“I see El Salvador as a haven for people looking for economic freedom and to start their own businesses,” Charlie Stevens, bitcoiner

This Irish bitcoin enthusiast has made El Salvador his home and sees the country “as a haven for people seeking economic freedom, where they can start their own businesses, bring their families, raise new families and integrate into a rich and beautiful culture”.

Charlie Stevens is a 27-year-old Irish bitcoiner, who has chosen to live in El Salvador since June 1, 2023 and has made Berlin, in Usulután, his home.

A graduate in mathematics and finance, he speaks perfect Spanish, the result of years living in Spain. This bitcoin enthusiast sees El Salvador “as a haven for people seeking economic freedom, where they can start their own businesses, bring their families, raise new families and integrate into a rich and beautiful culture.” Stevens puts a lot of effort into educating about bitcoin from his company “The Natural Investor”. Last year you were an exhibitor at the Adopting Bitcoin Conference.

What made you come to El Salvador, what is your personal goal here?

El Salvador is in a historic moment. It’s obvious, the world has it in its sights. I have lived in several places in the world, and this is the place where I feel a new future can be built. I wanted to choose a place where I could use Bitcoin as my money, surrounded by others who also use it, and where education and usage is open, supported and promoted. Since 2017 I have wanted to work with Bitcoin, and here I have the opportunity.

My goal is to learn how to use Bitcoin as a reserve currency and combine it with other capital professionally. My studies and work were in mathematics and finance. The market and economics fascinate me. Here I can practice my master’s degree in capital studies.

Why did you choose Berlin, Usulután, to come here?

I decided to live in El Salvador. When making that decision, I asked several Bitcoin experts in the country, through social networks, which places they considered to be growing in Bitcoin. Berlin, more than a year ago, was already establishing itself as a Bitcoin circular economy. That’s why I decided to live in Berlin specifically, because I wanted to see how I could grow a network of people and vendors accepting and using Bitcoin as their primary money, with the goal of taking it anywhere in the world in the future. Having the option to integrate Bitcoin into an economy is a goal.

Many Americans, Europeans and other nationalities have come to the country attracted by Bitcoin, but I see few Salvadorans really involved in this. What do we Salvadorans need to know to invest in Bitcoin and believe in this financial option?

The easiest way to convince anyone, not just Salvadorans, is to look at how different characteristics of money affect society. When a central bank (almost every country has one) does not manage money well or abuses the power of money ‘creation’, it can cause serious social problems that destroy the fabric that binds us as citizens and economic agents. All countries that have used hard money, i.e. money that cannot be printed, have been the most successful in history.

Based on this reality, it is imperative that any Salvadoran who wants to maintain their purchasing power after having worked to achieve it, understand how money works. If they do not understand how money works and how it affects them, they will not be able to protect themselves from the inflation that is coming, as future inflation will be much higher than what we have experienced. You have to be prepared.

We are no longer talking about percentages of 7, 8 or 9%, but 30, 45 or 90% annually.

The common Salvadoran finds Bitcoin too risky or simply does not understand it. What is the easiest way to educate themselves and understand this financial option?

The easiest way to start educating themselves is to join various channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, where they can communicate with people who know deeply the subject. They can also use YouTube, visit places like Berlin or El Zonte to surround themselves with people who are deeply involved in the topic. Another way is to attend conferences like Adopting Bitcoin, November 15-16, where you can meet others in the country who are using it and those who are building on the network, the apps, the villages. To learn quickly, embrace Bitcoin, save it, and that will incentivize you to understand more about it and about things related to Bitcoin and money in general.

How does El Salvador benefit from the arrival of foreign bitcoiners?

There are several things. What Bitcoin promotes is that people who save in Bitcoin and use it, think much more in the future and not only in the day to day. This promotes long-term investing and not just how to earn quickly. This kind of thinking helps build a more robust society, bringing ideas that are worth decades and not just months. It also brings an international flavor.

People from all over the world can bring their ideas and offer them within the country, creating a diverse ecosystem with a high quality of products and services, which can attract more people, increase capital coming into the country, expand existing opportunities and help anyone save more at the end of the month. This is just the beginning; what is to come is much more than we can imagine. Investing in money that cannot be devalued means another way of structuring society, based on an impenetrable foundation.

What kind of investments do bitcoiners make in El Salvador?

I have seen all kinds of investments and there are still many more that I have not seen. They start with the purchase of land. They can also acquire different types of businesses, or set one up themselves. They invest in Salvadoran labor and in the ideas of Salvadorans to produce new products and services for the world. They invest in gastronomy, science, transportation, among other aspects. They seek investments that can serve society in the long term, based on the fact that Bitcoin is already a savings that increases purchasing power. The opportunity cost of not investing in Bitcoin is quite high, so any investment should be valuable and help many people. That’s why any investment made through Bitcoin is well thought out, not only to earn fast, but for its profound impact on society.

Is there any possibility of prosperity for the common Salvadoran with bitcoin?

You must decide what kind of money you want to use to save. If you use a money that is constantly devaluing, such as the dollar, due to the printing of new dollars, you will not be able to accumulate capital to invest in what you want. Instead, saving in something that doesn’t devalue, like Bitcoin, which over time increases purchasing power, gives you more time and ability to invest in assets that help you serve your customers, regardless of the type of business. Any amount of money you want to save you can do it with Bitcoin; you just need to start with less than a dollar. Anyone, regardless of age, gender or background, can invest in Bitcoin, a decentralized and scarce network accessible anytime, anywhere in the world.

Is there any risk of failure with bitcoin?

In my opinion, there is only one direct risk, which is like asking if the Internet can fail. If you think the Internet can fail, you might as well think bitcoin can, but it is something that connects us all and cannot be destroyed. There is no entity that controls it, so you can’t take down something that is not controlled by a single entity. Also, a network that is always growing, with more people and countries looking for a neutral currency to transmit value, is very hard to destroy. Russia can’t use American money, China is not going to want to use Russian money; all these countries and entities will want to use a neutral currency. In that sense, there is no choice but to choose Bitcoin as the world’s reserve currency.

How do you think foreign bitcoiners are interacting with Salvadorans? Are they integrating into Salvadoran society?

It depends on where you look. In Berlin, for example, there is good integration between Salvadorans and incoming bitcoiners. Although Salvadorans are immersed in their culture, each bitcoiner has his or her own worldview. Each person may bring something unique to the table, and how bitcoiners interact with each other also varies. Some may not want to interact because of cultural differences or language issues, or because they feel more comfortable with people from their own culture. For Salvadorans, integration may take time to happen, but from my experience, I have integrated quite well into the Salvadoran culture and I see more and more people following that same direction.

Three years after the adoption of Bitcoin, what has El Salvador done well and what can be improved regarding Bitcoin education?

There are several entities in the country that are trying to bring education to more people, which is an incredible aspect. It would be good to do more prominent promotion of the immutable principles of Bitcoin, so that everyone can understand how it works as money, how it serves as savings, and how it can benefit society as a whole. If we don’t understand these basic principles, we will never make progress. We must come together as a country and face this challenge, as El Salvador is the only country in the world that has adopted Bitcoin in this way. If we do it right, we can attract much more capital, more people and ideas, to make this country one of the strongest economically, culturally, safe and happy countries in the world.

Where do you see El Salvador with Bitcoin in 5 or 10 years?

I see it as a haven for people seeking economic freedom, where they can start their own businesses, bring their families, start new families and integrate into a rich and beautiful culture. If El Salvador follows the current path, it could become one of the strongest countries in the world using Bitcoin as its main reserve, paying off debts and creating unimaginable opportunities. We could be leaders in various industries and teach other countries how to use Bitcoin.

Source: Diario El Mundo