Cuban government stance on Bitcoin, blockchain and cryptocurrencies.

[BTCgrinders.com]

Having access to bitcoin isn't the issue right now. It's banking that is the issue. China stopped banking for bitcoin exchanges and same with USA to some extent. That's where the problem is.

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[Languett89]

Having access to bitcoin isn't the issue right now. It's banking that is the issue. China stopped banking for bitcoin exchanges and same with USA to some extent. That's where the problem is.

Hence why OTC is still legit and will always be the better option, never link CC or banks to your crypto holdings.
BTC as always been a p2p solution. One should never link the system they are trying to avoid with the solution system we embrace.

[nicko122]

That was the only crypto news I remember reading about Cuba
"December 6, 2018, will be a major milestone for the history of Cuba. It will be the first time that residents are able to access the internet on their mobile devices. This could potentially let Cubans embrace crypto. With the news still breaking, no exchange has made a push to access the region. However, it is presumed that there will not be any firewall restrictions.
....
However, there is still huge potential for growth of the crypto sector as it could potentially enter Cuba if citizens decide to invest in crypto. This might be the case since Cuba has one of the biggest restrictions on people’s lives. It is conceivable that citizens might opt to use crypto to gain economic freedom."

You can read it at full here

"It is estimated that about half of all the 11.2 million Cubans own a mobile phone. However, the number that can afford to access the internet is quite low. ETECSA, the state-run telecoms company announced two packages for those who wish to access the internet. The cheapest package costs $600 and will last for 30 days at 7 Cuban Peso or about USD 0.26. In Cuba, the state wage is USD30 a month."

[Languett89]

That was the only crypto news I remember reading about Cuba
"December 6, 2018, will be a major milestone for the history of Cuba. It will be the first time that residents are able to access the internet on their mobile devices. This could potentially let Cubans embrace crypto. With the news still breaking, no exchange has made a push to access the region. However, it is presumed that there will not be any firewall restrictions.
....
However, there is still huge potential for growth of the crypto sector as it could potentially enter Cuba if citizens decide to invest in crypto. This might be the case since Cuba has one of the biggest restrictions on people’s lives. It is conceivable that citizens might opt to use crypto to gain economic freedom."

You can read it at full here

"It is estimated that about half of all the 11.2 million Cubans own a mobile phone. However, the number that can afford to access the internet is quite low. ETECSA, the state-run telecoms company announced two packages for those who wish to access the internet. The cheapest package costs $600 and will last for 30 days at 7 Cuban Peso or about USD 0.26. In Cuba, the state wage is USD30 a month."

Again these metrics are incorrect as of now, last time I was there, May to June 2018 for a month, WIFI at home price was at 150 CUC (1 CUC (convertible peso) = 1 USD)) which is still very expension.
Also, for mobile usage, there a few options, ETECSA provides 1h internet access card for 1.5 CUC or 5h for 5 CUC or 10h 8 CUC. But users still need to go to hotspots, most in Havana or at different places around the country most in parcs or town public places.
Also yes, average state wage is 30 CUC a month, but back there for someone to live correctly you need about 200 CUC /month so everyone has a different hustle.
Exemple: The teenagers/young adults is the wifi parcs sells the internet cards for x2 the price so you don't have to go to ETECSA and do the line. I met a orthopedist specialized doctor who was doing bicycle taxi at night. People repair phones/electronics. Some sells burned CD's or direct USB  to computer or phone, pirated music/series/movies. The people driving taxi's are pretty upper middle class. Anyone working for tips in the tourist industry are pretty comfortable. For example, which is ridiculous, after high school, to enter university, it requires better grades to be hotel manager than to enter medical school. Etc.

[Languett89]

ARTICLE CAME OUT TODAY!
https://bitcoinnews.com/cubas-new-wi-fi-regulations-could-open-doors-for-bitcoin/

https://beincrypto.com/cuba-private-wifi-access-bitcoin/
https://beincrypto.com/will-cubans-turn-to-bitcoin-amid-tanking-economy-and-food-shortages/

[Nalbo]

Communist prefers a closed society strictly governed by government. Privacy and economic independence are against their law.
Crypto is a tool for privacy and personal ownership. So, every communist and oppressive government would block them as much as possible unless they are trying to evade an embargo from US which also controls money around the world. Russia and Venezuela are the examples.

[Baofeng]

Maybe you can check this one article, https://beincrypto.com/cuba-private-wifi-access-bitcoin/

Cuba has announced that it would be legalizing private Wi-Fi networks. The move will allow imports of routers for the first time and boost internet access in a country which has been largely in the dark.

So it looks like this is a welcoming news for Cubans. Country is still very strict as far as media or any sort of news coming from the outside, but it seems they are leaning towards a positive direction now. And allowing or legalizing private WI-FI will at least bolsters blockchain and crypto to average Cubans and we might see the effect in the next couple of years, we don't know, they might be one of the recipient of blockchain technology when they decided to overhaul their legacy systems.

[olemis]

Dear community,

Would anyone have informations, press releases or official statements from Cuba (Government or newspaper or experts) on the status of legality of our beloved ecosystem on the island?

Feel free to post links even if in spanish.
Any links to Cuban crypto communities also.

Any types of informations regarding Cuban communities and/or legal status (regulated, unregulated or banned)

Thank you

Hello!

If you want to know about what's been happening regarding blockchain technologies (including cryptocurrencies) , please take a look at the work of The CubanTech Group and their meetups . We've been offering meetups since December 2016 about all kinds of technologies , including blockchain . I will not advertise too much since I am a member . Hence feel free to consider my opinion as a bit biased .

Besides among us there are committers and core devs of some crypto projects (including Skycoin since Nov 2017) and community managers. For further details see :

https://twitter.com/TheCubanTech
https://facebook.com/TheCubanTech
https://github.com/simelo
https://github.com/skycoin
https://twitter.com/SimeloTech
http://meetup.cuban.tech
http://blockstack.cuban.tech

My (not up-to-date) Linkedin profile : https://www.linkedin.com/in/olemis

This is not related to government . We are mostly freelancer with work permits and license (a.k.a trabajador por cuenta propia) .

If you plan to travel to Cuba , contact us in advance . Let's meet up !

[Micerker]

That was the only crypto news I remember reading about Cuba
"December 6, 2018, will be a major milestone for the history of Cuba. It will be the first time that residents are able to access the internet on their mobile devices. This could potentially let Cubans embrace crypto. With the news still breaking, no exchange has made a push to access the region. However, it is presumed that there will not be any firewall restrictions.
....

Now we now that they can have cryptocurrencies lol. It would be nice if after the next step people in Cuba would get access to money. Why should anyone bother about this country? There is no projects there and even most people in Cuba are not wealthy enough to own any amount of money that can make an influence on crypto market.
[/quoteYour judgment is completely wrong when commenting on this. Everyone can own Cryptocurrency with the money they have. You cannot own 1 Bitcoin, but you can own 0.1 BTC with the money you have. Your judgment is wrong to say that Cuban people are not rich enough to own Crypto.

[olemis]

That was the only crypto news I remember reading about Cuba
"December 6, 2018, will be a major milestone for the history of Cuba. It will be the first time that residents are able to access the internet on their mobile devices. This could potentially let Cubans embrace crypto. With the news still breaking, no exchange has made a push to access the region. However, it is presumed that there will not be any firewall restrictions.
....

Now we now that they can have cryptocurrencies lol. It would be nice if after the next step people in Cuba would get access to money. Why should anyone bother about this country? There is no projects there and even most people in Cuba are not wealthy enough to own any amount of money that can make an influence on crypto market.
[/quoteYour judgment is completely wrong when commenting on this. Everyone can own Cryptocurrency with the money they have. You cannot own 1 Bitcoin, but you can own 0.1 BTC with the money you have. Your judgment is wrong to say that Cuban people are not rich enough to own Crypto.

It seems you are not well informed . See https://slides.cuban.tech/skycoin.intro.html #MadeInCuba by Cuban Skycoin committers .

[Languett89]

Dear community,

Would anyone have informations, press releases or official statements from Cuba (Government or newspaper or experts) on the status of legality of our beloved ecosystem on the island?

Feel free to post links even if in spanish.
Any links to Cuban crypto communities also.

Any types of informations regarding Cuban communities and/or legal status (regulated, unregulated or banned)

Thank you

Hello!

If you want to know about what's been happening regarding blockchain technologies (including cryptocurrencies) , please take a look at the work of The CubanTech Group and their meetups . We've been offering meetups since December 2016 about all kinds of technologies , including blockchain . I will not advertise too much since I am a member . Hence feel free to consider my opinion as a bit biased .

Besides among us there are committers and core devs of some crypto projects (including Skycoin since Nov 2017) and community managers. For further details see :

https://twitter.com/TheCubanTech
https://facebook.com/TheCubanTech
https://github.com/simelo
https://github.com/skycoin
https://twitter.com/SimeloTech
http://meetup.cuban.tech
http://blockstack.cuban.tech

My (not up-to-date) Linkedin profile : https://www.linkedin.com/in/olemis

This is not related to government . We are mostly freelancer with work permits and license (a.k.a trabajador por cuenta propia) .

If you plan to travel to Cuba , contact us in advance . Let's meet up !

Hello Olemis! I think we are already discussing on the facebook page.
Will definitely do. I am looking into creating a non for-profit organization in Canada to promote blockchain knowledge in Cuba.
Still in research phase. I've been maybe 2 years time total in the last 6 years in Cuba for long term vacations, have many friends there, got to say I love your country. Been in crypto since February 2017.
Keep in touch. Going to sleep now, 2am in Bangkok 

[huhhuh18]

Well, per my knowledge so far about countries/states and their regulatory stands on crypto, I haven't found anything yet about clearly set regulations on crypto and blockchain use in Cuba. So you may still have to follow the normal format we all use- stay as much careful as you can so as to protect yourself.

[kamBlanV]

I think Cuba is still far from the world of technology.  they are still have trouble for accessing the internet.
Cuba has economic problems, especially by excessive government control of the country's industry and prolonged sanctions imposed by the OAS, which is continued by the United States.  This country has two economic models, with two different sets of currencies.

[olemis]

I think Cuba is still far from the world of technology.  they are still have trouble for accessing the internet.

Cuba , as a country at macro scale , yes . Cubans as individuals , no . Gray areas ...

• Cuba can't connect to oceanic fiber cables due to US embargo
• Cuba can't access mainstream financial mechanisms
• State-run technology sector is decades behind worldwide state of the art
• regulators are not familiar with new tech
• ... more ...

Some recent facts :

• 3G launched recently
• Tests for 4G are ongoing
• There is a new policy regulating mesh networks , formerly illegal
• Infrastructure deployed (mainly) by Huawei
• The President is graduated from Electronics Engineering at UCLV , best university in the country for telecomm / informatics (IMO)
• Cuba is located in one of the regions with highest density of oceanic fiber cables
• Russia and China (intl partners of Cuba) are developing their own independent intl. financial services, some powered by blockchain
• there are numbers of young people, completely organized communities, who are catching up very quicky
• ... more ...

[pushups44]

I tend to think the Cuban government would be hostile to bitcoin, given that it's a centrally-planned society at odds with the ideals of bitcoin. And even if the government were not opposed to bitcoin, the population is too poor to buy the cryptocurrency in significant amounts - only a tiny minority would be able to accumulate it.

[_Django05_]

Would anyone have informations, press releases or official statements from Cuba (Government or newspaper or experts) on the status of legality of our beloved ecosystem on the island?

Bitcoin has an essential role to play within the context of renewed relations between Cuba and the USA. This currency would not be punished like the dollar is today; the dictatorship makes holding dollars a burden, but the introduction of Bitcoin would allow us to potentially dodge this problem.
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