Key Takeaways
- Maya Parbhoe plans to make Bitcoin legal tender on her first day as president.
- Her long-term goal is to replace the Surinamese dollar with Bitcoin.
- Parbhoe's campaign has raised $45,000 through Bitcoin crowdfunding.
Suriname’s presidential candidate, Maya Parbhoe, has promised to make Bitcoin the nation’s legal tender on her first day in office. Her bold plan, announced on Oct. 28, includes issuing an executive order that would immediately grant Bitcoin legal status without requiring parliamentary approval.
Parbhoe explained:
We can do it immediately… It’s a one-page executive order by the Foreign Exchange Commission. No law changes are necessary.
Parbhoe’s goal is to reduce Suriname’s dependence on international institutions like the IMF by adopting a decentralized financial system powered by Bitcoin. She also aims to phase out the Surinamese dollar (SRD) within two to three years, transitioning the country to a Bitcoin-standard economy.
A commission led by Austrian economist Philip Baggis is crafting a roadmap for this transition. Additionally, Parbhoe has raised $45,000 in sats through Geyser, a Bitcoin crowdfunding platform, to fund her campaign and support local community projects.
Her administration would also consider Bitcoin bonds and leveraging oil revenues to expedite the repayment of IMF debt, steering Suriname toward financial sovereignty.
