The Most Extreme Way to Build a Bitcoin Circular Economy | Isabella Santos of BTC Isla

What if Bitcoin does not fail because of governments, banks, or the IMF, but because Bitcoiners themselves refuse to actually use it? In this episode, Mike sits down with Isabella Santos in El Salvador to confront one of the most uncomfortable questions in Bitcoin today. Is most “Bitcoin adoption” actually fake if merchants never see anyone spend sats?Isabella shares the unfiltered story of how BTC Isla in Isla Mujeres went from a Twitter idea to a true Bitcoin circular economy with a Bitcoin cafe, a Bitcoin gym, and over 30 local merchants now accepting sats. She explains why trying to orange pill people with education alone did not work, and why building real businesses that accept Bitcoin as sound money was the only way to earn real trust inside the community.In one of the most extreme Bitcoin experiments you will hear this year, Isabella Santos lived for 21 days using only Bitcoin, earning sats through physical jobs like cleaning toilets, selling churros, and making tacos. No fiat safety net. No savings bailout. Just proof that a circular economy either works in real life, or it does not exist at all.The conversation then turns toward a side of Bitcoin many people avoid. Isabella openly calls out Bitcoin maxis who refuse to spend sats, the rise of ETFs that distract from sound money, and the uncomfortable truth that Bitcoin mining hardware is already highly centralized in only a few manufacturers. Her warning is simple and unsettling. Bitcoin does not win automatically. It only works if people fight for it.They close with the human side of adoption through the Bitcoin Fit Games, where fitness, scavenger hunts, and sats came together to support the very merchants who took the first risk on Bitcoin. From helping feed a family in crisis to building a wellness hub with a gym, recovery center, and café, Isabella Santos shows what Bitcoin looks like when it leaves Twitter and enters real life.—Bitcoin Beach teamConnect and Learn more about Isabella Santos:X: https://x.com/BTCIsla X: https://x.com/isabellasg3 YT: https://www.youtube.com/@btcisla Support the project through Geyser Fund: https://geyser.fund/project/btcisla https://www.youtube.com/@getbasedtvSupport and follow Bitcoin Beach:X: https://www.twitter.com/BitcoinBeach IG: https://www.instagram.com/bitcoinbeach_sv TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@livefrombitcoinbeach Web: https://www.bitcoinbeach.com Browse through this quick guide to learn more about the episode:0:00 Intro1:25 Is El Salvador really welcoming Bitcoiners at the airport with a “Welcome to Bitcoin Country” sign?4:49 What is BTC Isla and how does it work? How do you set up a Bitcoin cafe payment system that actually gets used?8:23 How does Bitcoin relate to health and low time preference at the first Bitcoin gym in Mexico running its own node?11:14 Can you live using only Bitcoin for 21 days? How do you get paid in Bitcoin for local jobs on an island?13:01 Should Bitcoin prices be listed in sats or fiat? How do you separate a Bitcoin savings stack from a spending stack so you can spend without guilt?18:36 How do you organize a Bitcoin themed fitness event? Can Bitcoin be used to support local families in need?27:19 How do you build a Bitcoin circular economy? How many merchants in Isla Mujeres accept Bitcoin, and how do you convince local merchants to accept Bitcoin?31:31 How do you grow a Bitcoin YouTube channel fast? What is The Exit Manual Bitcoin show ( @exitmanual )? How do you make Bitcoin content that reaches teenagers?35:25 Is Bitcoin mining too centralized? Who makes the ASIC mining chips? Is Bitcoin centralized?Live From Bitcoin Beach

Recorded in the middle of Bitcoin Month, this episode brings together Knut Svanholm, Giacomo Zucco, Mike Peterson, and Jethro Toro in El Zonte, El Salvador. They unpack what it feels like to live through Bitcoin Historico at the National Palace San Salvador, Adopting Bitcoin in San Salvador, and the Bitcoin Beach Festival on the coast. From free pupusas and packed plazas to barefoot plebs and kids everywhere, you get a ground-level view of why El Salvador still feels like Bitcoin Country after the El Salvador legal tender law and why so many Bitcoiners keep coming back.The crew shared the story everyone asks about, their surreal invitation to a formal dinner with President Bukele. Giacomo explains how he gifted a bottle of Dictador rum, they talk about Bukele’s quick jokes about Libertarian anarchism and public sector jobs, and they explain what was actually discussed about Bitcoin adoption, circular economy experiments, and bottom-up projects like Bitcoin Beach and Bitcoin Berlin. It is not a press release, it is what it felt like for plebs and authors like Knut Svanholm and educators like Giacomo Zucco to suddenly find themselves at a presidential table with Max Keiser & Stacy Herbert and other Bitcoin builders.They also go deep on the work behind the scenes. Mike Peterson shares an update on Bitcoin Beach and the push to launch at least 14 new circular economy projects across El Salvador, plus the new Bitcoin-themed boutique hotel, the Citadel of Hope, and a pickleball court in Punta Mango. Giacomo walks through the three pillars of Plan B Network, global Bitcoin education like Cubo Plus and Node Nation, physical hubs in places such as Lugano, London, and future hubs in San Salvador, and an emerging Bitcoin venture path and startup support. Along the way, they touch on the IMF pressure, how the government stayed committed through bear markets after El Salvador, legal tender went live, and why ideas like Libertarian socialism still get a fair hearing in off-the-record debates.Running through the episode is the culture piece. Knut talks about his books, the Bitcoin Infinity framing, his talks at Bitcoin Historico inside the National Palace San Salvador, and why Adopting Bitcoin feels more like a festival than a standard conference. The group tells the origin story of Satoshi Rokamoto, the improvised Bitcoin rock band that now shows up at events from Mexico to Lugano, often playing long after the sound crew tries to shut things down. If you care about Bitcoin in El Salvador, circular economy models, or just want to know what it is really like on the ground during Bitcoin Month, this conversation will probably make you start checking flights.If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a Bitcoiner who has El Salvador on their list, leave a comment with your favorite story from Bitcoin Month, and hit subscribe so you do not miss the next chapter of Bitcoin Country.-Bitcoin Beach TeamConnect and Learn more about Giacomo, Knut, Jethro:Giacomo ZuccoX: https://x.com/giacomozucco Web: https://www.giacomozucco.com/ Knut SvanholmX: https://x.com/knutsvanholm YT: https://www.youtube.com/@BitcoinInfinityShow   Jethro ToroX: https://x.com/JethroToro Support and follow Bitcoin Beach:X: https://www.twitter.com/BitcoinBeach IG: https://www.instagram.com/bitcoinbeach_sv TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@livefrombitcoinbeach Web: Live From Bitcoin Beach

In this episode, I sit down with Jeff Booth inside the National Palace El Salvador to dig into a question a lot of people are asking in private. Is El Salvador still Bitcoin country, or did Bukele get captured by the IMF. Jeff shares how he ended up invited by the President, why he first thought he was being used as a marketing prop, and what actually happened during a long conversation on Bitcoin, freedom money, and what it means for a small country trying to escape a global control system.We walk through the IMF and El Salvador story from Jeff’s perspective. He explains why a former failed state turned to Bitcoin to escape fiat money and its hidden taxes, yet still decided to take an IMF loan. Jeff shares Bukele’s “rat and cheese” analogy, and why the real goal is Salvadorans holding their own keys, running nodes, and building a circular economy in Bitcoin instead of staying stuck in the old system. He also talks about what he saw on the ground, from gang crackdowns and falling crime, to how the historic center now feels safer and more vibrant, and what that means for tourism in El Salvador.From there, we zoom out into the deeper human side. Jeff explains how understanding Bitcoin forces an existential crisis, especially for wealthy people and NGOs who thought they were helping, while actually reinforcing a broken fiat money system. We get into game theory, why most people will cheat if they think they will not get caught, and why the principled minority who run nodes and hold their own keys matter so much. Jeff lays out a simple way to think about moving your time into the Bitcoin economy, starting with a small percentage, then growing it until your life reflects an honest market instead of a control system built on inflation and debt.We close with why Jeff walked away from a huge Twitter audience to spend his time on Nostr, how he thinks about living in alignment in public, and what he is building with Ego Death Capital. He shares how they use Bitcoin as the hurdle rate, why he believes Bitcoin native startups will massively outperform as the old world gets repriced, and how founders in places like El Salvador can collect more Bitcoin by creating real value for real people. If this conversation shifts how you see El Salvador, the IMF, or fiat money, subscribe, drop a comment with your biggest takeaway, and send this to a friend who still refuses to spend sats in Bitcoin Beach.-Bitcoin Beach TeamConnect and Learn more about Jeff Booth:X: https://x.com/JeffBooth Web: https://www.jeffbooth.ca/ Support and follow Bitcoin Beach:X: https://www.twitter.com/BitcoinBeach IG: https://www.instagram.com/bitcoinbeach_sv TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@livefrombitcoinbeach Web: https://www.bitcoinbeach.com Browse through this quick guide to learn more about the episode:00:00 - Why does Jeff Booth say Bukele understands the global Bitcoin game and the IMF “rat and cheese” trap?01:52 - What first brought Jeff Booth to El Salvador and why were Bitcoiners questioning if it is still Bitcoin country?02:55 - How did the invitation from Bukele’s office change Jeff’s thinking about El Salvador’s Bitcoin strategy?04:02 - Why did Jeff want to look Bukele in the eye before trusting the El Salvador Bitcoin experiment?10:08 - Does Bukele feel the Bitcoin experiment is working and how does he balance IMF money with a Bitcoin vision?13:57 - How different does San Salvador feel today compared to the gang violence years before Bitcoin and Bukele’s crackdown?1Live From Bitcoin Beach

What if a US dollar collapse is not doom talk from the fringe, but simply the logical end of the fiat currency game we are already playing. In this episode, Mike Peterson sits down with investor and author Larry Lepard inside El Salvador’s National Palace to unpack the thesis behind The Big Print book and why Larry believes the next massive round of money printing is not a question of if, only when. From the setting to the stakes, this is a conversation about what happens to real people when a reserve currency reaches the edge of the map. Larry Lepard walks through his journey from pure gold bug to running a fund that owns both gold stocks and Bitcoin, and why he still respects gold while expecting Bitcoin to crush it in performance. He and Mike Peterson explore what sound money really means in a world of relentless monetary debasement, why he sees fiat currency as the true enemy, and why he thinks “cash on the sidelines” is a dangerous illusion. If you have ever argued Bitcoin versus gold with friends, this gives you a deeper, more nuanced view from someone who lives on both sides of that trade.From there, the episode dives into macro reality. Larry explains the US debt doom loop, the trapped position of the Federal Reserve, and why the next Big Print could push us closer to a visible US dollar collapse. He talks about the balance sheet, interest expense, QE under different names, and why he thinks fiat currency has no real bottom once confidence breaks. This is not framed as chart guessing. It is framed as a very direct question about where you want your savings when politicians decide that printing is safer than telling the truth.The setting in El Salvador is not a backdrop. Mike Peterson and Lawrence Lepard talk about President Bukele, Bitcoin as legal tender, and what it means for a small country to defy the IMF and move toward a Bitcoin strategy while the United States digs deeper into fiat. They reflect on safety, investment, and whether “Bitcoin Country” was a PR stunt or an early glimpse of a world where sound money policy starts outside traditional power centers. If you are curious about how one nation is already testing ideas while the rest of the world still debates online, this part of the conversation hits hard.Finally, Larry pushes into a future that sounds crazy until you sit with it. He sketches a timeline where Bitcoin trades at 5 million dollars a coin, Michael Saylor runs for president on a sound money and nuclear disarmament platform, and the United States has to confront a real choice between honest money and the old fiat game. It is provocative, it is uncomfortable, and it is exactly the kind of thought experiment that forces you to ask what you actually believe about Bitcoin, the dollar, and the world your family will live in. If this episode moves something in you, subscribe, share it with someone who still trusts the system by default, and let us know in the comments where you stand after hearing it.-Bitcoin Beach TeamConnect and Learn more about Larry Lepard:X: https://x.com/lawrencelepard Web: https://ema2.com/ Support and follow Bitcoin Beach:X: https://www.twitter.com/BitcoinBeach IG: https://www.instagram.com/bitcoinbeach_sv TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@livefrombitcoinbeach Web: https://www.bitcoinbeach.com Browse through this quick guide to learn more about the episode:00:00 How does Lawrence Lepard imagine a Michael Saylor 2032 presidency and a Bitcoin sound money standard01:35 Why are Mike Peterson and Lawrence Lepard recording this Bitcoin conversation inside El Salvador’s National Palace02:29 Why does Larry believe “the big print is imminent” and fiat currency is at the end of the road05:03 How did Lawrence Lepard go from gold bug to running a fund that owns both gold stocks and Bitcoin09:02 Is the clasLive From Bitcoin Beach

Dr. Jack Kruse explains why he believes El Salvador is the most asymmetric opportunity of our lifetime and why so many serious Bitcoiners are leaving the United States for El Salvador.Drawing on stories like buying a New York City corner in 1890 or the Louisiana Purchase for $12 million, he shows how rare it is to find a moment where land, leadership, and money all line up in your favor. Jack argues that El Salvador under President Bukele feels more like the “fourteenth colony” of real American freedom. He calls out safety myths, describes what life on the ground actually feels like, and gives a direct challenge to listeners who keep delaying action.If you care about where Bitcoin culture is truly taking root, this conversation will push you to rethink where you live and how you plan your future.Watch the FULL EPISODE here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Inspd0gKEsConnect and Learn more about Dr. Jack Kruse:Website: https://jackkruse.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjackkruse Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drjackkruse Check out his book at: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00J21IRR6/allbooksSupport and follow Bitcoin Beach:X: https://www.twitter.com/BitcoinBeach IG: https://www.instagram.com/bitcoinbeach_sv TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@livefrombitcoinbeach Web: https://www.bitcoinbeach.comLive From Bitcoin Beach

Coming from the “empire of bureaucracy”, Lina Seiche has seen what happens when regulation stifles innovation. In El Salvador, she’s found the opposite, a government removing red tape, empowering entrepreneurs, and even teaching children about financial education from an early age.She explains why this freedom to build, innovate, and educate is shaping a generation that understands money differently not through taxes and rules, but through choice and knowledge.It’s a glimpse into a country rewriting what financial literacy looks like.Watch the FULL EPISODE here: https://youtu.be/nT8HmPfqS0cConnect and Learn more about Lina SeicheThe Little Hodler: https://thelittlehodler.comLina on X: https://twitter.com/LinaSeicheSupport and follow Bitcoin Beach:X: @BitcoinBeachIG: @bitcoinbeach_svTikTok: @livefrombitcoinbeachWeb: bitcoinbeach.comLive From Bitcoin Beach

What good is financial sovereignty if your body is still in custodial care? Mike Peterson sits down with Christopher Wedick to map out the Reclaiming Health and Longevity Symposium in San Salvador, a two-day meet-up where decentralized health meets decentralized wealth. They talk health sovereignty, community healing, and why El Salvador’s mix of safety, affordability, and sunlight makes it a real base for people who want financial self-custody and practical lifestyle medicine. This is the week where Bitcoin pragmatists and wellness builders compare notes in the same room.Christopher shares why he left Canada for El Salvador, how value-aligned community changes daily life, and what “reclaiming health” looks like without pharma as the default. The conversation covers natural remedies, sun and diet basics, and tech like Neurovisor light therapy. It is a clear path for visitors coming for @adoptingbitcoin 2025 and Bitcoin Histórico, who also want low-cost protocols, credible speakers, and a welcoming scene at Salamanca.You will hear why speakers like Dr. Peter McCullough (@petermcculloughmd ) and Dr. William Makis (@MakiswMD ) wanted to join the conversation, how voices around Dr. Jack Kruse and his community are educating the health industry in El Salvador.You will hear how the event works, who is speaking, and what follows, including the Elevating Consciousness Experience and the Bitcoin Well Mastermind. If you have been asking where holistic health and Bitcoin adoption overlap in a real place with real people, this episode gives you the playbook. Get your tickets at 👉 https://reclaiminghealth.life. If this hits, subscribe, drop a comment with your biggest health shift this year, and share with the friend who calls El Salvador Bitcoin country.-Bitcoin Beach TeamConnect and Learn more about Christopher Wedick: IG: https://www.instagram.com/shiftwithchris/https://x.com/reclaimhealthsvhttps://mindshiftstudios.com/team/christopher-wedick/https://reclaiminghealth.life/ https://reclaiminghealth.life/product/elevating-consciousness-experience/ https://reclaiminghealth.life/product/bitcoin-whale-mastermind/ Support and follow Bitcoin Beach:X: https://www.twitter.com/BitcoinBeach IG: https://www.instagram.com/bitcoinbeach_sv TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@livefrombitcoinbeach Web: https://www.bitcoinbeach.com Browse through this quick guide to learn more about the episode:00:00 Why launch a health and longevity symposium in El Salvador during Bitcoin week00:55 What is the Reclaiming Health and Longevity Symposium and who should attend01:29 Why call El Salvador Bitcoin country and how does that support health sovereignty03:25 Did El Salvador’s Bitcoin adoption inspire the move and the event vision04:44 How does decentralized health work in practice with natural remedies and Lifestyle medicines06:53 Which holistic alternatives and international speakers are coming to San Salvador13:15 Where can listeners buy tickets for Salamanca and what is included14:48 Which speakers is Christopher most excited to hear and why15:56 Why should Bitcoiners prioritize Holistic Health and Community healing22:27 What retreats follow the event and how do they differ for wellness and Bitcoin buildersLive From Bitcoin Beach

If you think the IMF is winning in El Salvador, think again! Bitcoin Beach founder's Mike Peterson sits down with Jethro, Kiki, and Charlie to show the receipts from the ground. We talk real Bitcoin circular economies, the merchants who now prefer sats, and how everyday life in El Zonte, El Tunco, and beyond has changed when money is freedom money.San Salvador’s historic center is about to become the stage for Bitcoin Histórico. El Salvador National Palace and National Theater will lit up with a VIP lineup most people said would never come here. Russell Brand’s fireside chat will lead a heavyweight program with Max Keiser, Stacy Herbert, Jeff Booth, Preston Pysh, Lawrence Lepard, Zuby, Giacomo Zucco, Jimmy Song, and more. If you want to witness the moment Bitcoin goes mainstream in El Salvador, be there.@adoptingbitcoin 2025 doubles down on builders and the “Network Effect.” Kiki walks through Spanish and English tracks, high-signal technical workshops, and a live Lightning dashboard tracking spend across vendors. From education programs like Librería de Satoshi (@libsatoshi) to Cubo+ alumni now working in Bitcoin, this is what it looks like when a conference runs Bitcoin only and measures real adoption.Up in the mountains, Economía Bitcoin turns @BitcoinBerlinSV in Berlin, El Salvador, into a two-day masterclass on circular economies. Charlie and Jethro bring merchants who price in sats, not dollars, and entrepreneurs like BitDriver, Bitcoin Travel, and BitTasker who keep value inside the loop. Panels range from core tech to coffee and commerce, with a festival vibe that still stays high signal.Between events, the coast lights up. Bitcoin Coast has El Tunco onboarding fast, and Punta Mango hosts a surf week where athletes receive sats to spend locally. We’re soft-launching our Bitcoin Villas there to keep the mission sustainable and the community thriving. If this is the El Salvador you want to see more of, subscribe, drop a comment, and share this with the friend who still asks, “But who actually uses Bitcoin?”Guest Links:Jethro Toro: https://x.com/JethroToroKiki: https://x.com/bitcoinbabeyCharlie: https://x.com/TheNaturalInve1Economía Bitcoin conference: X https://x.com/EconomiaBtchttps://www.bitcoinberlinsv.com/economia-bitcoin-2025Adopting Bitcoin conference: X https://x.com/AdoptingBTChttps://sv25.adoptingbitcoin.org/Bitcoin Histórico: X https://x.com/btchistoricosvhttps://bitcoinhistorico.com/Support and follow Bitcoin Beach:X: @BitcoinBeachIG: @bitcoinbeach_svTikTok: @livefrombitcoinbeachhttps://bitcoinbeach.comBrowse through this quick guide to learn more about the episode:0:00 Why is “Bitcoin Month” kicking off in El Salvador now?2:32 What is the Bitcoin Country podcast and who’s on it?5:19 What’s the story behind the Bitcoin “Hollywood” sign studio?8:47 What is Bitcoin Histórico at San Salvador’s National Palace?11:54 How are El Zonte merchants using the Lightning Network and saving sats?16:15 Did the Chivo wallet actually drive Bitcoin adoption in El Salvador?21:07 Bitcoin Histórico dates and tickets, plus the Russell Brand fireside chat?22:38 What makes the Adopting Bitcoin conference different this year?34:52 How will the live Lightning dashboard track spend across vendors?52:18 What’s happening in Punta Mango?Live From Bitcoin Beach

Jack Mallers and Mike Peterson share two unforgettable stories from Bitcoin’s early days in El Salvador. Strike once tested a small ten-cent reward for new users, and the strong response showed how even tiny incentives could spark Bitcoin adoption in El Salvador. They also tell how local kids used Strike and Bitrefill to buy Free Fire game credits online for the first time. Since they didn’t have credit cards, Bitcoin let them make legit online purchases, surprising a shop owner who thought the system had been hacked. Watch the FULL EPISODE here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4xoRv_YWuY Connect and Learn more about Jack Mallershttps://www.twitter.com/jackmallershttps://www.twitter.com/strikehttps://strike.me/https://snort.social/p/npub1ex7mdykw786qxvmtuls208uyxmn0hse95rfwsarvfde5yg6wy7jq6qvyt9‪@thejackmallersshow‬ Support and follow Bitcoin Beach:X: https://www.twitter.com/BitcoinBeachIG: https://www.instagram.com/bitcoinbeach_svTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@livefrombitcoinbeachWeb: https://www.bitcoinbeach.comLive From Bitcoin Beach

After moving to El Salvador, Michael Ruiz found more than a new home and began creating content that connected him to new opportunities.A simple invitation to help with a real estate showcase opened doors to new opportunities and unexpected connections. What began as a single “yes” grew into a network of builders, educators, and entrepreneurs shaping El Salvador’s future.Watch the FULL EPISODE here: https://youtu.be/09WjFZLa4N8 Connect and Learn more about Michael Ruizhttps://www.twitter.com/sovmindsethttps://www.twitter.com/nakamotoexpresshttps://www.twitter.com/sovstudiosSupport and follow Bitcoin Beach:X: https://www.twitter.com/BitcoinBeachIG: https://www.instagram.com/bitcoinbeach_svTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@livefrombitcoinbeachWeb: https://www.bitcoinbeach.comLive From Bitcoin Beach