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The Times podcast: El Salvador wants to be a bitcoin paradise

A store displays a sign that says bitcoin is accepted
A man in Tamanique, El Salvador, makes a purchase at a small store that accepts bitcoin.
(Salvador Melendez / Associated Press)
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This year, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele made his country the first in the world to embrace bitcoin as legal tender. That means that come September, Salvadorans will be able to pay bills and taxes in bitcoin and that all businesses will be required to accept the digital currency — from McDonald’s to the fruit vendor on the corner.

Today, L.A. Times Latin America correspondent Kate Linthicum explains how El Salvador got into the cryptocurrency game.

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Host: L.A. Times Latin America correspondent Kate Linthicum

More reading:

How a California surfer helped bring bitcoin to El Salvador

El Salvador makes bitcoin legal tender

A look at El Salvador’s meme-loving, press-hating autocratic president

Listen to more episodes of The Times here

About The Times

“The Times” is made by columnist Gustavo Arellano, producer Shannon Lin, senior producer Denise Guerra, executive producer Abbie Fentress Swanson and editors Lauren Raab, Shani O. Hilton and Julia Turner. Our intern is Ashlea Brown. Our engineer is Mario Diaz and our theme song was composed by Andrew Eapen.
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