- Tonga could be Bitcoin’s next guinea pig
- Former Tonganese member of parliament Lord Fusitu’a said on Twitter than a bill could be proposed later this year
- Lord Fusitu’a identifies himself as a “Bitcoin advocate”
The Polynesian kingdom of Tonga could be the next country to accept Bitcoin as legal tender, according to a former Tonganese member of parliament. Lord Fusitu’a, who still serves on two parliamentary groups, outlined a timetable that he says could see Tonga follow El Salvador’s lead in treating the cryptocurrency as a second sovereign currency. Lord Fusitu’a, whose Twitter bio also revealed he is a “Bitcoin advocate”, says the proposed bill is “almost identical to the El Salvador bill”, which might not please all the Tonga natives given the negative response from some El Salvadorans.
Bill to be Tabled in September?
Lord Fusitu’a was discussing the potential for Tonga adopting Bitcoin on Twitter in response to a tongue-in-cheek demand from a user:
1. Sept/Oct Bill goes to Parliament. Passed.
2. Sent to Palace Office for submission to His Majesty for Royal Assent.
3.<A month – HM as advised by Privy Council assents to Bill.
4. 2-3 Weeks Gazetted by Govt activation date set.
4. On activation date #BTC becomes legal tender. https://t.co/TNjQjeEbjN— Lord Fusitu’a (@LordFusitua) January 12, 2022
Lord Fusitu’a’s detailed response raised some eyebrows and prompted many more questions on the subject, with What Bitcoin Did host Peter McCormack joining in and receiving an invite to help push it to pitch it:
Tell me when and I’ll book my flights
— Peter McLasso ☠️ (@PeterMcCormack) January 14, 2022
In response to further questions, Lord Fusitu’a said that the bill would be “submitted to the house in Sept/Oct” when private bills are allowed to be tabled following parliament reconvening in June.
Tonga May be Wary of El Salvador Experience
Lord Fusitu’a, who currently sits on the Pacific Parliamentary Group On Human Rights and The Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption, is clearly very confident that the bill will pass, but if Tongans are aware of what happened in El Salvador when the bill was allegedly rammed home without proper consultation leading to riots in the streets, then they may not be as keen as Lord Fusitu’a is to see Tonga put itself forward as Bitcoin’s latest guinea pig.
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