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“ We have been looking at it for some time and decided recently to accept payments in crypto from our international clients as there is quite a large demand ,” she said .
“ To my knowledge , we are the first licensed agent and authorized representative company for Antigua & Barbuda to accept crypto payments for all our services including property purchases , and I am confident other licensed agents will follow suit .”
Kennard also said that while many shops and restaurants now openly accept Bitcoin Cash , also known as BTC , the government does not accept fees or donation in crypto directly at the moment .
“ It ’ s my understanding that the government is looking to potentially accept BTC in the future ,” she said .
Crypto is not as cloaked in secrecy as some have been led to believe , Kennard said .
“ Our crypto asset provider ’ s compliance team uses Chainalysis to monitor crypto transactions and KYC for coin ownership as part of their responsibility under the FCA regime . Transactions to us are fully traceable , which is one of the benefits of blockchain technology .”
Blockchain technology is the future of currency , according to Kennard .
“ As an international lifestyle services provider , I recognize its importance to our industry which includes many services often starting with citizenship by investment but also including property , legal , banking and many other services ,” she said .
USING CRYPTO GAINS FOR INVESTMENT IMMIGRATION
Panama investor visa representative Marcos Kraemer , who is the founder and a managing partner of Kraemer & Kraemer , said many crypto investors are obtaining residency by investment in Panama , although the country still has no regulatory normative for digital assets and currencies .
“ Crypto currencies require regulatory framework ( worldwide ) and some level of dependability and price stability before they can actually be used for fund allocations .
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“ Panama has not yet regulated cryptocurrencies , and there are no specific RBI programs supporting it , although many crypto investors are using their crypto gains to invest and capitalize in the country ,” Kraemer said .
Sometimes there are ways around using crypto , said Cayman Islands immigration consultant Daniel Altneu , who is the