From Nayib Bukele to Donald Trump, many current and former heads of state across the globe have used crypto and blockchain as political tools.
Few world leaders have been openly supportive of digital assets while in office or while they were campaigning. Though the technology is relatively young and untested as a political issue, many candidates have staked their reputations on crypto and blockchain.
Now the former president of El Salvador as he campaigns for his next term in office, Nayib Bukele is arguably the most outspoken head of state in the world on cryptocurrency. He pioneered a legislative path to make Bitcoin (BTC) legal tender in El Salvador in 2021. He directly tied his presidency to the cryptocurrency, periodically boasting about buys on X — formerly Twitter.
Under Bukele, BTC kiosks have been installed across El Salvador, and the president reported in December that the country’s Bitcoin investments were profitable after the crypto market downturn of 2022. In 2024, El Salvador’s Ministry of Education plans to introduce a Bitcoin education program for public schools.