Cuba has been one of the most isolated countries in the world for more than half a century. Despite having trade relations with many developed nations, the US embargo has stifled its growth, relegated it to a bygone era of technology, and discouraged global markets from bringing Cuba into the fold.
That changed very recently, and not too long ago, Bitcoin was used in Cuba for the very first time. We were thrilled to find out that it was an Airbitz wallet that made the transaction.
In the slew of stories that were written about the event, we noticed a common theme. It is hard to use Bitcoin in Cuba, not because the government forbids it, but because the internet is still a very expensive commodity. It costs about $2 an hour to use the internet, which is a steep rate in a country where the average monthly income is less than $30. That got us thinking.
Bitcoin can be a thread that connects Cuba to the wealth of global commerce. Bitcoin can change people’s lives in that country and help them to move into the modern era of technology. And we want to be a part of that.
So today, we are announcing that Airbitz is giving away free Bitcoin to anyone who creates an Airbitz wallet in Cuba. We understand that it is hard to start from zero, so we want to make sure Cubans who want to explore Bitcoin can start with a little more.
There are some simple terms and conditions (see below), but there is no fine print. This is a straight up offer that we are making because we are passionate about this technology and we are enthusiastic about the new frontier in Cuba.
We hope this is meaningful to at least a handful of Cubans, and we really hope that our community is grown and further diversified as a result!
Terms & Conditions:
- To qualify for this promotion, you must reside in Cuba and have an email address ending in “.cu”
- This offer is good for 10 mBTC (0.010 BTC) per person
- Airbitz will provide up to 10 BTC in total, which will be dispersed on a first come, first served basis
- Please note, it may take up to 24 hours to receive the 10 mBTC amount.
Steps to Redeem
- Download “Airbitz” from the iOS app store or Google Play store
- To redeem this offer, you must initiate a payment request from inside your Airbitz wallet app.
- Create your account inside the app.
- Select “Request” at the bottom of the app screen (there is also a green “Request” button near the top of the screen).
- When you see the QR code, look at the bottom of the screen and select “Email”
- Type in newuser@airbitz.co as the email recipient, and tap the “Done” button.
- This will create a new email draft for your payment request. Make sure you send the email from your “.cu” email address.
- Change the Subject line to “Bitcoin Cuba” (Because we believe in privacy, we do not want to know anything about you, just that you are from Cuba.)
- Within 24 hours, we will send you a promo code you can use to redeem your 10 mBTC prize!