Price Inflation
Caribbean programs keep raising prices. St. Kitts moved from $150K to $250K. Dominica from $100K to $200K. Vanuatu's DSP starts at $130K, and the CIIP offers an even lower net cost.5
Program Strategy
Why Not the Caribbean?
St. Kitts. Dominica. Grenada. Antigua. St. Lucia. These are the names everyone knows. They are legitimate programs with long track records. But when we built 21 CBI, we chose a different path, because Bitcoiners deserve better options.
01 / The Landscape
The Caribbean CBI Landscape.
Caribbean CBI programs pioneered the industry. For decades they offered a straightforward trade: a donation or investment in exchange for a passport. But the landscape has shifted. Prices have increased, processing times have lengthened, international scrutiny has intensified, and for Bitcoin holders specifically, these programs offer no structural advantage over newer alternatives.
Caribbean CBI at a glance
02 / The Case Against
Why Not Caribbean for Bitcoiners?
Slower Processing
Caribbean programs typically take 3 to 6 months. Vanuatu processes applications in 30 to 60 days, getting you a passport faster with less bureaucratic drag.6
CRS Participation
Every Caribbean CBI jurisdiction participates in CRS automatic tax information exchange. São Tomé & Príncipe is Non-CRS, offering a meaningful distinction for privacy-focused Bitcoiners.7
US Political Pressure
The US government has increasingly pressured Caribbean CBI programs with visa restrictions and diplomatic demands. Vanuatu, São Tomé, and El Salvador operate outside that pressure radius.8
Crowded Advisory Market
Hundreds of agents compete on the same five Caribbean products, driving a race to the bottom on service quality. 21 CBI chose differentiated programs where expertise actually matters.
No Bitcoin-Native Advantage
No Caribbean nation has adopted Bitcoin legislatively. El Salvador was the first country to adopt Bitcoin at the national level and it remains widely accepted with 0% capital gains, though it no longer holds legal tender status. Vanuatu has zero income tax. These jurisdictions reward holding Bitcoin.9
03 / Head-to-Head
Caribbean vs. the alternatives.
Showing our three most-compared alternatives. See all six programs below.
| Dimension | Caribbean (avg) | Vanuatu | São Tomé | El Salvador |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum investment | $200K+ | $130K (DSP) | Affordable tier | $1M BTC (Freedom) |
| Processing time | 3 to 6 months | 30 to 60 days | Fast-track available | Varies |
| CRS participation | Yes (all 5) | Yes | No | Yes |
| Bitcoin treatment | None | 0% income tax | Neutral | 0% cap gains on BTC |
| US political exposure | High | Low | Low | Low |
| Advisor specialisation | Commoditised | Specialised | Specialised | Specialised |
Vanuatu
21 CBI pick- Minimum investment
- $130K (DSP)
- vs. Caribbean avg: $200K+
- Processing time
- 30 to 60 days
- vs. Caribbean avg: 3 to 6 months
- CRS participation
- Yes
- vs. Caribbean avg: Yes (all 5)
- Bitcoin treatment
- 0% income tax
- vs. Caribbean avg: None
- US political exposure
- Low
- vs. Caribbean avg: High
- Advisor specialisation
- Specialised
- vs. Caribbean avg: Commoditised
São Tomé
21 CBI pick- Minimum investment
- Affordable tier
- vs. Caribbean avg: $200K+
- Processing time
- Fast-track available
- vs. Caribbean avg: 3 to 6 months
- CRS participation
- No
- vs. Caribbean avg: Yes (all 5)
- Bitcoin treatment
- Neutral
- vs. Caribbean avg: None
- US political exposure
- Low
- vs. Caribbean avg: High
- Advisor specialisation
- Specialised
- vs. Caribbean avg: Commoditised
El Salvador
21 CBI pick- Minimum investment
- $1M BTC (Freedom)
- vs. Caribbean avg: $200K+
- Processing time
- Varies
- vs. Caribbean avg: 3 to 6 months
- CRS participation
- Yes
- vs. Caribbean avg: Yes (all 5)
- Bitcoin treatment
- 0% cap gains on BTC
- vs. Caribbean avg: None
- US political exposure
- Low
- vs. Caribbean avg: High
- Advisor specialisation
- Specialised
- vs. Caribbean avg: Commoditised
Values reflect published program terms as of April 2026. See sources below. Three columns shown; Malta, Türkiye, and Argentina are linked in the program grid.
04 / What We Chose Instead
Six programs, curated.
Vanuatu
$130K30 to 60 daysZero income tax
Fastest CBI globally. 30 to 60 day processing. Zero income tax. CRS participant. We walk you through the implications during your strategy call. Starting at $130K.
View Program →
São Tomé & Príncipe
Affordable tierFast-trackNon-CRS
Non-CRS jurisdiction. Affordable entry point. Portuguese-speaking gateway to EU and Africa.
View Program →
Türkiye
$400K real estateE-2 treatyEurope to Asia bridge
$400K real estate investment. E-2 treaty with the US. Bridge between Europe and Asia.
View Program →
El Salvador
$1M BTC option0% BTC cap gainsBitcoin adopter
First country to adopt Bitcoin nationally. Bitcoin widely accepted. 0% capital gains on BTC. Freedom Passport with $1M BTC contribution option.
View Program →
Malta
EU citizenshipFull SchengenGold standard
EU citizenship. Full Schengen access. The gold standard of CBI for those who qualify.
View Program →
Argentina
Fastest in AmericasNo min. stayLow COL
Fastest residency-to-citizenship path in the Americas. No minimum stay. Low cost of living.
View Program →05 / An Honest Caveat
When the Caribbean Still Wins.
We are not here to tell you Caribbean CBI is a bad choice for everyone. It is not. For a family that wants a Commonwealth-oriented travel document, an English-speaking jurisdiction, an established CBI track record, and a beach-accessible lifestyle option, St. Kitts, Grenada, and Antigua remain serious programs with serious results.
Where we part ways is the assumption that those are the only serious programs. For Bitcoiners specifically, who care about CRS exposure, Bitcoin-friendly treatment, speed, and political-pressure radius, the Caribbean’s traditional strengths are not the strengths that matter most. That is the gap 21 CBI exists to fill.
06 / Bottom Line
The Bottom Line.
As we just said, we are not anti-Caribbean. For Bitcoiners specifically, though, there are jurisdictions that are faster, more affordable, more private, and structurally aligned with how you hold and grow wealth. That is why we built 21 CBI around Vanuatu, São Tomé, Türkiye, El Salvador, Malta, and Argentina.
Sources & Notes
- 1.OECS member CBI programs roster. Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States: member states operating citizenship-by-investment programmes. Primary source → ↩
- 2.OECS harmonised minimum investment. OECS Authority announcement raising the minimum CBI contribution across member programmes to USD 200,000 (2023 decision; effective 2024). Primary source → ↩
- 3.Published Caribbean CBI processing-time ranges. Official programme sites for St. Kitts, Dominica, Grenada, Antigua, and St. Lucia (standard, non-accelerated timelines). Primary source → ↩
- 4.OECD CRS participating jurisdictions list. OECD automatic exchange of information, active CRS agreements. All five Caribbean CBI jurisdictions are current participants. Primary source → ↩
- 5.St. Kitts and Nevis CBI contribution history. St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Unit: Sustainable Island State Contribution raised from USD 150,000 to USD 250,000 effective 30 July 2023. Primary source → ↩
- 6.Vanuatu DSP processing timeline. Government of the Republic of Vanuatu: Development Support Programme processing window. Primary source → ↩
- 7.OECD CRS status for São Tomé & Príncipe. OECD CRS jurisdictions list: São Tomé & Príncipe is not an active CRS participant at time of publication. Primary source → ↩
- 8.EU and US visa pressure on Caribbean CBI, 2023 to 2024. European Commission proposal to tighten Schengen visa-free status for CBI-selling third countries; US diplomatic engagement with OECS programmes. Primary source → ↩
- 9.El Salvador Bitcoin Law, 2021 and 2025 status. Decreto 57 (2021) adopted Bitcoin as legal tender. A 2025 IMF agreement removed the legal-tender mandate while Bitcoin remains widely accepted and carries 0% capital gains on qualifying transactions. Primary source → ↩
Values as published as of April 2026. Program terms change; verify with the issuing government before relying on any specific number. Consult a qualified tax advisor regarding your specific situation.
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