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If you’re holding a decent pile of Bitcoin, ETH or stablecoins and you’ve ever wondered whether those coins can buy you a Plan B — a second passport or a golden visa — the short answer is: yes, sometimes. The long answer is messier, legally sensitive and deliciously jurisdiction-dependent. Below I’ve written a practical guide to countries people actually use, how much they typically ask for, whether the program gives residency or citizenship (passport), plus the reality about paying with crypto. I myself got a passport of one of these countries very recenly 😁

I pulled program figures and crypto-policy details from government pages, immigration specialists and leading crypto press — links are at the end of each country section so you can double-check the fine print (laws and amounts change fast). They are upto date at the time I posted this article (August 2025). I also used some AI to help me (including the vid above) but the data was double checked and this was (painstakingly) written by me! So do give credit and do please like and share 😊

Quick reality-check (before we dive)

• Direct, government-accepted crypto payments are still rare. More often licensed agents or program facilitators will accept crypto and convert it to fiat for the government. A few jurisdictions (or pilot schemes) go further and allow crypto directly or via designated accounts — El Salvador is the headline example.
• Two paths: (A) Citizenship-by-Investment (CBI) — pay/donate or buy approved real estate and you receive citizenship (passport) fairly quickly; (B) Golden Visa / Residency-by-Investment (RBI) — get residency first, citizenship sometimes after years.
• Watch the headlines. EU-level pressure, court rulings and national politics keep changing the landscape (Portugal, Spain, Malta and Cyprus have had big shifts recently). Always verify the current government site or trusted migration firm before you move money.

Country by country (practical, usable info)

1) Dominica — Cheapest Caribbean passport route (citizenship)

• What they ask: Donation route ≈ US$175–200k for a single applicant (prices vary with family size; extra fees & due diligence apply).
• Type: Full citizenship (passport) via donation or approved real estate.
• Passport power: Visa-free/visa-on-arrival access to ~130–140 countries (very useful in practice).
• Crypto angle: Many facilitators accept crypto and convert to fiat; governments usually want funds delivered in USD (agents will handle conversion).
• Why people pick it: Cheap, fast, family-friendly, minimal residence requirements.

2) Saint Kitts & Nevis — The original CBI (citizenship)

• What they ask: Donation option starts at US$250k; real estate option typically US$325k+ (plus fees).
• Type:Citizenship through donation or approved real estate.
• Passport power: Visa-free access to ~150+ destinations; historically well-regarded.
• Crypto angle: Agents and some providers will accept crypto and convert it; the official process expects fiat.
• Why people pick it: Trusted program, stable rules, strong passport for the Caribbean tier.

3) Antigua & Barbuda — family-friendly Caribbean option (citizenship)

• What they ask: Government donation ≈ US$230k (varies by family size); real estate and other options exist (~US$300k+).
• Type:Citizenship (donation / real estate / alternative routes).
• Passport power: Visa-free travel to ~140–150+ countries.
• Crypto angle: Intermediaries can accept crypto and convert; check latest acceptance rules.
• Why people pick it: Education-fund options, family packages, decent travel access.

4) Saint Lucia — budget CBI with multiple routes (citizenship)

• What they ask: Donation route ≈ US$240k for principal applicant (plus fees); real estate routes from ≈ US$300k.
• Type:Citizenship by donation or approved real estate.
• Passport power: Visa-free/visa-on-arrival access to many countries (Schengen/UK access depends on ongoing rules).
• Crypto angle: Crypto payment via third-party conversion is commonly arranged.

5) Grenada — CBI that also gives US E-2 access (citizenship)

• What they ask: Donation or real-estate options (floor ≈ US$150–235k depending on route and timing; family costs differ).
• Type:Citizenship (donation/real estate).
• Passport power & bonus: Good travel access — and Grenadian passport holders can apply for a US E-2 investor visa (important for business-minded applicants).
• Crypto angle: Agents and facilitators can accept crypto and convert; check AML/KYC specifics.

6) Vanuatu — speed and simplicity (citizenship)

• What they ask: Donation program often quoted around US$130k–180k (depends on family).
• Type:Citizenship (Pacific island program; very fast).
• Passport power: Decent travel freedom (fewer EU Schengen access than some Caribbean passports).
• Crypto angle (important): Vanuatu does not usually take crypto directly into a government account — but brokers/licensed agents routinely accept crypto from applicants and convert to fiat to complete the official payment. There are also offers that quote a BTC-equivalent in USD terms. Don’t trust anyone who says “government wallet” unless you can prove the official channel.
• Why people pick it: Speed — approvals can be weeks instead of months — and privacy/tax advantages.

7) El Salvador — the crypto-native experiment (residency → citizenship)

• What they ask: The so-called Freedom Visa / Freedom Passport route has been reported as requiring ≈ US$1,000,000 in Bitcoin or USDT (this program is new and intentionally crypto-focused).
• Type: Fast-track residency and rapid path to citizenship (program is marketed to crypto investors).
• Passport power: Salvadoran passport allows useful travel access (but not on par with EU passports); the program is aimed more at crypto entrepreneurs than Schengen access per se.
• Crypto angle: This is one of the clearest government-level crypto-accepting schemes — payments in BTC / USDT are explicitly part of the pitch. Still: verify mechanics and limits; the program is new and politically sensitive.

8) Turkey — buy property, get citizenship (citizenship)

• What they ask: Real-estate route has required US$400,000+ (official thresholds and eligible routes can change). You must keep the property for a set period (commonly three years).
• Type:Citizenship-by-investment (real estate, capital, bank deposit, or business investment options).
• Passport power: Turkish passport gives visa-free/visa-on-arrival access to ~120–130 countries — a useful regional passport.
• Crypto angle: Turkey’s official program expects fiat and official registration, but private real-estate deals and intermediaries sometimes accept crypto and convert it. The safe route is conversion to fiat + transparent KYC.

9) Portugal — EU residency (golden visa → citizenship)

• What they ask: Portugal overhauled its Golden Visa rules. Typical fund/investment routes are in the €250k–€500k+ range (many investors now use specific approved funds; rules and amounts have changed and new “solidarity” variants exist).
• Type:Residency (Golden Visa) that can lead to citizenship after the required time and conditions.
• Passport power: Portuguese passport is an EU passport — one of the strongest (wide Schengen, UK, etc.).
• Crypto angle: Portugal has become crypto-friendly in practice: funds and investment products have been created that allow crypto holders to route gains into qualifying Golden-Visa funds (you’ll normally convert crypto → fiat to invest into an approved fund). A 2025 fund linked to crypto exposure was reported in the press. Important: check the exact fund eligibility before transferring funds.

10) Greece — Europe on a (relatively) low budget (residency)

• What they ask: Real-estate Golden Visa from €250,000 (in certain regions; some zones have higher thresholds as policy evolves).
• Type:Residency allowing Schengen travel (and a route to citizenship after long residence & integration).
• Passport power: Residency allows visa-free travel across Schengen while the passport (if obtained later via naturalization) is an EU passport.
• Crypto angle: Crypto funds don’t typically replace the property purchase — convert crypto to fiat and follow the normal investment route.

11) Spain — (historically) big program; status shifting

• What they asked: Traditionally €500,000 real-estate threshold for the Spain Golden Visa.
• Type:Residency; historically popular for property investors.
• Status note: The Spanish government has moved toward cancelling or phasing out the programme (announcements and proposals in 2024–2025), so don’t plan transfers until you check current government rules.

12) Malta — EU citizenship route (largely closed / restructured)

• What they asked: Malta’s pre-existing, fast-track citizenship-for-investment program has been heavily restricted and effectively closed/restructured in recent years following EU scrutiny; new, merit-based or exceptional naturalization channels have been introduced but are not the same as the old commercial CBI. Do not rely on old advert copy.

13) United Arab Emirates — long-term residency (golden visa, not passport)

• What they ask: Golden Visa categories vary (investors, property owners, entrepreneurs) — property values around AED 2,000,000 (≈ US$540k) often appear in guides for property-linked residency, but other investor/business routes exist.
• Type:Long-term residency (Golden Visa) — not citizenship.
• Crypto angle: UAE offers crypto-friendly ecosystems (exchanges, licensed entities) but authorities have stated that crypto holdings alone are not a direct route to Golden Visas — official categories matter (investor, entrepreneur, talent). Don’t assume a crypto wallet = golden visa.
• The recent news about $100,000 Golden Visa by staking TON coin has NOT been verified by UAE government!

14) United States (EB-5) — green card via investment (residency → citizenship later)

• What they ask: The EB-5 immigrant investor program requires a very large investment: current inflation-adjusted thresholds are ~US$1.8 million standard or ~US$900k in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA). This creates a direct path to a U.S. green card; citizenship requires later naturalization.
• Type: Permanent residency (green card) leading to citizenship via naturalization.
• Crypto angle: USCIS expects fiat investment and rigorous job-creation proof; applicants convert crypto to fiat and must prove legal source-of-funds and AML compliance. Expect heavy documentation.

How crypto actually fits in (the practical steps)

1. Most governments want fiat. Don’t assume you’ll wire BTC to a ministry wallet and get a passport. Often crypto is accepted in practice because an agency converts your crypto to fiat and sends the official payment, or because the government accepts an approved fund that can take crypto-derived capital.
2. Proof of funds & AML is the hard part. You’ll need KYC of the crypto source: exchange statements, chain-of-custody proofs, tax returns, etc. Expect rigorous due diligence and extra scrutiny if the coins came from mixers or privacy tools.
3. Use regulated intermediaries. If a facilitator says ‘government accepts crypto’ ask for the government publication that says so. Legit intermediaries will explain the conversion pipeline (who converts, how FX is handled, how they document it for the CBI unit).
4. Tax and reporting: Converting crypto to fiat may trigger taxable events in your home country. Talk to a tax lawyer before making big moves.

Watchouts (the brutal bits)

• Programs change, and fast. Spain, Malta and Cyprus show how political pressure can close or drastically change schemes. Always use the official government site or a reputable immigration attorney before you transfer funds.
• Revocation risks: Governments have revoked passports where due diligence later showed bad actors were involved (Cyprus example). A good agent and impeccable paperwork are not optional.
• Not every ‘crypto-friendly’ headline means a simple on-ramp. Read the fine print: some programs accept proof of crypto wealth but not crypto as payment; others accept crypto via third-party conversion only.

Quick cheat-sheet — which route suits you?

• Cheapest / fastest passport (cash): Dominica, St Lucia, St Kitts (Caribbean CBIs).
• Fast passport + business tie to US: Grenada (E-2 access).
• If you want EU access eventually (residency→citizenship): Portugal, Greece (residency golden visas). Check the latest Portugal rule changes.
• If you want government-level crypto acceptance: El Salvador (Freedom Visa) is the headline example; Vanuatu & some Caribbean programs have brokered crypto options. But always verify the payment channel.
• If you want a green card: US EB-5 (very expensive, rigorous).

Quick Comparison Table ✅

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Keep In Mind

If you’re wealthy in crypto, mobility is a natural next step. But think like a lawyer and act like an accountant: document everything, use regulated intermediaries, get cross-border tax advice and verify program status with official government sources. Some countries are experimenting with crypto-first programs; many more will follow — but the rules will keep changing.