Miami Mayor Francis Suarez says he’s sitting on main positive factors from his Bitcoin paychecks, telling Fox Enterprise he’s “up 300%” since taking his wage in bitcoin.
“I obtained paid at $30,000,” Suarez stated, noting that Bitcoin had even been up 400% when it hit $120,000 earlier this 12 months. Regardless of latest market volatility — with Bitcoin slipping under $100,000 this week — Suarez stated he isn’t anxious about short-term value swings.
[The volatility of bitcoin] “actually doesn’t trouble me,” he informed host Stuart Varney. “I’m extra involved with the macro affect of getting a retailer of worth that individuals think about, that has a cash creation system recognized via the code.”
Suarez, who famously turned one of many first U.S. politicians to take his pay in Bitcoin, stated the main focus must be on how decentralized finance and crypto are evolving alongside AI. “What’s extra attention-grabbing is that this evolution of the place decentralized finance goes, the place crypto goes, the place AI goes,” he stated.
Talking on the American Enterprise Discussion board in Miami, Suarez additionally highlighted town’s rise as a monetary hub. He stated Miami’s pro-capitalist ethos stands in “diametric opposition” to cities like New York, predicting a surge in actual property and enterprise curiosity consequently.
Again in 2021, Suarez stated town will quickly give bitcoin to its residents as a part of a plan to construct a full Bitcoin economic system. Suarez stated he envisions a future the place “the Satoshi system” is used for funds, together with metropolis taxes.
He added that growing Bitcoin’s utility will drive additional worth and adoption. Suarez additionally stated he desires metropolis staff paid in BTC and residents to pay charges within the cryptocurrency.
Miami’s present mayoral race is heading to a Dec. 9 runoff between Democrat Eileen Higgins and Republican Emilio Gonzalez. Suarez was term-limited, and couldn’t run for mayor once more.
Celebrities getting paid in Bitcoin
Just lately, NFL star Odell Beckham Jr. vindicated his resolution to take his 2021 Los Angeles Rams wage in Bitcoin. Beckham had transformed his $750,000 base wage to BTC via a Money App deal when Bitcoin traded round $60,000.
Critics mocked the transfer as Bitcoin later crashed almost 80%, however by July 2025, the asset had surged to document highs above $120,000.
“Protected to say we nonetheless proud of our resolution,” Beckham posted on X as Bitcoin hit new all-time highs.
At $118,000 per BTC, his authentic payout was price about $1.47 million — almost double its 2021 worth. Even after a mixed 49.3% tax fee, Beckham would have taken house roughly $1.1 million, nearly triple what he’d have earned in money.
Different notable athletes who’ve taken their earnings in Bitcoin embrace Russell Okung, who obtained half of his $13 million Panthers wage in BTC, and Saquon Barkley, who opted to take $10 million in endorsements in Bitcoin.
