Indore, Madhya Pradesh

Paco de la India

I believe in Bitcoin for humanity.

Inspired by the concept of time preference for humanity, Paco knew he wanted to do something to show how Bitcoin could empower the world with financial freedom. Combining his love of travel with his passion for Bitcoin, Paco knew he could merge these two worlds for a greater cause.

Hostel hero

Paco has always been one to travel the world, so it was only fitting that he first learned about Bitcoin while visiting Germany. “In 2015, a crazy German guy in his shorts starts shouting in the hostel to buy Bitcoin,” Paco told us. He didn’t think much of it at the time—chalking it up to being something he wasn’t interested in since he was focused on his travels. 

Fast forward to 2021—Paco decided that it was time to take the leap and get his start in Bitcoin. He picked up The Bitcoin Standard: The Decentralized Alternative to Central Banking by Saifedean Ammous and consumed all it has to offer. Paco was fascinated by the book and he took away so much more than Bitcoin—he learned about freedom and the concept of time preference. “We should truly hold onto something that is not controlled by anyone,” he said.

Photography Credit: @isacjrrr / Isac photography/ Isac Junior

And away he goes

Today, Paco has set out to visit 40 countries over a span of 400 days. The challenge? He’s only using Bitcoin during his travels to educate and demonstrate its power. Paco’s currently in country #12, Malawi, and he’s enjoying every step of the way, hardships and all. Since not all countries have adopted Bitcoin yet, Paco has needed to get strategic with his plans. “All of my hotel vouchers, bus tickets, and flights have been paid for by Bitcoin,” he said. 

Although “COVID-19 has thrown a wrench into some of the plans,” he’s not slowing down anytime soon. In addition to traveling necessities like recharging his cell phone, Paco has also been able to pay for “COVID-19 tests, hair cuts, shoes, massages, and so much more, all with Bitcoin,” he shared with us.

Show and tell

Part of Paco’s journey is to spread mass awareness of Bitcoin. Whether it be through teaching those who are unfamiliar with Bitcoin, or showing communities new tricks on using their Bitcoin, Paco has set out to encourage people around the world to use Bitcoin, and to showcase how countries have adopted Bitcoin. 

Paco is documenting his travels through a series of vlogs (video blogs) to not only share this wealth of knowledge with the rest of the world but also highlight the “kindness of humans through his travel” he said. As Paco leaves his mark in 40 countries, he hopes “people will learn the difference between Bitcoin and altcoins” to help shine a light on the power that Bitcoin holds for the world.