My First Bitcoin closes local chapter in El Salvador

One of the most well-known Bitcoin education courses in El Salvador, My First Bitcoin, has officially shut down its local operations and is no longer working with the government’s Ministry of Education. This comes as educational programs, such as My First Bitcoin, have become a crucial bridge for citizens unfamiliar with cryptocurrency around the world.

The association is now announcing that it will transition from providing in-classroom support locally in El Salvador to supporting teachers and programs internationally.

The Founder, John Dennehy, said the move shows where they are heading in the long term. “Our ambition was always to change the world, but we had to start with a single student, then a single city, then a single nation,” Dennehy said. “Now we are ready to raise the potential impact from 6 million people to 8 billion.”

My First Bitcoin was founded as an independent nonprofit in 2021, during El Salvador’s early adoption of Bitcoin. It provided free, beginner-friendly classes for students, community groups, and adults. The program eventually created a formalized “Bitcoin Diploma” and trained local instructors to teach the classes. 

At the time of the announcement, the organization had taught more than 27,000 students in person, with the majority being public school youth.

Partnership dissolves as El Salvador changes its Bitcoin policy

Through the program’s partnership with the Ministry of Education, Bitcoin education will become available throughout the country in public schools. My First Bitcoin College sent out its curriculum to schools in 2024, following the publication of its diploma-style syllabus, which was developed in collaboration with the Ministry in 2023.

They ultimately flamed out in April 2025. The government provided no specific reason for halting the initiative, but Arnold Hubach, Director of Communication at My First Bitcoin, stated that no new program will be introduced.

The announcement marked another in a series of policy reversals on Bitcoin in El Salvador, which followed financial discussions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). El Salvador secured a $1.4 billion IMF bailout in December 2024, which pledged to wind down Bitcoin projects and halt the government’s regulatory purchases of BTC.

In January 2025, legislators revised the nation’s Bitcoin law, allowing businesses to opt in or out of accepting Bitcoin. Later in mid-2025, the IMF reported that El Salvador had not purchased any new Bitcoin since the financing deal was signed — although an official website for the Bitcoin Office still advertises its ongoing purchases.

The government’s reported Bitcoin treasury currently stands at approximately 6,374 BTC, which is valued at $654.8 million, according to current prices and public data on the Bitcoin Office website.

A chapter closes, but the work goes on

It’s on-the-ground time in El Salvador may be over, but My First Bitcoin says its mission remains the same. The organization aims to advise teachers and activists in other countries who wish to introduce Bitcoin education into schools, community centres, and informal learning environments.

The group’s curriculum has already been implemented or piloted in Argentina, Costa Rica, Colombia, and other locations in Africa and Europe. Through the new pivot, My First Bitcoin aims to create an online learning network worldwide, rather than being a single centre.

While My First Bitcoin may no longer run classes on Salvadoran soil, its mission is now more ambitious than ever: to teach billions of people worldwide how to navigate the world of Bitcoin safely and responsibly, starting with teachers and students who will carry the knowledge forward in their communities.

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