Honduran citizens have enabled their first ATM for the purchase of the most used cryptocurrencies in the world market such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, with lempiras, the legal tender in the nation.
The ATM, called the ‘bitcoinera’, is operating in an exclusive business building in Tegucigalpa under the direction of TGU Consulting Group, owned by Honduran Juan Mayén, who aspires to meet the increased demand for virtual assets and spread the crypto culture in his nation.
Mayén recently pointed out that in Honduras “there was no automated way to buy cryptocurrencies (…). If you wanted, you had to do it peer-to-peer (person to person), find someone who had cryptos and was willing to trade, then get to know each other in person and carry an amount of cash, something very inconvenient and dangerous for the environment in Honduras,” he added.
The bitcoinera has applications that allow to know the clients, KYC, for which the users must scan their official identification, complete the information on the requested security data, as well as the telephone number.
The limit of purchases at the ATM is 9,000 lempiras, equivalent to about 380 dollars and in a first phase only cryptocurrencies can be purchased. They hope they can also sell them later and depending on the receptivity in the market, other units may open soon.
Asset fever in Central America
According to Mayén, in the country there are multiple professionals who work as software developers and receive payments in digital currencies, for whom the ATM will be very useful. Additionally, it is an important option for all those Hondurans who are outside the country and send remittances monthly.
Central American countries are experiencing a fever with digital assets in recent months as a result of the decision made by the president of El Salvador, who decreed Bitcoin as legal tender in that country.
Brock Pierce, president of the Bitcoin Foundation and known as the pioneer of cryptocurrencies, traveled to Honduras where he met with its president, Juan Orlando Hernández. Later he went to Panama where he held several meetings with representatives of the Panamanian government, led by Laurentino Cortizo. In addition, he participated in a forum about Bitcoin.
M. Rodríguez
Source: sela.org
