Key Takeaways
- Trump plans to meet Bitcoin advocate Nayib Bukele at the White House next month.
- El Salvador adopted Bitcoin as legal tender, and holds reserves in the digital asset.
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US President Donald Trump plans to meet with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele at the White House next month, Bloomberg reported Friday, citing sources with knowledge of the plan.
The two pro-Bitcoin leaders have maintained connections. Trump and Bukele held a phone conversation days after his inauguration, during which they discussed collaboration on combating illegal immigration and transnational gangs like Tren de Aragua.
If the visit happens, Bukele would be the first leader from the Western Hemisphere to receive an official White House invitation under Trump’s presidency. This meeting comes after Bukele agreed to detain hundreds of Venezuelan gang members deported from the US.
The exact date remains unset and arrangements could change, according to the report.
In February, El Salvador’s President met with Michael Saylor, Strategy’s Executive Chairman, to discuss Bitcoin.
Bukele also met with Ben Horowitz and Marc Andreessen, founders of venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, at the Presidential House in El Salvador, earlier this month. Discussions focused on technology and artificial intelligence investment opportunities in El Salvador, aiming to position the country as a key regional tech hub.
The prospective meeting between Trump and Bukele could address a variety of issues. However, given Bukele’s outspoken support for Bitcoin, there is growing speculation that Bitcoin may be one of the topics.
In a press conference in January, Bukele expressed optimism that Trump’s return to the US presidency will considerably impact Bitcoin’s trajectory and the crypto ecosystem. He also anticipated that Trump’s administration would adopt policies favorable to Bitcoin, which could lead to its “exponential revaluation.”
“I believe, personally, that this year, and the years ahead, will be very important for Bitcoin and for the entire ecosystem, especially with Trump’s assumption of power,” he said.
El Salvador, which became the first country to adopt Bitcoin as a legal tender alongside the US dollar in September 2021, holds 6,129 BTC in its reserves, according to Arkham data. The stash is now valued at approximately $514 million.
President Trump signed an executive order to establish a US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve on March 6, funded by federal-owned Bitcoin. The administration aims to acquire more BTC without spending extra taxpayer costs.
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