In Venezuela's Perfect Storm, Bitcoin Is a Lifeline
Born in 2008 in response to the global banking and credit crisis, bitcoin has found its "patient zero" a decade later in Venezuela. Faced with hyperinflation, a worthless local currency and a risky black market for dollars, Venezuelans are increasingly turning to bitcoin as a tool for survival in the world's worst-performing economy.
In most countries, bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies still struggle for visibility and operate mainly within niche online circles of tech- or finance-savvy speculators and enthusiasts. But in Venezuela, brick-and-mortar retailers, including restaurants and shoe shops, post signs in
