El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, a prominent advocate for Bitcoin, recently donated two Bitcoin (valued at approximately $133,000) to help build 1,000 schools in Honduras. Bukele made this donation through his personal wallet, handing the funds to Shin Fujiyama, the founder of Students Helping Honduras, in a video posted on Oct. 24. Fujiyama’s initiative, which aims to alleviate poverty through education, is complemented by his ongoing 3,000-kilometer charity run across Central America, with El Salvador showing strong public support for his mission.
This donation continues his active role in promoting Bitcoin, which he introduced as legal tender in El Salvador in 2021. Stacy Herbert, Director of El Salvador’s National Bitcoin Office (ONBTC), remarked on the community’s enthusiastic response to Fujiyama’s run through El Salvador, framing it as a story of “individual sovereignty, personal responsibility, and economic liberty.”
Bitcoin Adoption in El Salvador while Bukele Leads Change
Despite his efforts, Bitcoin adoption among Salvadorans remains low. A recent survey by Francisco Gavidia University revealed that only 7.5% of Salvadorans use cryptocurrency in transactions, with 92% abstaining from crypto use altogether. Additionally, only 1.3% believe Bitcoin should have a central role in the country’s future. Nonetheless, Bukele enjoys strong public support, with 58% of those surveyed confident in his leadership, especially in economic and security matters.
Since making Bitcoin legal tender, El Salvador has amassed nearly 6,000 BTC, while facing criticism from organizations like the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which has recommended limiting public sector Bitcoin exposure. This mixed adoption reflects both local hesitancy and Bukele’s determination to establish El Salvador as a Bitcoin-friendly nation.
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This latest donation underscores Bukele’s continued commitment to Bitcoin’s potential role in addressing social issues across Central America, even as domestic adoption lags behind.
