Introducing Priority Canal Access through Bitcoin payments is the idea Mayor Mayer Mizrachi brought to modernize how the Panama Canal works. The plan hopes to allow bitcoins to be used along a vital shipping route, which may significantly change how worldwide maritime trade takes place.

Key-Takeaways:

• Locking in through the Priority Canal Access system means paying in Bitcoin which speeds up transit and helps Panama grow in global trade and digital services.
• Panama City develops the plan through local means which benefits the city, makes it more versatile and encourages technology.

The Application of Bitcoin in Canal Operations

Mizrachi shared his Priority Canal Access plan at the Bitcoin 2025 conference held in Las Vegas on May 29, appearing with El Salvador advisors Max Keiser and Stacy Herbert. The mayor suggested that ships using Bitcoin to pay their transit fees could be permitted priority transit through the canal.

AMAZING PANEL WITH MAX, STACY, MIKE, & PANAMA CITY MAYOR MIZRACHI 🔥🚀 pic.twitter.com/E5sqqHbZkJ

— The Bitcoin Conference (@TheBitcoinConf) May 29, 2025

With Priority Canal Access, Panama could become very influential in digital finance and technology and Bitcoin would take a bigger role in its economy. This plan deals with the increasing need for fast payment methods in world trade, since time gains translate into direct savings for shippers.

In total, the Panama Canal handles some 5% of the world’s sea trade. There were nearly 10,000 ship transits through the canal from October 2023 to September 2024. With 423 million tons of cargo loaded and unloaded, Panama earned almost $5 billion from these ships. Priority Canal Access is important for companies that want to stay competitive.

Choosing Appropriate Moments in Political Unrest

Efforts to review the Panama Canal more carefully greatly influence the development of the Priority Canal Access plan. During an address in December 2024, President Donald Trump said the United States should take over Panama Canal management, as he felt U.S. ships were not given equal treatment under the toll system.

Donald Trump said that America’s interests could be affected by China’s growing role in the canal which results in a difficult international situation. By introducing the Priority Canal Access initiative, Mizrachi aids Panama’s efforts to grow in digital areas and improve the performance and competitiveness of the canal with global partners.

The mayor’s proposal shows that Panama is committed to innovation even with outside pressures on the country. With Priority Canal Access, Panama’s competitiveness could grow thanks to the technological benefits that make the canal different from other routes and more attractive to world shipping companies.

Service Guide for Municipal Bitcoin Adoption

Panama City has set new rules that let people and organizations pay their city taxes, penalties and bills using Bitcoin and similar digital currencies. The framework enables the Priority Canal Access plan by creating a network for cryptocurrency payments within the city system.

The mayor recommended Panama City create a special Bitcoin reserve to help the city’s finances and attract investment. The city generates more than half of all gross domestic product in Panama, so access to the canal has economic value beyond shipping.

The mayor stated that he could start building a Bitcoin reserve within the city, without necessitating nationwide legal authorization. As a result, Priority Canal Access can start operating without requiring approval from the federal bureaucracy.

Mizrachi cautioned lawmakers not to make laws that might restrict progress in financial technology. He suggested waiting for Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies to grow on their own before rules are added, so that Priority Canal Access and other measures can prove themselves.

The Priority Canal Access system is set up to handle Panama’s $5 billion yearly Bitcoin transactions, most of which go unreported because of worries about the law and society. Mizrachi thinks that formal recognition of Priority Canal Access will encourage businesses to embrace cryptocurrency.

The way Priority Canal Access manages digital resources could inform and guide major shipping routes around the world. Offering innovative solutions in payments, the proposal boosts Panama’s position against competitors, particularly attracting tech-minded shipping businesses.

Such concerns come at a time when Chiquita is conducting layoffs in Bocas del Toro that have left over 5,000 workers out of a job. Mizrachi suggested that cryptocurrencies, including Priority Canal Access tokens, may help safeguard people who need more support when infrastructure systems fail.

Conclusion

Being able to use Priority Canal Access in trade is a significant milestone for cryptocurrency. It could alter the process of transit for ships through the Panama Canal. The plan proposed by Mayor Mizrachi indicates that Panama is working on new ideas and speeding up payments. Should it succeed, it could present a worldwide blueprint for conduct in this sphere.