Updated on:12/01/2025 05:07 PM 
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez attributes the city's emergence as a leading technology hub to its strategic embrace of cryptocurrency. He shared these insights during an exclusive interview on Maria Bartiromo's Morning with Maria show earlier this week.
According to Suarez, cryptocurrency integration has been fundamental to Miami's transformation from a traditional vacation destination to what Business Week now calls America's most important emerging city. He emphasized that Miami has been positioning itself at the forefront of innovation through blockchain technology and digital assets. This approach has successfully challenged the notion that only established tech centers can drive America's technological future.
The mayor highlighted that Miami has experienced a remarkable 200% year-over-year increase in venture capital investments following its crypto-friendly initiatives. Furthermore, these strategic moves have attracted over $1 trillion in assets under management from technology companies to the city in just the past 16 months.
Suarez also announced that Miami now hosts the world's largest cryptocurrency conference, Bitcoin 2022, after establishing itself as a crypto-welcoming metropolis.
Bitcoin 2022, this year's premier event, will take place at the Miami Beach Convention Center. The conference begins tomorrow and will run through April 9. The gathering will feature keynote presentations from notable speakers including El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, MicroStrategy CEO Michael Saylor, and Ark Invest CEO Cathie Wood, among other industry leaders.
Commenting on the imminent event, Suarez stated,
We expect to welcome 50,000 attendees, and this conference will generate tremendous economic development for our city, creating thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in economic incentives for Miami.
Suarez's revelation of the efforts shaping Miami as a cryptocurrency hub comes as he continues championing broader blockchain integration across the municipality. As part of these initiatives, he volunteered to become the first U.S. mayor to receive his salary in Bitcoin (BTC).
Additionally, Suarez spearheaded Miami's launch of MiamiCoin (MIA), the city's native cryptocurrency designed to fund municipal projects through yield generation. MIA generated $21 million in revenue within its first three months of launch. Based on this success, Suarez projected that the cryptocurrency could potentially generate $80 million annually for the city.
Following MiamiCoin's impressive performance, Suarez announced that every Miami resident with a digital wallet would soon be eligible to receive BTC dividends earned through MiamiCoin.
