Santa Monica has established an official Bitcoin office. The city council unanimously approved a pilot program in partnership with Proof of Workforce, a nonprofit organization. The initiative comes at no cost to the city.
The office has four primary objectives. These include Bitcoin education, tourism growth through partnerships and conferences, job connections for residents, and exploration of sustainable Bitcoin mining using the city's renewable energy.
Vice Mayor Lana Negrete, the initiative's champion, expressed the enthusiasm one could only envy. "As we embark on a journey to learn Bitcoin in Santa Monica, I'm excited to see the following ideas," she said. And every Bitcoin enthusiast should be excited too.
"Bitcoin is for everyone!" seems to be the new motto here. And that resembles the approach we have already seen, haven't we?
That looks a lot like El Salvador indeed. The Central American nation adopted Bitcoin as legal tender in 2021. It subsequently opened a Bitcoin office, attracting significant investment and tourism, and also promoting the idea that Bitcoin is suitable for everyday use by common citizens, not only nerds.
The California city aims to replicate this success. Santa Monica boasts an annual budget of $700 million. In 2023, it welcomed 4.5 million visitors who spent nearly $1 billion here.
Recent Bitcoin developments in Santa Monica have gained traction. Firefighters have adopted self-custody of Bitcoin. City leaders have also visited El Salvador to study its Bitcoin adoption firsthand. Everything is going by scenario even Satoshi couldn't have dreamt about, or could he?
Santa Monica's initiative validates a growing trend. More cities and countries are positioning themselves as Bitcoin-friendly destinations.
Dom Bei, Founder of Proof of Workforce, commented on the development. "The future of Santa Monica is bright orange!" he exclaimed.