Overview

• Panama City Mayor Mayer Mizrachi endorsed the plan on social media, calling it “brilliant” and urging the canal authority to take it up.
• Bitcoin advocate Max Keiser says redirecting part of the canal’s roughly $5 billion in annual fees into crypto could build a sizable national reserve.
• Earlier in 2025, Panama City formalized digital asset use and established licensing requirements for virtual asset service providers to pave the way for such initiatives.
• The canal sees about 13,000–14,000 ship crossings each year across its 82 kilometer route, making toll revenue a crucial source of national income.
• If adopted, the initiative would diversify Panama’s revenue streams and enhance its reputation as a leading crypto-friendly jurisdiction.