Plan B Network, the bitcoin (BTC)-focused educational platform based in Lugano, Switzerland and founded by renowned bitcoiner Giacomo Zucco, reported a massive increase in Colombian participants in its tutorials and courses during January 2026. The team called it a “massive spike” and publicly asked on X: “What is happening in Colombia?” Could Bitcoin be the next country?
This phenomenon coincides with an inflationary surge that accelerates the erosion of purchasing power. According to the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE), annual inflation rose to 5.35% in January 2026 (after closing 2025 at 5.10%), with a monthly variation of 1.18%, one of the highest for the beginning of the year in recent times.
The complex economic scenario in Colombia, marked by growing inflation, the adjustment of the minimum wage and the increase in the cost of basic services, has pushed a part of the population to see bitcoin as a potential haven of value.
Although there is a historical pattern in the region where monetary instability triggers the use of digital assets, according to data from Chainalysis, it is not possible to establish a direct causal relationship between the spike in interest in January 2026 and the price index of that month. More than an automatic response, it should be taken into account that this context acts as a catalyst for financial education and the search for alternatives outside the traditional banking system.
In a country with high national banking coverage (around 96% of adults with at least one financial product, according to the Banco de la República), local gaps and deep financial inclusion persist, which favors decentralized solutions.
Medellín, the epicenter of bitcoiner enthusiasm in Colombia
This economic context drives practical adoption, as well as educational adoption, as seen in local initiatives. The interest is framed in a vibrant bitcoiner ecosystem, especially in Medellín.
In Comuna 13, an iconic neighborhood that went from a conflict zone to a tourist and cultural hub, the Satoshi Team Foundation, together with Aqua Bitcoin (JAN3 wallet) and Mi Primer Bitcoin, teach practical workshops on self-custody and financial education. As a result, at least sixteen local businesses already accept BTC as a means of payment, as reported by NoticiasVE.
This momentum was reinforced with the Bitcoin Medellín Conference (January 16-17, 2026, Plaza Mayor), a BTC-focused event that attracted participants from Latin America and other parts of the world. These events occurred right in the month in which Plan B recorded the peak of interest in bitcoin. They even strengthened community and regional networks.
In fact, the enthusiasm is reflected in other data. For example, according to Chainalysis, Colombia remains in the top 5 in Latin America in adoption of cryptoassets (with significant volumes reported in recent reports), and worldwide it occupies 29th place in the global adoption ranking (up several notches from 36th in previous measurements).
However, it is noteworthy that In Colombia there are also critical visions like that of Jorge Restrepo, an economics professor at the Javeriana University and columnist in Portafolio, who talks about bitcoin in a consistently critical and sarcastic way. It refers to the cryptoasset as a speculative bubble with no intrinsic value, similar to pyramid or Ponzi schemes.
In his posts on
In any case, Colombia lacks specific regulation for digital assetsand meanwhile, educational and community initiatives that promote financial sovereignty, but also underscore the need for caution in the face of scams and market fluctuations, continue to grow.
Plan B Network: deep education as a catalyst
In this context of growing adoption and search for financial sovereignty, platforms like Plan B Network emerge as key catalysts. By offering in-depth and accessible bitcoin education, it not only responds to the Colombian interest spike seen in January 2026, but equips participants with tools to navigate economic uncertainty from a philosophical and practical perspective.
The Plan B Network program (February-July 2026) offers two main branches, Business and Development, with more than 300 global students in its initial phase, many from Latin America.
Includes four foundational lectures by Giacomo Zucco on the historical evolution of money and the essential properties of Bitcoin (scarcity, privacy, decentralization without sacrificing digital), masterclasses with specialists, case studies from more than 20 associated companies and a competitive selection process.
A recent in-person phase (February 2026) and introductory classes broadcast from El Salvador have enhanced its regional appeal.
Outstanding participants access an in-person summer school in Lugano (June 21 to July 1, 2026), with scholarships for the best evaluated.
This philosophical and practical approach explains why the platform is capturing growing Colombian interest. It is understood that beyond adopting the digital currency, there is also a need for a deep understanding of bitcoin as a healthy monetary alternative in times of economic uncertainty.