During our coverage of a recent aviation investment in El Salvador by Canadian entrepreneur John McBride, a small but meaningful detail in the event photos stood out: McBride is seen placing his hand over his heart during the Salvadoran national anthem—a gesture normally reserved for one’s own country.
That observation prompted a closer look, and the explanation came directly from Diario El Salvador, the government’s official news outlet.
According to their report, John McBride is the first Canadian to obtain Salvadoran citizenship through the country’s bitcoin-based donation program.
Clarification: We do not know exactly when John McBride acquired Salvadoran citizenship via Bitcoin. It may have been recently or months ago; that is not specified. The point here is that he was the first Canadian to acquire Salvadoran citizenship through the Freedom Visa BTC donation program.
A citizenship pathway based on a BTC donation
El Salvador’s Freedom Visa program allows foreign nationals to obtain Salvadoran citizenship by making a non-refundable donation of US$1 million, paid in bitcoin or USDT.
The goal is to attract high-profile contributors who wish to become part of the nation’s emerging digital and economic ecosystem.
We are pleased to highlight McBride’s case as a concrete, real-world example of someone who has successfully used this program—helping demonstrate that the initiative is not theoretical, but already producing visible results.
Why the gesture matters
McBride has been living and investing in El Salvador for roughly one or two years (he came to the country for the first time to get to know the country in January 2022).
And under the traditional naturalization route, it would be impossible for someone in that timeframe to legally obtain citizenship, as the conventional process requires multiple years of residency and an extended legal procedure.
His visible gesture during the anthem therefore aligns perfectly with the official confirmation that he is now a naturalized Salvadoran citizen through the BTC donation program.
In addition to acquiring Salvadoran nationality, John McBride has also chosen to invest in El Salvador. It is necessary to clarify that whoever acquires Salvadoran nationality via BTC donation is not obligated to invest in the country. That decision is personal for each individual.
Connected to a significant new aviation project
McBride’s citizenship surfaced in the context of another announcement: the launch of Cielo Norte Aviation (CNA), backed by the Canadian consortium True North Airways. The company represents over $1.5 million in investment and will enhance internal air travel, tourism, and specialized aviation services in the country.
CNA’s early operations include:
- a Bell 206 helicopter stationed at the Salamanca heliport,
- future acquisition of an executive jet,
- additional aircraft,
- prospective regional routes—including a future San Salvador–Toronto link—
- and services like medical evacuation flights, emergency response, rescue operations, and geophysical survey missions.
It’s also important to clarify that El Salvador’s citizenship-by-donation program does not grant citizenship only to the main applicant.
According to multiple specialized residency and citizenship firms, the US$1,000,000 BTC/USDT donation can also cover the applicant’s immediate family, typically including a spouse and dependent children (and in some cases older dependent parents).
Although administrative fees may vary by provider, the core requirement—the donation—remains the same, meaning families can obtain Salvadoran citizenship together under this single contribution.
