Miami Mayor Francis Suarez says he’s sitting on main positive aspects from his Bitcoin paychecks, telling Fox Enterprise he’s “up 300%” since taking his wage in bitcoin.
“I received paid at $30,000,” Suarez said, noting that Bitcoin had even been up 400% when it hit $120,000 earlier this yr. Regardless of latest market volatility — with Bitcoin slipping beneath $100,000 this week — Suarez mentioned he isn’t nervous about short-term worth 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 folks place confidence in, that has a cash creation system identified by the code.”
Suarez, who famously grew to become one of many first U.S. politicians to take his pay in Bitcoin, mentioned the main target ought to 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 mentioned.
Talking on the American Enterprise Discussion board in Miami, Suarez additionally highlighted the town’s rise as a monetary hub. He mentioned Miami’s pro-capitalist ethos stands in “diametric opposition” to cities like New York, predicting a surge in actual property and enterprise curiosity because of this.
Again in 2021, Suarez said the town will quickly give bitcoin to its residents as a part of a plan to construct a full Bitcoin economic system. Suarez mentioned 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 mentioned he desires metropolis workers 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
Lately, NFL star Odell Beckham Jr. vindicated his determination to take his 2021 Los Angeles Rams salary in Bitcoin. Beckham had converted his $750,000 base wage to BTC by a Money App deal when Bitcoin traded round $60,000.
Critics mocked the transfer as Bitcoin later crashed practically 80%, however by July 2025, the asset had surged to file highs above $120,000.
“Secure to say we nonetheless proud of our determination,” Beckham posted on X as Bitcoin hit new all-time highs.
At $118,000 per BTC, his unique payout was price about $1.47 million — practically double its 2021 worth. Even after a mixed 49.3% tax charge, Beckham would have taken residence 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 acquired half of his $13 million Panthers wage in BTC, and Saquon Barkley, who opted to take $10 million in endorsements in Bitcoin.
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