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Santo Antônio do Pinhal, a small town of 7,000 in São Paulo’s Serra da Mantiqueira, grabs global attention through BTC Map, an app tracking Bitcoin-friendly businesses.
With 79 establishments accepting Bitcoin by March 2025—one per 90 residents—it nearly rivals Rolante’s 209 businesses for 21,000 people. This surge transforms a quiet tourist spot into a cryptocurrency contender.
Pedro Fadida, a 40-year-old holistic therapist, sparks this shift after studying Bitcoin since 2019. He partners with his wife at Munay Pousada and draws inspiration from Rolante’s success.
Fadida teams up with Jeferson Neves, a local business leader, to launch Bitcoin Amantikir in November 2024, despite initial skepticism from merchants. Only 15 attended the first meeting, but pioneers like Dione Baleeiro and Rafael Castro join fast.
Within weeks, 66 more businesses sign up, hitting 79 by early 2025. Fadida pushes for more, pitching Bitcoin’s simplicity—merchants need only a free app and pay R$19.90 monthly for support.
Fabiano Oliveira at Matinal Doceria trains six staff effortlessly, accepting satoshis for R$7 coffees as Bitcoin tops R$467,000. Tourists, like an American family, find them via BTC Map, boosting local trade.
Bitcoin Boosts Tourism and Economy in Brazil’s Small Towns
Meanwhile, Castro spends his earnings at Artti Pet, feeding his pets and building a circular economy. Santo Antônio already draws 10,000 weekend visitors with 1,400 beds and 3,600 restaurant seats near Campos do Jordão.
Yet, most leave daily, so Bitcoin aims to lure longer stays from farther afield. Rolante, the model, even sees its hospital take Bitcoin, hosting events like Pizza Day, tied to the 2010 purchase of two pizzas for 10,000 BTC—now worth $841 million.
Floods halt Rolante’s progress in 2024, but bitcoiners raise R$120,000 for relief, showing grit. Santo Antônio plans its own Café com Bitcoin and an August 2025 festival, linking nearby towns.
Bitcoin climbs from $65,491 to $84,093 in a year, fueling interest in Brazil’s shaky economy. Fadida calls Bitcoin a tool for freedom, not just money, as merchants choose to hold or spend it.
The town proves small places can lead big trends, blending tourism with digital finance. Data drives the story: one business per 90 people signals real change, not hype, in a practical, growing experiment.
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