Panama City Mayor Suggests Bitcoin Payments for Expedited Panama Canal Access

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Panama City Mayor Mayer Mizrachi has proposed allowing cargo ships to pay in Bitcoin for priority transit through the Panama Canal.

Speaking at Bitcoin 2025 in Las Vegas, Mizrachi floated the idea of incentivizing cryptocurrency payments by offering faster passage to vessels that use Bitcoin.

“We have a canal—what if you get a perk for paying in Bitcoin? Your ship could move through quicker if you pay in Bitcoin,” he said during a panel discussion.

As a critical global trade route connecting the Caribbean and Pacific Oceans, the Panama Canal facilitates nearly 10,000 ship transits annually, handling roughly 5% of the world’s maritime commerce. From October 2023 to September 2024, the canal generated approximately $5 billion in revenue while transporting over 423 million tons of cargo.