St. Kitts. Dominica. Grenada. Antigua. St. Lucia. These are the names everyone knows. They are legitimate programs with long track records. When we built 21 CBI, we chose a different path; not against the Caribbean, but for Bitcoiners.
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, international scrutiny has intensified, and for Bitcoin holders specifically, these programs do not offer a sovereign Bitcoin settlement model.
Caribbean CBI at a glance
Typical minimum
Per the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) $200,000 price-floor harmonisation (2024 Memorandum of Agreement).
Caribbean CBI contribution floors have moved upward across the bloc. The five Eastern Caribbean signatories implemented a harmonised $200,000 minimum on 1 July 2024 under their Memorandum of Agreement. Vanuatu's Development Support Program (DSP) starts at a $130,000 government contribution, below that harmonised Caribbean floor.5
Caribbean processing windows differ by program and applicant file; one bloc-wide promise is not defensible. Vanuatu targets 30 to 60 days and El Salvador targets 6 to 8 weeks. Verify the issuing authority’s current guidance before treating speed as decisive.6
Every Caribbean CBI jurisdiction participates in the OECD Common Reporting Standard. El Salvador is Non-CRS; Vanuatu participates in CRS. Bespoke advisory can evaluate other reporting postures without presenting them as standing products.7
The European Commission continues to identify investor-citizenship schemes operated by visa-free Eastern Caribbean states as a security concern under the visa-suspension mechanism. Vanuatu has already lost European Union visa-free access; El Salvador carries a different mobility and review context. Bespoke work evaluates that pressure jurisdiction by jurisdiction.8
The Caribbean five appear across many multi-program advisory menus. 21 CBI does not productize them; El Salvador and Vanuatu receive dedicated verticals, while any Caribbean route must earn its place through a bespoke jurisdiction screen.
None of the five Eastern Caribbean CBI states has adopted Bitcoin as legal tender or built its citizenship program around sovereign Bitcoin settlement. El Salvador no longer gives Bitcoin legal-tender status, but its Freedom Passport contribution remains payable only in BTC or USDT and qualifying Bitcoin gains retain defined statutory treatment for foreign investors. Vanuatu’s domestic system does not impose personal income or capital-gains tax. Home-country obligations still apply.9
Compare the Caribbean average with our two productized programs and the bespoke track.
| Dimension | Caribbean (avg) | Vanuatu | Bespoke | El Salvador |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum investment | $200K+ | $130K (DSP) | Scoped after session | $1M BTC (Freedom) |
| Processing time | Program-specific | 30 to 60 days | Jurisdiction-specific | 6 to 8 weeks |
| CRS participation | Yes (all 5) | Yes | Profile-specific | No |
| Bitcoin treatment | No Bitcoin-native program | 0% income tax | Assessed per route | 0% cap gains on BTC |
| External review context | EU visa-policy review | EU visa suspension | Jurisdiction-specific | Jurisdiction-specific |
| 21 CBI delivery model | Bespoke only | Productized | Scoped after session | Productized |
Values reflect published program terms as of August 2026. See sources below. Bespoke figures depend on the selected jurisdiction and engagement scope.
The gap is not opinion. In the inaugural 2026 Bitcoin Passport Index, 87 jurisdictions are scored through a Bitcoin lens; the Caribbean programs and the Bitcoin-native alternatives sit in plain sight, side by side. Read the index and judge the trade for yourself. An index ranking is not a serviced program.
This page keeps the Caribbean analysis deep and specific. For the wider citizenship and residency field, open the Global Options Map.
Productized · Recognized
A $130,000 government contribution with 30 to 60 day processing. Zero personal income and capital gains tax. Vanuatu participates in CRS and requires one biometric visit.
Explore Vanuatu →Productized · Sovereign
A $1,000,000 government contribution settled in BTC or USDT, direct to the government wallet. Non-CRS, 6 to 8 week processing, and 131 visa-free destinations.
Explore El Salvador →Bespoke · Case by case
Jurisdictions outside the two productized programs are evaluated and scoped after the paid Sovereignty Strategy Session.
Explore Bespoke Advisory →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 onlyserious programs. For Bitcoiners specifically, who care about CRS exposure, Bitcoin-friendly treatment, speed, and diplomatic-pressure radius, the Caribbean’s traditional strengths are not the strengths that matter most. That is the gap 21 CBI exists to fill.
Two productized programs. Bespoke when neither fits. Every trade-off named.
If your priority is speed Vanuatu delivers a passport in 30 to 60 days, your compliance profile is clean, and Asia-Pacific mobility matches your operating footprint. $130,000 government contribution.
If your priority is Bitcoin-native sovereignty El Salvador delivers the only CBI program built around Bitcoin at the sovereign level. $1,000,000 settled in BTC or USDT. Non-CRS. 0% capital gains on Bitcoin.
If your priority is a jurisdiction outside those two Bespoke advisory delivers a case-by-case jurisdiction shortlist and sovereignty plan, scoped after the paid Sovereignty Strategy Session.
For Bitcoiners specifically, the Caribbean five are rarely the default. El Salvador, Vanuatu, or a bespoke brief gives the decision a narrower, evidence-based frame.
Values as published as of August 2026. Program terms change; verify with the issuing government before relying on any specific number. Consult a qualified tax advisor regarding your specific situation.
No calls. No fluff. Just signal.
New to citizenship by investment? Start with the strategic case for a second passport →
Adam Juchniewicz, CEO
US Air Force veteran · LL.M. European & Comparative Law, University of Malta · Bitcoiner since 2020 · Licensed agent of The Bitcoin Office of El Salvador
Run the 10-question Sovereignty Fit Finder to test your goals, timeline, and budget against El Salvador, Vanuatu, or bespoke advisory.
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