San Cristóbal, Venezuela

Isabel Quintero

I believe in Bitcoin for a fresh start.

Like many, Isabel did not initially understand Bitcoin. “I thought it was for engineers and people with knowledge in computing systems or math, which I’m very bad at,” she laughed. A native of Venezuela, she attended university with the dream of becoming a teacher and eventually graduated with honors. After landing an internship, she began exploring freelance work that would pay her in a less volatile currency. It was then she saw a need for better ways to exchange money. “I realized how hard it was for people to have access to other currencies and exchange those currencies in their home countries,” she said.

A new beginning

Hoping for a fresh start, Isabel moved from her home country to Colombia. She was immediately faced with a new set of challenges, with low average salaries and a tough job market made even more difficult for foreigners. The Bitcoin community, however, was growing faster than ever. That’s when she discovered Paxful.

Though overwhelmed at first, she was determined to understand the force behind Bitcoin and all that it was capable of doing. “I started listening to the community through webinars, learning people’s beliefs, and seeing how passionate they were about it. I began to understand not just the financial benefits, but the philosophical aspects of Bitcoin as well. To this day, that remains my passion.”

Once she made her first purchase, Isabel took her love of education and began teaching people about the use cases of Bitcoin. She wanted to tell everyone how it could provide “opportunities in emerging regions like Latin America that have always suffered economic problems like hyperinflation.” Since then, she has not only seen her savings grow but she’s also been able to start a new life abroad, travel the world, and send money to her family.

Looking ahead

For Isabel, Bitcoin is the solution that people have been searching for. It has equipped her in the fight against economic inequality and put control back into the hands of the people. “With Bitcoin, I see more opportunities for the emerging world. The 1% owns most of the money in the world and they’ve become even richer during the pandemic. This needs to change. I believe Bitcoin is opening doors for people to have financial freedom,” she said.

Today, Colombia ranks 11th worldwide in Bitcoin adoption and continues to blaze a trail. “This amazing technology is creating a better world. It’s an opportunity for people like me,” she remarked about Bitcoin, which has changed her life and the lives of so many around her. With drive and passion, Isabel has become an unstoppable force in the industry and the future has never looked brighter.