El Salvador’s ‘Bitcoin Beach’ cheers cryptocurrency surge
A sign promoting bitcoin transactions is seen in the beach town of El Zonte in El Salvador – Copyright AFP Marvin RECINOS
Oscar Batres
In a surf town in El Salvador nicknamed “Bitcoin Beach,” shopkeeper Maria Aguirre watched with delight as the cryptocurrency — and her investment in it — recently soared to new all-time highs.
The digital currency that she acquired four years ago for $2,200 is now worth around $19,000, she said.
The price increase “has been great and I’m very happy,” the 53-year-old told AFP in El Zonte, where tourists relax on the beach and surfers ride waves.
The cryptocurrency has been legal tender since 2021 in the Central American nation, and a sign in Aguirre’s store selling food and soft drinks tells customers: “Bitcoin accepted.”
She said bitcoin’s rise had brought her more “ec
