Bitcoin, the largest and most popular cryptocurrency in the world, made an unexpected appearance at the Miss Universe pageant being held at New Orleans, Louisiana in the United States.
Alejandra Guajardo, the Miss Universe contestant from El Salvador this year, wore a currency-inspired outfit at the pageant’s National Costume Show on Jan. 12 (Manila time).
“This look represents El Salvador’s history of currency,” the announcer said as Guajardo walked on the stage.
“For a long time, cocoa was used, and then the colón, until it was replaced by the US dollar. In 2021, El Salvador became the first country in the world to use Bitcoin as legal tender. You don’t need a sash to walk around dressed as cash,” he added.
In a post on its Instagram page, Miss Universe El Salvador said Guajardo’s attire features the history and evolution of the El Salvador coin.
“Miss Universe is a platform to inform the world about culture, tourism, ecological information, events and history of each country through national costumes. This year, we show the world the history of our COINS,” read the post in Spanish.
According to Miss Universe El Salvador, cocoa was originally used as currency in the country before it officially adopted the colón, which was named after explorer Christopher Columbus (known as Cristóbal Colón in Spanish).
In 2001, the Central American nation adopted the US dollar as its official currency.
“Being a country with a true vision of positive change for the future, El Salvador became the first country in the world to use cryptocurrencies as legal currency when it adopted Bitcoin in 2021,” the post read.
“The evolution of the Salvadorian monetary system over all these years is a testimony to how Salvadorians have transformed their economy at the different stages of their history,” it added.
Known as the “Bitcoin country”, El Salvador just passed a legislation establishing “a legal framework around the issuance of digital assets and the broader crypto token classification,” according to Bitfinex.
The “Digital Asset Issuance” legislation would also establish a Bitcoin Fund Management Agency, as well as pave the way for the issuance of the country’s so-called “Volcano Bond.”