In this episode of the Bitcoin Sports Network Podcast, Max Kaiser and Stacy Herbert sit down with Gabriel Campa, Head of Digital Assets at Towerbank International, Inc. Broadcasting live from El Salvador during the Max and Stacy Golf Invitational 2026, Gabriel shares how Towerbank is pioneering the integration of Bitcoin and traditional banking services across Central and South America. 

With an unconventional background in architecture rather than finance, Gabriel brings a unique perspective to solving banking's oldest problems. He explains how Towerbank realized traditional banking was "exhausted"—trapped in expensive, restrictive patterns that haven't changed in decades. Their solution? Ikigii, the world's first platform that seamlessly connects digital assets and traditional banking, allowing users to convert between Bitcoin and US dollars in seconds, access Bitcoin-backed loans in minutes, and maintain full control of their assets. 
Gabriel discusses Tower Bank's $10+ million in Bitcoin-backed loans (with zero liquidations), why El Salvador is becoming an investable market again, and how Panama has been a Bitcoin banking leader in Central America. He also addresses the challenges of regulatory compliance, the future of retail operations in El Salvador, and why US customers don't need their services (hint: they already have dollar access). 
If you're interested in the intersection of traditional finance and Bitcoin, how Bitcoin-backed lending actually works, or why Central and South America are hungry for better banking options, this conversation provides invaluable insights into the future of financial services. 
About Gabriel Campa 

• Head of Digital Assets at Towerbank International, Inc.
• Architecture background, not traditional finance
• Leading Bitcoin and blockchain integration since January 2022
• Pioneering new markets across Central and South America
• Oversees $10+ million in Bitcoin-backed loans
• Creator of Ikigii platform connecting Bitcoin and traditional banking
• Advocate for user-controlled financial products
• Frequent traveler expanding Towerbank's global Bitcoin operations

Episode Highlights:

• Why traditional banking is "exhausted" and needs disruption
• Towerbank's early adoption of Bitcoin in Central America
• Bitcoin-backed loans: $250,000 in 5 minutes with no credit checks
• How architectural thinking applies to building new financial systems
• The I.M. Pei debate: Modern solutions for ancient structures
• Why Bitcoin collateral is superior to housing collateral
• $10+ million in loans, zero liquidations since 120-130k Bitcoin
• Introducing Ikigii: The world's first unified Bitcoin-banking platform
• Converting Bitcoin to USD and back in seconds
• Why El Salvador is banking in Panama (and why that's changing)
• The confidence factor: What makes a market investable
• XAI partnership: World's first AI tutor program for public schools
• Towerbank's long history in El Salvador (pre-Bitcoin adoption)
• Retail operations launching in El Salvador via Ikigii

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