Bitcoin Latam Report

In this episode of The Bitcoin Latam Report, I sit down with Jesus Najera, better known as Setzeus, the founder of SetDev and Cofund.

We discuss his journey from Wall Street to Bitcoin engineering, why Bitcoin companies often struggle to build great products, and what the ecosystem can learn from other blockchains. Jesus also explains Taproot, covenants, BIP 110, and why the proposal would have affected Cofund’s architecture.

We then explore Cofund, a self-custody, cross-chain multisig wallet for businesses, teams, families, and individuals. We cover how it works, how it compares with Casa and Liana, and whether multisig can offer a better path forward following the Coldcard incident.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction  
00:54 Jesus’s Bitcoin story and the origins of SetDev  
08:18 Bootstrapping a Bitcoin company through extreme highs and lows  
10:50 Bitcoin scaling, L2s, and covenants  
12:15 BIP 110 and how it would have affected Cofund  
21:08 Taproot explained and why its potential remains unexplored  
23:54 Why Bitcoin companies struggle to build great products  
27:42 What it would take to activate covenants  
37:46 Why Jesus created Cofund  
43:21 Cofund compared with Casa and Liana  
45:37 Hardware wallets, passkeys, seed phrases, and YubiKeys  
52:40 The Coldcard incident and the future of self-custody  
57:10 Is easy self-custody actually possible?  
01:00:40 Cofund pricing, onboarding, and ideal users  
01:06:28 AI, security audits, and the changing threat landscape  
01:11:17 Bitcoin adoption in Mexico and Latin America

Try Cofund:  https://getcofund.com/
Follow Cofund on X:  https://x.com/getcofund
Build with SetDev:  https://setdev.com/
Follow Jesus Najera on X:  https://x.com/setzeus

Follow Maciej Cepnik on X:  https://x.com/CepnikMaciej
Follow Aureo on X:  https://x.com/AureoBitcoin

Buy and sell Bitcoin in Mexico:  
https://aureobitcoin.com/

Follow The Bitcoin Latam Report for more conversations with Bitcoin builders, entrepreneurs, and communities across Latin America.

In this episode of The Bitcoin Latam Report, I sit down with Tristan Borges Solari, CPO and co-founder of Aureo, to discuss our latest Aureo Quarterly report on how Mexican households build and preserve their wealth.

We explore why real estate dominates wealth in Mexico, how the formal and informal economies shape the way people save, and how decades of inflation, financial exclusion, and distrust in institutions pushed millions of Mexicans toward land, homes, and even construction materials as a form of savings.

We also look at some surprising findings: the massive concentration of wealth in non-financial assets, the number of empty homes in Mexico, rising housing costs, and why younger generations may be forced to find completely different ways to preserve their wealth.

Will Mexico’s reliance on real estate ever change?

⏱ Timestamps

00:00 — Introduction
02:34 — Tristan’s journey into Bitcoin and the industry
07:06 — Why Aureo produces institutional research about Mexico
11:56 — The strategy behind the Aureo Quarterly reports
14:06 — Why real estate dominates Mexican household wealth
16:29 — How we researched Mexico’s household wealth
20:52 — Mexico’s two economies: formal vs. informal
25:43 — Tandas: Mexico’s informal savings system
28:01 — The most shocking findings about Mexican wealth
32:42 — Empty homes, housing prices and affordability
38:46 — Inflation, peso crises and distrust in the financial system
45:04 — Will younger Mexicans move away from real estate?
55:36 — What alternatives exist for preserving wealth?

🔗 Show Notes

📊 Download the latest Aureo Quarterly report for free:

Mexico Household Wealth 2026: Why Real Estate Dominates

Available in English and Spanish:
https://www.aureobitcoin.com/en/blog/riqueza-en-Mexico-2026

🟠 Aureo Bitcoin

Buy and sell Bitcoin in Mexico with a platform built for individuals and corporations:
https://www.aureobitcoin.com

𝕏 Follow Aureo on X:
https://x.com/AureoBitcoin

🏠 La Casa de Satoshi

This episode was recorded at La Casa de Satoshi in Mexico City. We regularly organize Bitcoin meetups, technical BitDevs sessions, workshops, presentations and other community events there.

Check out our upcoming meetups and register for the next events here:
luma.com/lacasadesatoshi

In this episode of The Bitcoin Latam Report, Maciej Cepnik speaks with Laura Meza, Partnerships and Sales Manager at PlebLab, about her journey into Bitcoin and the growing community of builders in Guadalajara, the second largest city in Mexico.

They discuss PlebLab's mission, the challenges of Bitcoin adoption in Mexico, opportunities for non-developers in the industry and why the best way to get involved is to stop waiting for permission and start contributing.

Laura also previews Hackalajara 2.0 and Startup Day Guadalajara, taking place August 20–21, with a hackathon, workshops, startup presentations, networking and activities for the Bitcoin community.

TIMES TAMPS

00:00 Introduction
01:45 Laura’s Bitcoin journey
04:40 Discovering PlebLab
12:27 Bitcoin and Lightning Guadalajara
16:18 Bitcoin adoption in Mexico
21:32 Onboarding local businesses
27:02 What is PlebLab?
35:32 Working in Bitcoin without being a developer
40:07 Stop asking for permission
41:45 Hackalajara 2.0 and Startup Day
48:13 Building during the bear market
53:00 Tickets and registration
56:43 Aureo’s workshops
01:01:38 Final thoughts

SHOW NOTES

Buy your ticket Hackalajara 2.0 and Startup Day Guadalajara:
https://hackalajara.pleblab.com/
https://www.pleblab.dev/startup-day-g...

PlebLab:
https://pleblab.com/

Contact Laura:
[email protected]

Follow Laura on X:
@lbtc2024

Buy and Sell bitcoin with Aureo in Mexico:
https://aureobitcoin.com/

Follow Aureo on X: 
@aureobitcoin

In this episode of The Bitcoin Latam Report, I sit down with MetaMick, co-founder of Geyser, a Bitcoin crowdfunding platform helping Bitcoin builders, educators, creators and circular economies raise funds with Bitcoin.

We discuss how Geyser started, the challenges of building a non-custodial Bitcoin platform, why crowdfunding matters for grassroots adoption, and how Bitcoin can empower communities from the bottom up.

We also delve into circular economies, merchant adoption, the “let the sats flow” philosophy, Geyser’s All or Nothing campaigns, its business model, the Latin America Impact Fund, and why Latin America is such an important region for Bitcoin adoption.

If you’re building a Bitcoin project, running a community, creating educational content, or are interested in Bitcoin adoption in Latin America, this conversation is for you.

Timestamps:

01:09 — MetaMick’s Bitcoin story
03:56 — Why Geyser was created
09:30 — Top-down vs bottom-up Bitcoin adoption
12:51 — Circular economies and Bitcoin Beach
17:14 — Merchant adoption and real-world Bitcoin usage
21:12 — Why sats need to flow
26:16 — Building Geyser and the challenges of non-custodial Bitcoin products
33:28 — All or Nothing campaigns and Paco de la India
39:03 — How Geyser helps projects grow
42:16 — Geyser’s business model
48:28 — Bitcoin projects in Latin America
51:58 — The Latin America Impact Fund
01:00:44 — Bitcoin volatility and donations
01:03:03 — Fiat, stablecoins and staying Bitcoin-first
01:10:00 — Successful projects on Geyser
01:14:06 — What’s next for Geyser

Follow Geyser on X:  ⁨@geyserfund⁩  
Support or Start your own Bitcoin crowdfunding project: geyser.fund

Follow Maciej Cepnik on X: @CepnikMaciej
Follow Aureo on X: @AureoBitcoin

Buy or Sell Bitcoin in Mexico: aureobitcoin.com
 
Follow The Bitcoin Latam Report for more conversations with Bitcoin builders, entrepreneurs and communities across Latin America.

In this episode of The Bitcoin Latam Report, Maciej Cepnik speaks with Lorena Ortiz, one of the best-known Bitcoin educators and community builders in Mexico. Lorena shares her journey from discovering Bitcoin in 2017, to co-founding the iconic Bitcoin Embassy Bar in Mexico City, to becoming Fedi’s Community Master for Latin America.

They discuss how Bitcoin Embassy Bar helped strengthen the local Bitcoin scene, why proof of work and consistency matter for anyone who wants to build a career in Bitcoin, and how Fedi is trying to solve real problems across the Global South through community custody, private communication, and practical Bitcoin tools. The conversation also explores the different needs of Bitcoin users across Latin America, Africa, and Asia, and why adoption looks very different depending on local realities.

Finally, they talk about the upcoming Tianguis de Bitcoin event at La Casa de Satoshi in Mexico City on the 23rd of May, where merchants and users will come together to spend Bitcoin as money in a real local market environment.

Relevant timestamps

01:30 – Intro: Lorena Ortiz, Bitcoin Embassy Bar, and Fedi
02:20 – How Lorena discovered Bitcoin in 2017
03:13 – Why Bitcoin Embassy Bar mattered for the Mexican Bitcoin community
07:07 – Funny stories, prominent visitors, and accepting Bitcoin at the bar
09:00 – What Fedi is and the mission behind it
12:00 – Lorena’s advice for anyone who wants to work in Bitcoin
17:30 – From community work to a career in Bitcoin
18:45 – Lorena’s role at Fedi and Fedi’s expansion in Latin America
21:13 – What kind of people Fedi is looking for
23:20 – Global South realities: Latin America, Africa, and Asia compared
27:30 – Why Bitcoin adoption looks different across Latin America
28:30 – Peru case study: Bitcoin as a real tool for underserved communities
31:20 – Fedi’s long-term goal: solving real problems, not just growing users
35:12 – Tianguis de Bitcoin: what it is and why it matters in Mexico
37:17 – How Fedi and La Casa de Satoshi will onboard merchants and buyers
41:43 – Final message: get closer to Bitcoin communities

RSVP for the Tianguis de Bitcoin at La Casa de Satoshi in Mexico City (23rd of May):
luma.com/lacasadesatoshi

Follow Lorena on X: @LOReBitcoin
Follow Fedi on X: @fedibtc

Follow Maciej Cepnik on X: @CepnikMaciej
Follow Aureo on X: @AureoBitcoin

Buy and sell Bitcoin in Mexico: aureobitcoin.com

Subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming episodes featuring incredible Bitcoin and Latin American entrepreneurs.

In this episode of The Bitcoin Latam Report, I speak with Bruno Vaccotti, director of the Fintech Chamber in Paraguay, founder of the Paraguayan Bitcoin education initiative, entrepreneur, organizer of Acelerando Bitcoin, and one of the key voices pushing Bitcoin adoption in the country.

We discuss how Paraguay became a major Bitcoin mining hub, the government inefficiencies that keep slowing innovation, and the new regulatory push that threatens the industry. Bruno also explains why he is actively advocating for reasonable laws that actually make sense for Bitcoin, while building education, media, conferences, and financial products to help Paraguay move forward.

00:39 – Intro: Bruno Vaccotti and why Paraguay matters for Bitcoin
02:16 – How Bruno discovered Bitcoin and why it changed his life
05:03 – Education, free books, TV, and building Bitcoin awareness in Paraguay
07:27 – From education to mining: how surplus energy opened the door
09:50 – Why Paraguay became a serious player in global Bitcoin mining
12:11 – The energy case for Paraguay: Itaipú, hydro power, and national opportunity
15:53 – Paraguay as a destination for expats, builders, and freedom-minded entrepreneurs
20:03 – Why Paraguay still needs better Bitcoin products for everyday users
25:26 – The real problem: not explicit bans, but bureaucratic paralysis
30:29 – New Bitcoin regulations in Paraguay and why Bruno is sounding the alarm
34:45 – Privacy, self-custody, and why the proposed reporting rules make no sense
45:17 – Is the government hostile, or just completely misunderstanding Bitcoin?
50:04 – What Bruno is doing now to push back and improve the rules
56:59 – Acelerando Bitcoin: conference, residency, and Paraguay immersion week
59:13 – War, fiat money, Bitcoin, and why separating money from the state matters
01:06:45 – AI, energy limits, and why Bruno still thinks Bitcoin is the best long-term bet
01:18:49 – Final message: freedom, curiosity, and why more people should pay attention to Paraguay

Buy your tickets for Acelerando Bitcoin: acelerandobitcoin.com/ 
Follow Bruno on X: @peztresojos 

Follow Maciej Cepnik on X: @CepnikMaciej
Follow Aureo on X: @AureoBitcoin

Buy Bitcoin in Mexico: aureobitcoin.com

Subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming episodes featuring incredible Bitcoin and Latin American entrepreneurs.

In the 15th episode of the Bitcoin Latam Report, Maciej Cepnik speaks with Tomek Kowodziejczuk, a longtime Bitcoiner, founder of the Bitcoin FilmFest in Warsaw, and now a builder in Prospera, the freedom-oriented special economic zone in Roatán, Honduras.

They discuss why Tomek left Poland for Prospera, the philosophical roots of Bitcoin and libertarianism, and why he sees Bitcoin as a tool for freedom rather than an end in itself. They also break down how Prospera works in practice, why it may be the most Bitcoin-friendly jurisdiction in the world, and how the Bitcoin District aims to turn Roatán into a real Bitcoin hub through events, retreats, startup activity, and long-term circular economy building.

Timestamps:

00:51 – Intro: Tomek’s background and move to Prospera
03:04 – Bitcoin Film Fest, culture, and libertarian roots
06:34 – Atlas Shrugged, free cities, and the appeal of Prospera
10:23 – Why freedom matters more than Bitcoin itself
13:58 – Why Prospera is one of the most promising freedom experiments today
22:33 – How Prospera works: governance, taxes, and legal structure
27:53 – Why biotech and Bitcoin companies are drawn to Prospera
29:45 – Is Prospera the most Bitcoin-friendly jurisdiction in the world?
31:46– Building the Bitcoin District in Roatán
39:56 – The challenge of bringing Bitcoin to the local population
48:59 – Why the world may need many more “Prosperas” 

Check out the Bitcoin District: thebitcoindistrict.com
Buy your tickets for the 2026 edition of the Bitcoin Film Fest: bitcoinfilmfest.com
Follow Tomek on X: @itsTomekK
Follow The Bitcoin District Prospera on X: @BitcoinProspera 
Follow The Bitcoin Filmfest on X: @bitcoinfilmfest

Follow Maciej Cepnik on X: @CepnikMaciej
Follow Aureo on X: @AureoBitcoin

Buy Bitcoin in Mexico: aureobitcoin.com

Subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming episodes featuring incredible Bitcoin and Latin American entrepreneurs.

What if you could buy a house, renovate your home, or fund your business, without selling a single satoshi, and without KYC?

That's exactly what Tropykus users in Latam are doing. Damián Silva, community lead at Tropykus, joined The Bitcoin Latam Report to break down Bitcoin-collateralized loans built on Rootstock, a Bitcoin sidechain where you pay fees in Bitcoin, earn yield on stablecoins, and borrow against your stack without ever triggering a taxable event.

We got into how DOC (Dollar on Chain) stays pegged without touching US debt, why flexible loans with no fixed payment dates are a game changer in Argentina, and the wild real-life stories of people buying apartments and building houses in Uruguay, all using Bitcoin as collateral.

Time Stamps: 

01:14 Damián's Bitcoin story
05:03 What is BitcoinFi and why build on Rootstock instead of Ethereum?
08:31 Why persist on Bitcoin when other chains are faster and cheaper?
10:37 How to move from Bitcoin to RBTC and back 
12:56 Rootstock vs Liquid, what's the difference?
14:47 Why Bitcoin sidechains adoption took so long 
17:00 Real user stories 
19:12 How Dollar on Chain (DOC) stays pegged 
23:58 How yield works for DOC depositors 
27:13 What are RBTC, BPRO, and USDRIF?
34:41 The biggest community challenge?
40:18 How to use Tropicus responsibly?
42:52 No KYC
53:57 Why is all Tropykus content in Spanish
56:16 How to get involved, open source code, and community feedback
57:20 2026 plans, an AI assistant to manage your loan via Telegram

Check out Tropykus: tropykus.com
Follow Damian on X: @Seviramar
Follow Tropykus on X: @tropykus

Follow Maciej Cepnik on X: @CepnikMaciej
Follow Aureo on X: @AureoBitcoin

Buy Bitcoin in Mexico: aureobitcoin.com

Subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming episodes featuring incredible Bitcoin and Latin American entrepreneurs.

Yesterday was a difficult day for Mexico. After the reported capture and death of El Mencho by the Mexican government, chaos erupted across the country, and the news was flooded with footage and claims that were hard to verify.

So I called my friend Roman, a Bitcoiner who's lived in Puerto Vallarta for the past 15 years, to find out what was actually happening on the ground.

And yes, we ended up talking about Bitcoin too.

It's not exactly what you'd expect.

Disclaimer: In this episode, we discuss what appears to be an exaggeration of events and the spread of unverified information surrounding February 22nd. I want to acknowledge the sensitivity of this subject and express my sincere sympathy for all innocent people affected. 

We are not experts on security, geopolitics, or organized crime; we simply share our personal perspective on what was observed on the ground.

If you knew what happens behind the scenes at Latin American banks, you wouldn't trust them with your money.

I didn't say that, it's Gabriel Amorocho's, a Bitcoiner from Cali, Colombia, who spent years inside the fintech and banking industry across LatAm before going all-in on Bitcoin.

We talked about what fractional reserve actually looks like from the inside, the lessons El Salvador's Bitcoin rollout taught the region, and the ambitious project he's building, a circular economy app targeting unbanked merchants at a farmers market in Cali, with plans to expand to isolated Pacific coast communities using Bitcoin.

We also got into Colombia's and Mexico's political climate, why Bitcoiners there stay private, and what it really takes to start a company in LatAm.

00:49 11 years in Bitcoin, from speculation to conviction
01:07 Working inside LatAm banks, fractional reserve, and operational risk in practice
04:32 Are some LatAm countries worse than others? 
07:43 Being a Bitcoiner while working at a bank
10:04 El Salvador's Bitcoin adoption, what worked and what didn't
12:15 Lessons from the Chivo wallet failure
15:07 Should Bitcoin adoption be government-led or left to the free market?
17:51 Why El Salvador has the best regulatory framework for Bitcoin companies
19:17 Introducing Personal Project
21:48 Launching at a Bitcoinfarmers market in Cali
26:55 The chicken-and-egg problem of Bitcoin circular economies
33:03 The Bitcoin community in Colombia, growing but private
37:35 Mentoring high-net-worth individuals and family offices into Bitcoin
39:49 Colombia's political climate and how it's driving capital out of the country
47:19 How easy is it to start a Bitcoin company in Colombia?
57:16 Where to follow Gabriel and get in touch

Follow Gabriel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielamorocho/
Follow Gabriel on X: https://x.com/gamorocho 

Follow Maciej Cepnik on X: @CepnikMaciej
Follow Aureo on X: @AureoBitcoin

Buy Bitcoin in Mexico: aureobitcoin.com

Subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming episodes featuring incredible Bitcoin and Latin American entrepreneurs.