NYC Mayor-Elect Eric Adams Will Get Paid in Bitcoin

Chris Williams

Nov. 4, 2021

Eric Adams confirmed his plans to receive his first three paychecks in Bitcoin in a Thursday tweet.

NYC Mayor-Elect Eric Adams Will Get Paid in Bitcoin

Photo: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

New York City’s next mayor appears to be doubling down on Bitcoin.

Eric Adams to Accept Bitcoin Paychecks

Eric Adams has said he’ll take his first three paychecks as New York City Mayor in Bitcoin.

In New York we always go big, so I’m going to take my first THREE paychecks in Bitcoin when I become mayor. NYC is going to be the center of the cryptocurrency industry and other fast-growing, innovative industries! Just wait!

— Eric Adams (@ericadamsfornyc) November 4, 2021

The mayor-elect outlined his plans to receive his salary in Bitcoin in a tweet to Miami Mayor Francis Suarez. On Tuesday, Suarez posted a tweet saying that he would receive his next paycheck “100% in Bitcoin.”

Adams responded to the tweet Thursday, remarking that he would take his first three paychecks as New York City Mayor in the asset. “In New York we always go big,” he wrote. “NYC is going to be the center of the cryptocurrency industry and other fast-growing, innovative industries!”

Adams was elected as New York City’s Mayor Wednesday. He’ll be the Big Apple’s second Black mayor following David Dinkins, who served a single term in 1989. Adams has made his intentions to support cryptocurrency clear; in a Wednesday Bloomberg interview, he said that he wanted to become a “business-friendly city,” and that part of that would involve looking into “what’s preventing the growth of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency.” He also pointed out Miami’s embrace of the crypto sector, specifically referencing MiamiCoin, the cryptocurrency Suarez introduced in the city. Adams said that the two cities could enjoy “friendly competition” in engaging with the digital assets space.

It’s currently unclear how exactly Adams plans to get paid in Bitcoin, though he could potentially follow the NFL player Aaron Rogers’ lead. On Monday, Rogers announced he had teamed up with Cash App to receive part of his salary in Bitcoin, following a list of other sports players to take similar moves toward crypto adoption this year.

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