bitcoin.ar (legally Asociacion Civil para el Desarrollo de Ecosistemas Descentralizados, or DECODES) is Argentina's oldest Bitcoin non-profit organization. Founded in 2013, it has grown into one of Latin America's most influential Bitcoin advocacy groups, with over 5,000 in-person meetup participants, a 30,000-strong online community, and more than 300 organized events.
Overview
Headquartered at AreaTres coworking space (El Salvador 5218, Palermo, Buenos Aires), bitcoin.ar was co-founded by Rodolfo Andragnes (president), Diego Gutierrez Zaldivar (co-founder of RSK/IOV Labs), and Franco Amati. The organization's mission centers on promoting education, community building, and real-world Bitcoin adoption to strengthen individual sovereignty and voluntary cooperation.
Activities
bitcoin.ar's flagship project is LABITCONF (Latin American Bitcoin & Blockchain Conference), the region's premier Bitcoin event, running annually since 2013. Other major initiatives include:
- La Bitcoineta: A converted van that has traveled over 80,000 kilometers across 150+ Argentine towns, bringing Bitcoin education to communities that would never encounter it otherwise.
- Escuelas y Bitcoin: A program that has reached over 100 schools, introducing students and teachers to Bitcoin fundamentals.
- UBA Diplomatura: A formal Bitcoin and blockchain diploma program at the University of Buenos Aires.
- 100 Nodos Bitcoin: A campaign to deploy 100 Bitcoin full nodes across Argentina.
- Premio B-Arte: An art prize celebrating the intersection of Bitcoin and artistic expression.
- DIDI: A digital identity project developed in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
In March 2025, the organization hosted the first Bitcoin conference inside the Argentine Senate, marking a milestone in Bitcoin's institutional recognition in the country.
Significance
As the oldest Bitcoin non-profit in Argentina and organizer of LABITCONF, bitcoin.ar has shaped the trajectory of Bitcoin adoption across Latin America for over a decade. Its combination of grassroots outreach (La Bitcoineta, Escuelas y Bitcoin) with institutional engagement (Senate conference, UBA diploma, IDB collaboration) gives it unique reach spanning from rural towns to national policy discussions.