Bitcoin is its own network state, to borrow a term from Balaji Srinivasan. That is, even if Bitcoin supporters are not tied to a geographic region (in fact, quite the opposite), they have collective power and can effect change.
We’ve just seen a version of this power exercised in the US political sphere, as the Bitcoin (and cryptocurrency) lobby fiercely supported pro-Bitcoin candidates in the recent US election cycle. Because this lobby was so strong, many pro-Bitcoin candidates were elected or re-elected into positions of power.
One could argue that Trump won the election because he embraced Bitcoin, while Harris only seemed to muster the ability to make tepid and offbeat statements about being pro-crypto (statements that some in Bitcoin Magazine found inauthentic and even offensive).
Now, there is another opportunity for the Bitcoin community to rally behind a candidate. For the first time in history, a country has a presidential candidate running on the idea of putting his country on a bitcoin standard. That country is Suriname and that candidate is Maya Parbhoe.
Parbhoe understands the transformative power of bitcoin and believes that making it legal tender can help bring Suriname’s 600,000 citizens out of “survival mode,” as she puts it.
So, my question to you as a Bitcoin enthusiast is this: do you want to watch as Parbhoe attempts to make history or do you want to play a role in helping her make history?
In other words, will you contribute to his campaign – as Bitcoin allows you to do from anywhere in the world without permission – or will you be a spectator?
🚨 Corruption has no place in our future!
We cannot continue to trust a system that deceives us.
It’s time to act!
Verifying every action is the key to a corruption-free Suriname.
Your support is essential. https://t.co/rBQxhqq7zm #maya2025 #bitcoin pic.twitter.com/hkXZislsAl
— Maya Parbhoe (@MayaPar25) November 23, 2024
(You can track how donations are spent here.)
You can also contact Parbhoe’s campaign via info@bitcoinsranan.com to offer support in other ways if you feel like it.
The election will be held in May 2025, and Parbhoe and his team are currently preparing for the election season (including obtaining campaign funds). It’s hard to say yet how much chance he has of winning, but he will probably have less without your support.
So, if you want the Bitcoin network state to include another nation state, here you have the opportunity to play a potential role in making that happen.
(Author’s note: Please note that this piece is not necessarily an endorsement of Parbhoe but a call to action for those who support her.)
This article is a Take. The opinions expressed are entirely the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.