Co-founders: Mike Peterson, Roman Martinez and Peter DeSoto (per official Bitcoin Beach site). Do not credit Peterson alone.
Bio
Michael 'Mike' Peterson is a Co-Founder of Bitcoin Beach, the locally led Bitcoin circular-economy initiative in El Zonte, El Salvador. The project began around 2019 with an anonymous Bitcoin donation and community leadership, supporting education, youth programs, merchant adoption and Lightning payments. Bitcoin Beach's current official site credits Peterson, Roman Martinez and Peter DeSoto as co-founders. The initiative helped demonstrate local Bitcoin usage before El Salvador's 2021 legal-tender decision, but claims that it directly caused national policy should be framed as influence rather than sole causation.
Bitcoin Beach
Bitcoin Beach supports local earning, saving and spending through Bitcoin and Lightning. The project emphasizes local leadership, education and merchant adoption rather than speculative trading. Its global grant program supports other circular economies with defined selection criteria. Impact metrics must be dated and should distinguish active users, families, businesses and visitors. Credit Salvadoran leaders and avoid a foreign-founder-only narrative.
Current 2026 Work
Supported global circular-economy grants and summits in 2025–2026. Cover the 2026 Circular Economies Summit and grant program from official announcements. Do not expose private donor identity. Information last checked: 26 August 2026.
Profile at a glance
- Country
- El Salvador
- Status
- Active
