Panama City Mayor Mayer Mizrachi has proposed a novel approach to expedite ship transit through the Panama Canal, suggesting that vessels could use Bitcoin as payment for faster passage. During a panel discussion at the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas on May 29, Mizrachi detailed this idea, aiming to incentivize payments with Bitcoin (BTC) to enable quicker clearance for cargo ships navigating the canal. This proposal was discussed alongside El Salvador’s Bitcoin policy leaders Max Keiser and Stacy Herbert. The Panama Canal is a critical waterway connecting the Caribbean and Pacific Oceans, offering time-saving transit routes for global trade. It facilitates around 5% of global maritime commerce annually. 5 billion in revenue from this canal came to Panama in its most recent fiscal year (October 2023 – September 2024). While ships pay fees to transit the canal, Mizrachi’s proposal aims to incentivize payments with Bitcoin for faster passage. The idea comes as Panama has taken steps to embrace Bitcoin adoption, recently allowing crypto payments for public services like taxes and fines. This proposal is part of a wider push from Mizrachi to emulate El Salvador’s example by embracing Bitcoin and establishing its own Bitcoin reserve within Panama City. Notably, Mizrachi urges Panama lawmakers to refrain from regulatory action on cryptocurrencies, calling for a hands-off approach to the space.