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Bitcoin Latam Report

Bitcoin Latam Report

Written by: Maciej Cepnik - CMO at Aureobitcoin.com
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About this listen

Hosted by Maciej Cepnik, a Canadian who moved to Mexico and is a Bitcoin entrepreneur, this show features English-language interviews with Bitcoin founders, builders, and operators across the entire Latin American region. From Mexico City to Buenos Aires, we dig into how Bitcoin is used for payments, remittances, mining, and regulation, along with the hard lessons, tactics, and opportunities shaping the LatAm ecosystem.

© 2026 Bitcoin Latam Report
Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Personal Finance
Episodes
  • #EP6 - #EP6 Javier Bastardo - What's Next for Venezuela After Maduro: Oil, USDT, and the Bitcoin Reality
    Jan 16 2026

    In this episode, Maciej Cepnik sits down with Javier Bastardo, a Venezuelan journalist for Forbes, comms/PR at Bitfinex, and founder of Satoshi in Venezuela, for a firsthand look at Venezuela’s breaking point and what comes next, and what it means for Bitcoin.

    00:02 Javier’s background
    00:58 Journalism → Forbes → Bitfinex / Satoshi in Venezuela
    02:56 Leaving Venezuela in 2023
    06:20 How do Venezuelans leave the country
    14:02 Waking up to the Caracas bombing news / first reactions
    21:14 The uncomfortable part: anti-war instincts vs no other way.
    22:26 What Chavismo actually is and how it took root
    30:51 Venezuela was rich, so why did people feel poor?
    34:26 Maduro era: oil, corruption, inflation as control
    38:20 Transition phase: why the opposition can’t just take over
    47:27 Oil endgame and geopolitics
    56:46 Venezuela’s crypto reality: USDT dominance, Binance P2P, remittances
    01:08:20 Petro + state BTC stash rumors
    01:16:45 Investing in Venezuela: opportunity vs uncertainty
    01:22:07 Why crypto companies should hire Venezuelans

    Follow Javier on X: @criptobastardo
    Follow Maciej Cepnik on X: @CepnikMaciej
    Follow Aureo on X: @AureoBitcoin

    Buy and sell Bitcoin in Mexico at the lowest rate - Personalized onboarding to multi-institution custody solution: Visit aureobitcoin.com

    Mentioned articles in the podcast:

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2026/01/05/maduro-captured-what-it-means-for-stablecoins-oil-and-bitcoin/
    https://www.coindesk.com/opinion/2026/01/06/don-t-hold-your-breath-for-venezuela-s-bitcoin

    Please subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss the next episodes.

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    1 hr and 15 mins
  • #EP5 Retirement in Mexico Is Getting Destroyed—Bitcoin Could Be Your Lifeboat with Santiago Varela
    Jan 14 2026

    In Episode 5 of the Bitcoin Latam Report, Maciej Cepnik talks with Santiago Varela Belmont (Director at KardashevBTC and founder of La Casa de Satoshi) about why Mexico’s pension system is structurally failing, and why Bitcoin matters for retirement.

    This episode is based on Aureo’s first report: “Limitations of Mexico’s Retirement Savings System (SAR) and Savings Alternatives in Mexico.” Together, they break down the key reforms of 1997 and 2007, explaining why defined-benefit promises, demographics, and Mexico’s large informal economy make the system increasingly unsustainable. They also discuss how fiat debasement quietly erodes purchasing power over time, framing Bitcoin as a means of saving. They also discuss practical paths forward, from strengthening voluntary retirement savings to how responsible Bitcoin exposure could fit into diversified portfolios.

    00:00 Welcome & episode intro
    01:10 Santiago’s background (economics thesis on Mexico’s pension system)
    04:55 A quick history of money & saving in Mexico
    07:35 Mexico’s first pension programs (1940s) + how the system evolved
    10:00 1997 reform: Afores, SAR, CONSAR & the shift to defined contribution
    12:30 2007 reform: expanding benefits + long-term sustainability risks
    14:50 The real problem: fiat debasement vs. the financial illiteracy narrative
    17:10 Why pensions are taking a growing share of Mexico’s budget
    19:35 Demographics: fewer workers funding more retirees
    22:00 Informality: nearly half of Mexico is excluded from the formal system
    29:10 How Mexicans save today: real estate, stocks, businesses, gold
    31:30 Bitcoin in a portfolio: diversification + Sharpe ratio logic
    33:50 Explaining Bitcoin without sounding crazy: Savings technology.
    38:50 Balancing state pensions vs. self-sovereign savings
    41:10 Global examples: pension funds getting Bitcoin exposure
    46:00 Scarcity: why Bitcoin is different
    49:30 Community updates

    We invite you to read the full report about the Mexican pensions system here (Available in English and Spanish):

    aureobitcoin.com/en/blog/limitaciones-del-sistema-de-ahorro

    Follow:

    Maciej on X: @CepnikMaciej
    Aureo on X: @AureoBitcoin
    Santiago on X: @santiagovare1a
    La Casa de Satoshi on X: @LaCasaDeSatoshi
    Inflation calculator: inflacionmexico.com
    Buy and Sell Bitcoin in Mexico: aureobitcoin.com

    This podcast is part of the Aureo Media Network.

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    46 mins
  • #EP4 Ronny Avendaño - From Toronto to El Zonte - Founding and growing the Bitcoin Hardware Store
    Jan 7 2026

    In Episode 4 of the Bitcoin Latam Report, Maciej Cepnik interviews Ronny Avendaño, founder and CEO of the Bitcoin Hardware Store, in Mexico City at La Casa de Satoshi. Ronny shares his journey from Toronto to El Salvador, how meeting “real Bitcoiners” pushed him toward self-custody, and why he started the store after realizing how hard it was to get basic Bitcoin tools like a node.

    They discuss what Bitcoin adoption actually looks like in El Salvador, the country’s major improvements in safety, the remaining infrastructure gaps, and how Bitcoin can help solve real problems. The episode also covers choosing Bitcoin-only open-source hardware, helping users move off exchanges, inheritance planning, and Ronny’s plan to expand the hardware store model across Latin America.

    00:06 Ronny arrives in Mexico / La Casa de Satoshi
    02:07 Moving to El Salvador
    04:27 Origin of the Bitcoin Hardware Store
    09:15 El Salvador then vs now: safety transformation
    14:05 Using Bitcoin mining to solve infrastructure problems
    16:31 Setting expectations: El Salvador isn’t Bitcoin heaven yet—advice for movers
    26:14 Why a physical store works
    30:59 Why El Zonte?
    40:36 Hiring & training
    45:30 Product selection criteria
    50:20 Inheritance planning
    55:47 Expansion plans
    58:06 Next Locations of the Bitcoin Hardware Store

    Show Notes

    Follow Ronny on X: @ronnyavendano_

    Follow The Bitcoin Hardware Store on X: @tbhs_sv

    Follow Maciej Cepnik on X: @CepnikMaciej

    Follow Aureo on X: @AureoBitcoin

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    1 hr
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