The Guatemalan Government Is Taking A Closer Look At Bitcoin — All Because Of A Meme Trending Global News

(Author’s Note: In this take, I offer an interpretation of recent events in Guatemala through the lens of someone on the ground in the country.)

On November 10, X opened an account with the Bitcoin office in El Salvador. Posted The following memes:

It seemed harmless enough. I know I didn’t think much about it when it came to me. I remember laughing when I saw it and then just going about my day.

However, a week ago, a colleague of mine, a prominent Guatemalan Bitcoiner, shared with me that the meme had gone viral in Guatemala. And not just a bunch of retweet-type virals – but wildfire virals.

Many Guatemalans, especially Guatemalan Bitcoiners, are fans of Bukele. So, when Bitcoin Office jokingly hinted that Bukele was thinking about buying Guatemala, the reaction from many in the country was essentially “good.”

This stunned the powers that be in the country, prompting high officials in the Guatemalan government and Guatemala’s central bank to begin researching Bitcoin.

My source tells me that it’s possible that this could result in the Guatemalan government and central bank acknowledging the value of Bitcoin and providing appropriate guidance for banks and other institutions that want to hold the asset on their balance sheets.

I plan to talk to more people on the ground in the coming weeks to provide more concrete reporting.

This article is a TakeThe opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of BTC Inc. or Bitcoin Magazine.