and major stablecoins like USDT and USDC—once conversion systems are operational.

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Energy and education also feature in this evolving vision. Officials have floated the idea of harnessing Panama’s hydroelectric infrastructure for sustainable crypto mining. Meanwhile, the city plans to introduce El Salvador’s financial education materials—like the “What is Money?” textbook—into its public library system.

Although the national government hasn’t taken formal action, the momentum at the municipal level is growing. With Mizrachi’s upcoming keynote drawing global attention, Panama City could soon position itself as a serious contender in Latin America’s crypto transformation.

Alexander Stefanov