
Recently, Cathie Wood, the founder and CEO of ARK Invest, along with renowned economist Art Laffer, met with the President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, in a high-profile meeting focused on enhancing investment opportunities in the country.
The meeting was facilitated by Max Keiser and Stacy, and also included David Puell, onchain researcher at ARK Invest, and Marc Seal.
The discussions covered a range of topics, including harnessing Bitcoin and artificial intelligence (AI) to turbocharge economic and education reforms in El Salvador.
Cathie Wood, celebrated for her forward-thinking investment strategies and advocacy for disruptive innovation, emphasized her interest in the country’s potential as a tech-driven growth hub.
El Salvador, with a GDP of approximately $30 billion and an average monthly income of $450, stands at a low economic base.
President Bukele demonstrated a clear understanding of the Laffer Curve and discussed with Art Laffer various ways to build on the momentum created by existing tax incentives.

Laffer, best known for the Laffer Curve and his influential work on tax policy, shared his expertise on how favorable tax reforms could attract more foreign investment and stimulate economic growth.
All of this fits with all the moves and changes Bukele has made in El Salvador, especially in lowering taxes and eliminating taxes altogether, which has helped increase tax revenues in El Salvador.
Moreover, President Bukele showed enthusiasm for introducing ARK Educate’s curriculum in Salvadoran schools.
This curriculum focuses on technologically enabled innovation areas such as robotics, energy storage, AI, blockchain, and multiomics, all tailored by ARK Invest since 2020 to be age-appropriate for students. This initiative aims to prepare the youth of El Salvador for a technologically advanced future.
President Bukele’s commitment to transforming El Salvador into a haven for the Bitcoin and AI communities was a central theme of the meeting.
Both Wood and Laffer highlighted the enormous potential these sectors hold and expressed optimism about the country’s ability to scale its GDP ten-fold over the next five years.
Additionally, throughout the meeting, President Bukele detailed the potential societal impacts of these technological advancements.
He articulated his vision of providing abundant growth opportunities for Salvadoran youth, hoping to establish the country as a fertile ground for startups and entrepreneurial ventures.
Bukele underscored the importance of positioning El Salvador as a pioneer in innovative industries, indicating that embracing cutting-edge tech solutions is pivotal not just for economic gains, but for overall social transformation.
The meeting marks a significant step in El Salvador’s continuous efforts to attract global investment and enhance its economic landscape through strategic policies and cutting-edge technologies.