Bitcoin will become the national currency of Atlantis

Pohntina , the world’s smallest nation located off the coast of Portugal’s Madeira Islands, officially recognized Bitcoin as its national currency in a statement issued earlier this week by its Prime Minister Joby Weeks .

Pohntina is a small island off the coast of Madeira. The island is home to an old Templar fort that belonged to the King of Portugal more than 100 years ago. Before the fall of the monarchy, the King sold the island to a British family with Templar ancestry, and the island has been in trusteeship for more than a century.

The British family in turn sold the island to a Portuguese art teacher now known as Prince D. Renato Barros .

"There are four citizens here: me, my wife, my son and my daughter," he told the British newspaper The Guardian in 2014 .

However, this week Pohntina – soon to be renamed Atlantis – adopted Bitcoin as its national currency. According to Prime Minister Joby Weeks , he is ready to transform the country from a historic port into a hub for a cosmopolitan, liberal citizenry.

In an interview with DisrupTek.info , Weeks shared the story of Atlantis, how the country came to his attention and the issues facing the young nation.

The sovereign nation could potentially establish bank branches and anchor points, allowing businesses to legally use cryptocurrencies to fuel their growth around the world and in cyberspace.

Weeks also proposed the idea of ​​an e-passport after discussions with BitNation’s Susanne Tarkowski , as well as an e-residency along the lines of Estonia.

Furthermore, Weeks wants to establish an ambassadors' club and related activities so that the residents of Atlantis can contact and connect with the rest of the world. The prerequisite for becoming an Atlantis ambassador is to provide a vacant room for occasional visitors and ambassadors. Atlantis will build bed and breakfasts for the residents here.

To learn more about Atlantis, check out Joby Weeks’ interview at DisrupTek , or connect with Weeks on Facebook .