El Salvador Doubles Down: World’s First Bitcoin Bank Goes Live in 2025

El Salvador just flipped traditional finance the bird—again. The Bitcoin-adopting nation is launching the planet's first licensed crypto bank, letting citizens deposit, borrow, and earn interest in BTC.

No more middlemen. The state-backed Chivo Bank (yes, named after the slang for 'cool') bypasses legacy systems entirely. Want a mortgage denominated in satoshis? Done.

Wall Street's reaction? A mix of panic and desperate 'blockchain innovation' press releases. Meanwhile, Salvadorans can now earn 5% APY on bitcoin deposits—triple what Chase offers for USD. (Cue the 'but volatility!' cries from bankers missing their 2008 bonuses.)

This isn't just a bank. It's a grenade thrown at fractional reserve banking—with President Bukele casually tweeting 'Next: BTC bonds' while legacy finance scrambles for cover.

El Salvador has announced plans to introduce the world’s first Bitcoin banks, aiming to integrate Bitcoin more deeply into its financial system. The initiative builds on President Nayib Bukele’s pro-Bitcoin strategy, seeking to offer banking services fully denominated in Bitcoin. These Bitcoin banks could enhance financial inclusion in a country with many unbanked citizens by providing deposits, loans, and investment options in BTC. Although details and regulations are still pending, this move marks a major step in El Salvador’s ongoing Bitcoin adoption journey and global innovation aspirations.