Isla Mujeres: A Popular Tourist Destination in Mexico
The popular tourist destination Isla Mujeres in Mexico, also known as “Women Island” in Spanish, has become the site of an experiment initiated by a content creator who aims to live for 21 days solely on Bitcoin. Faced with limited income and the challenge of shops not accepting cryptocurrency, this experiment highlights the difficulties of integrating Bitcoin into everyday scenarios.
(Background: Bitcoin’s market share has fallen below 60%, reaching a six-month low. Is a new wave of “altcoin season” approaching?)
(Additional Context: Harvard University’s investment portfolio includes $117 million in BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF.)
Day One: Starting as a Bar Apprentice
A young girl named Isabella, who runs a Bitcoin-themed YouTube channel called BTC Isla, initiated her “21 Days of Bitcoin Only” experiment this week on Isla Mujeres. The rules are simple: no access to bank accounts, cash, or mobile payments; she can only earn and spend Bitcoin (BTC). Starting with a zero balance in her wallet, she must find work daily to earn BTC for her living expenses. Currently, she has documented her daily experiences in videos on YouTube, and she is now on Day 6.
Note: According to her videos, Isabella has lived on the island for over a year and began filming about Bitcoin and related blockchain knowledge ten months ago.
Day One: The Bar Experience
In her video, Isabella chooses to apply for a temporary bartender position at a familiar tavern. The owner offers a daily wage of 270 pesos (approximately $14) and agrees to pay in Bitcoin. She spends her time washing glasses and making smoothies in the hot kitchen while placing a transparent tip jar labeled “Bitcoin Tips” on the counter, attempting to encourage customers to tip using the Lightning Network.
After eight hours of work, she finally receives about 11,000 satoshis, equivalent to around $14, marking the first source of funding for her living expenses over the next three weeks.
BTC Acquired, But Shops Won’t Accept
After work, Isabella heads straight to a large chain supermarket to buy daily necessities. In the video, she estimates the costs: a bottle of drinking water is 30 pesos, bananas are 29 pesos per kilogram, and local fresh fish is 192 pesos, totaling exactly what she earned that day. However, the cashier’s response of “only accepting pesos, not Bitcoin” leaves her empty-handed. She explains, “It’s not that I can’t afford it; it’s that they won’t accept it.”
After her unsuccessful shopping trip, Isabella returns to her temporary accommodation and suggests a strategy to the camera: “Next, I will visit corner grocery stores and family-run restaurants to persuade them to download wallets and accept my first Bitcoin.” Additionally, she showcases a vacant space under renovation and announces the opening of “Bitcoin Cafe” on August 21, aiming to combine the aroma of coffee with cryptocurrency education, with a declaration on the exterior:
“Come for the coffee, stay for the revolution.”
In subsequent videos, she reveals that she has successfully persuaded over 20 stores to implement cryptocurrency payments, but notes that “some stores haven’t transacted in a while and are out of practice.” This challenge thus becomes an opportunity for “reawakening.” She states that she will continue to lead by example, using Bitcoin for purchases and providing education to help make Bitcoin payments a customary practice among merchants rather than just a fleeting novelty.
The Bitcoin Experiment Continues
Isabella has now reached Day Six of her experiment, and it is likely that she will continue to update her progress leading up to the opening of her Bitcoin cafe. There are many content creators discussing Bitcoin online, but few, like her, are taking the initiative to promote education on a small island. If you are interested in her experiment, you can visit her channel to see more content (though the overall feel may seem scripted, the entertainment value is high, and you can gain insights into the thoughts of local residents; interested readers are encouraged to check out her channel).
