Ricardo Salinas

Ricardo Salinas Pliego, one of Latin America’s wealthiest and most influential business figures, has emerged as a prominent advocate for Bitcoin and financial decentralization. As the founder and chairman of Grupo Salinas—a Mexican conglomerate with businesses in telecommunications, media, retail, and financial services—Salinas wields considerable influence both economically and culturally across the region.

A Titan of Mexican Industry

Salinas built his empire through Grupo Elektra, TV Azteca, Banco Azteca, and Totalplay, transforming consumer access to credit, telecommunications, and media in Mexico and Latin America. With a keen eye for market trends and disruption, he has remained at the forefront of innovation across multiple sectors.

Bitcoin as Digital Gold

Ricardo Salinas is among the most outspoken billionaires globally when it comes to Bitcoin. He has described Bitcoin as “digital gold” and a hedge against inflation and fiat currency devaluation—a particularly relevant narrative in emerging markets where currency volatility can undermine savings and financial stability.

Salinas has confirmed that around 10% of his liquid portfolio is invested in Bitcoin. He has advocated for broader Bitcoin adoption in Latin America and even suggested making it a core part of business operations across his companies, including allowing crypto-based transactions in the future.

Financial Sovereignty and Libertarian Values

A self-proclaimed libertarian, Salinas frequently promotes financial independence and criticizes central banking policies. His embrace of decentralized technologies stems from a deep belief in individual liberty and market-based solutions to societal challenges.

He has also been critical of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), arguing that they grant governments too much control over individual financial behavior and undermine privacy.

Influence on Latin American Crypto Ecosystem

Salinas’s vocal support for Bitcoin has resonated strongly within Latin America's growing crypto community. He represents a rare blend of institutional power and ideological alignment with the decentralized ethos of the blockchain movement.

His companies, particularly in banking and media, could serve as potential onramps for crypto adoption in Mexico, a nation with one of the highest remittance flows and large unbanked populations. Through Banco Azteca, for instance, Salinas has hinted at integrating Bitcoin services if regulatory environments permit.

Conclusion

Ricardo Salinas continues to be a dynamic figure in the global Bitcoin conversation, combining business acumen with a libertarian worldview. His influence across Latin America positions him not only as a thought leader but as a potential catalyst for wider crypto adoption in the region. As Bitcoin and blockchain continue to reshape financial ecosystems worldwide, Salinas stands at the forefront of this transformation in the Global South.

For more profiles on Bitcoin advocates and financial decentralization, visit CryptoSlate’s People in Crypto section.

• Grupo Salinas Chairman & CEO