The Truth Behind Bitcoin in El Salvador - Lost In El Salvador

Lost In El Salvador
In 2021 El Salvador became the first country in the world to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender when President Nayib Bukele made the surprising announcement at the Miami Bitcoin Conference.
July of 2022 Michael Kaplan and Turner Sparks (that's me) flew to El Salvador to meet with government officials, Bitcoin influencers and stand-up comedians to see if people were actually using it. The answers we found were shocking.
This is "Lost In El Salvador", episode #1 of a show we would love to keep making. In it we travel to a new country every week and learn about the news of the day through the lives of the comedians who live there.
Kap and I created the idea, hired the cast/ crew, self-financed the whole project, won a few awards at film festivals and are releasing it here.
So please subscribe to my channel, and if you like it tell a friend. If you really like it tell a friend with money who can help us make more.
#standupcomedy #travel #elsalvador #bitcoin #LostInElSalvador

[@jerryarcher9489]

I was in El Salvador in June of this year and I used Bitcoin pretty much everywhere I went in the country

[@Blondi-yw1zy]

i go end of the year after 2021.awesome people,best president and using bitcoin is just amazing.those guys are so awfulliars and i guess they got payed for it.

[@RootBeerGMT]

@@Blondi-yw1zyYeah I sort of wondered. My suspicion is that the bitcoin angle is way over played and mostly hype. But these days everyone has an agenda. So you’d have to go there yourself to be sure.

[@Blondi-yw1zy]

@@RootBeerGMT you only have to understand wich benefit the people gain from using it.its not about "us".

[@oldwiseoul]

You are straight up lying… you must own bitcoin to state that…ponzi cronies

[@oldwiseoul]

I went there too, but 95% was not accepting bitcoin…

[@benfrankcomedy]

Wow, this is super engaging and really well-produced!

[@TurnerSparks]

Thanks Ben!

[@gustate]

Well done Turner and Kap! This is comedy journalism at its finest

[@mikaplan11]

Thanks Gus!

[@TurnerSparks]

Hey thanks dude.

[@Blondi-yw1zy]

its lies and propaganda.do your own research and find out yourself.

[@Blondi-yw1zy]

its not funny and not journalism to tell lies .

[@pierrebitcan]

I live in Berlin, Usulutan, and 95% of my monthly spending is bitcoin, not cash. Also, don't use Chivo. it sucks as any govt wallet would. Use Blink or Phoenix lightning wallets.

[@jaytarnoff2709]

Heaton sent me. Great work, Turner and Kap!

[@TurnerSparks]

Thanks Jay. We love our Heaton Heads

[@vahlte]

This is a really entertaining video, sad that it didn't get picked up, but let's hope you get all the attention you deserve here

[@TurnerSparks]

Thanks so much.

[@cookingwithyeye]

I've watched it three times, and it's still funny.😆

[@TurnerSparks]

xie xie

[@Blondi-yw1zy]

and still full of shit and lies.do your own research about bitcoin in el salvador.

[@RootBeerGMT]

Unfortunately, El Salvador real estate is now priced like Miami real estate

[@Jonathan_Freeloader]

Awesome vid🤘

[@TurnerSparks]

Thank you!

[@ekimdude42]

Loved it! Great work guys. Looking forward to future episodes.

[@TurnerSparks]

Thanks Eric!

[@JonathanRossRogers]

I love big tech! BTW, thanks to Heaton for promoting this.

[@TurnerSparks]

We pray to Lord Heaton

[@mikaplan11]

We love our Heaton Heads!

[@Tofflemire]

Ame este documental sobre mi pais... chistoso, pero verdadero. Loved this documentary about my country... funny, but truthful. 👍

[@TurnerSparks]

Thank you!

[@Tofflemire]

@TurnerSparks This is definitely one of the best comedy documentaries or the only one of its kind made about my country El Salvador. Please guys, keep visiting El Salvador! We'll love to see more documentaries like this one and I bet all the comedians in ESA will appreciate all the support. As Salvadoreans, we are funny and happy people, but the support and spaces for comedy are still hard to find... Anyway, thanks for answering my comment, Turner. Great success and good luck to you both man! 🙌 👏

[@TurnerSparks]

@@Tofflemire Thank you so much. We had a great time in El Salvador from the mountains to the beaches to San Salvador, it was all amazing. We can't wait to come back.

[@Tofflemire]

@TurnerSparks So happy to hear this Turner! 😊 We'll be thrilled to see another of your future adventures back in El Salvador. Respect man 🤜🤛

[@barrymart]

One of my favorite moments is when Turner does the Pee Wee Herman dance! Priceless!

[@TurnerSparks]

haha thank you Barry!

[@TurnerSparks]

And thanks for spreading the word on the show! I really appreciate it.

[@sean13]

When BTC goes from 60,000 to 200,00 in 18. months.....everyone is going to wish they actually had BTC

[@alexandermejia4746]

So nice Video, I love it Good shit 🎉🎉🎉

[@mikaplan11]

thanks I agree!

[@TurnerSparks]

Thanks Alexander!

[@BoyleHeights99]

Many peps in El Salvador are uneducated with the bit coin currency. Also, this has been a 3rd word country. I personally think it's going to take a very long time to make use of it. The country has done a lot of progress in 5 years but not enough. Let's keep hope alive. 🙏🏼

[@EnriquemonteneAntonio]

Creo que la criptomoneda Bitcoin es un sí a nuestras vidas.

[@patriciamoore3318]

Good to know. I want to go to El Salvador and use BTC

[@NickHoff]

I love that the first comment on here is Bitcoin spam. LOL. Nice job, fellas.

[@TurnerSparks]

It really is perfect. Turns out those hashtags work.

[@mikaplan11]

I set aside tomorrow in my calendar to argue with Bitcoin Bots all day! Fired up about it.

[@joshuaescalante1791]

You should have gotten Max Keiser on a comedy act. I think he’s funny.

[@jazzney21]

Nice ComDoc😅🎉❤

[@wildwolvespack]

I like how this guy timed his answers, That's one knowledgeable guy, very confident of his answers..😂😂 He's done the researched..

[@MANUELKING332]

GOOD VIDEO HOPE YOU ENJOYED EL SALVADOR YOU GUYS KOOL AS HELL 😂👏

[@TurnerSparks]

Thank you King!

[@JonathanRossRogers]

15:19 I like pupusas too, but I grew up in Honduras.

[@TurnerSparks]

They have them there too? Maybe we should become a Pupusa world tour show?

[@andrewscurtain]

Absolutely love this

[@TurnerSparks]

Thank you man. Next stop Australia.

[@chrisaudato3671]

I can tell this video is old because BTC is worth more now than when the government of El Salvador gave those $30 to their citizens. If you don't sell your BTC, you don't lose or win anything, I just like BTC for the nature of it.

[@LostInAmericaComedyPodcast]

yes this was filmed 2 years ago that's why the 30 dollars was worth 9.81 at the time.

[@PioneeringFreedom]

I was in El Zonte this August '24 and used Bitcoin pretty much everywhere. Even paid my hotel with It. It's still early in 🇸🇻 but you guys are even funny...🤣

[@TurnerSparks]

Good to hear! We went in 2022 to film this.

[@ravv1122]

This video is so underrated

[@TurnerSparks]

Thank you. We appreciate it

[@JonathanRossRogers]

21:29 Heaton should have taken Wallace to El Salvador to cure his elbow cancer. What have the Latvians done for them?

[@TurnerSparks]

We told Heaton that the other day. Agreed

[@mikaplan11]

could have saved you guys a lot of money too! very selfish of him not to think of this.

[@Ironmandestroyer]

Great video! 😂😂

[@TurnerSparks]

Thanks Iron Mande

[@Jbvneves]

Ok I liked the fun and I love you guys. But to expect people to accept bitcoin for a coffe or for an icecream is too much, it’s like wanting to pay a coffee with a little bit of gold or silver. It takes too much time and effort to exchange it. It’s nicer and kinder to pay using dollars. Thank you, love you all.

[@TurnerSparks]

Ahhh ok fair point. We honestly didn’t go down there with any expectations. The original intent was to get bitcoin right away from the ATM and then use it everywhere as 60 Minutes, Yahoo News and the government said we could. Then upon arrival it all went sideways pretty quickly and we had to chance the whole concept of the episode on the fly.

[@anapineda3860]

Chivó wallet si funciona, así le mando dinero a mi tía es fácil y no se paga la transacción

[@jeffronium]

Hit piece

[@ivankabulova]

No Bitcoin country apparently... Argentina has more activity in USDT & Bitcoin exchanges than El Salvador. Despite that, El Salvador is doing the best it can.

[@brayansantos2518]

The problem is the system they have set up for bitcoin is always down that’s why it doesn’t work

[@ElToroCebu]

En la playa estubo bien chivo.

[@dunkan42]

The problem is that people take it as a joke to use bitcoin, many out of ignorance and others because they heard bad information. I put some dollars in and they are duplicated. In a bank it would never double in my favor. The problem is that we don't have much $$$$ to buy when the price goes down.

[@TheGoldeagle99]

At 21:06 okay something is not adding up... This Cafe Fulanos has Chivo but you still cant buy anything from there using a Bitcoin QR code?... plus her explanation as to why it wouldn't work didn't sound right

[@JonathanRossRogers]

I've been listening to Turner and Michael for years. Now I know what they look like.

[@TurnerSparks]

Is this what you envisioned?

[@JonathanRossRogers]

@@TurnerSparks Meh

[@Blondi-yw1zy]

and now you know what lies they are telling.do your own research about bitcoin and el selvador.they only show the poor part of el zonte,cant believe how evil those guys are.shame on them.hope they never go back to el salvador.

[@LostInAmericaComedyPodcast]

some guys have a face for podcasts.

[@JonathanRossRogers]

@@LostInAmericaComedyPodcast You guys are perfectly acceptable human specimens.

[@ElToroCebu]

Buenos chistes también.

[@kevinjerrydancing6563]

Omg q vergüenza q la muchacha que los esta guiando no sabe ni usar la chivo Wallet diablos q cosas no

[@ElToroCebu]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🙏

[@JorgeMartinez-do1go]

Y esos 400 millones están en una cartera Fría ??? Entienden ósea están Guardados????

[@armandovilla2186]

This guy gives u the wrong information..the bigcoin is not mandatory but is voluntary..that means if u want to use it is fine or if you don’t want to use it is also fine no problem..but the chicharrón guy is from fmln 😮that tells you everything..

[@Blondi-yw1zy]

exactly .he is a liar.un mentiroso.es propaganda pa mostrar el malo unicamente.

[@TheGoldeagle99]

Yeah it seems as though he's only interviewing business owners who don't take Bitcoin as payment.

[@Blondi-yw1zy]

@@TheGoldeagle99 when i was in january 2021 it was like 30 percent accepting bitcoin.i will see how it is this end of the year when going again.but its not as the guy wanted us to believe.this was a propaganda video and i feel shame for the people in el salvador how he was showing his point of view.

[@JorgeMartinez-do1go]

Al Contrario A Ganado $400 millones

[@alejandrorodriguez8507]

Amigo thanks for what u doing for the comedy culture in my country

[@TurnerSparks]

We had a great time! Would love to come back

[@ernestoalonzo_2975]

The world is constantly evolving. Fiat currency has had an amazing run for humanity but things slipped in 1971 when we were pulled off the gold standard. Now it's just paper. Currency is measured by your time/energy. And they keep debasing it with injecting new paper money and now your time/energy means less and will continue to mean less. I wouldn't consider Bitcoin a currency but an asset. For the first time in world history there's an asset with a fixed supply. Gold, silver, oil, stocks, housing, fiat currency, etc , they can always create more of and devalue it. But there will only be 21 mil BTC. And these citizens hold a piece of the pie. If some of the biggest asset management companies are now in the game, like Blackrock, we know it's game on. HOLD my friends. Do your own research. Bitcoin is monetary freedom that doesn't get held up at borders or be stolen from your hands.

[@sean13]

One of the few comments about BTC that makes sense. People really have no idea how much BTC is going to appreciate as the asset becomes more coveted and the supply dwindles. It grows on average 100% a year....Save it for 10 years and you'll be amazed !

[@Morton-pl8on]

*NOW THAT BITCOIN ETF IS APPROVED, WHAT IS THE BEST STRATEGY TO ENTER CRYPTO TRADING FOR SOMEONE WITH MORE LESS THAN $5,000 TO INVEST?*

[@RootBeerGMT]

Buy only when the sentiment index is deep red and be prepared to hold for 4 years. Don’t buy with funds you expect to need back in 4 years. Buy when red and hold-it’s simple and effective-but can be hard on your ego and brain.

[@bouncerdegen]

ADA

[@JorgeMartinez-do1go]

NO A Perdido 150 millones (( saben porque No 👎 Porque NO A Vendido ni Una Sola Moneda)))) expliquen eso No den mala información ok 👍

[@LostInAmericaComedyPodcast]

we explained that. Paper Loss. and it has certainly gone up a lot since this conversation was recorded.

[@bouncerdegen]

nice documentary but god damn you guys are awful comedians

[@care.nuegado]

33:58 It doesn’t matter if you’re woman you gotta be funny, stop making excuses for not being funny. Haven’t seen her comedy so I don’t if she’s funny or not, but they always that excuse is I’m a woman. 😂

[@tlopez5069]

El maje de Megu tiene que aprender Ingles. Solo viendo se queda.

[@ovlanc]

Ignorance talking.

[@ernestoalonzo_2975]

100%

[@cristianmonge4331]

¡ ¡ I LIKE YOU SO MUCH GABY ! ! Take it easy beautiful girl ! !😍😍😍😘😘😘

[@Choco_drummer]

Es simple, en El Salvador un ciudadano normal no usa bitcoin, somos un paraíso para los que quieran lavar dinero. 🙂

[@mikaplan11]

that's a great marketing campaign!