A Look at the Origins of Bitcoin: Laser Eyes as El Salvador’s President Dons Them

More than 1,000 profile avatars flipped to laser eyes within days in early 2021 — a tiny change that helped push a global conversation about money and policy.

The meme began on Bitcoin Twitter with creators like Chairforce and The Meme Factory and the #LaserRayUntil100K push. It gained steam when the price neared major milestones and the community, including the first account fell into focus, rallied behind the visual cue.

When president nayib bukele updated his profile as El Salvador moved to make Bitcoin legal tender, a social signal crossed into state policy. U.S. figures — from senators to celebrities — amplified the moment, turning a meme into a shorthand for conviction.

This piece is a news analysis that traces the path from Twitter threads to country-level action, sets the timeline, and previews legal, market, and tax angles for American readers. For background, see the original reporting linked here.

Key Takeaways

• Laser eyes began as a Bitcoin Twitter meme that became a global signal of conviction.
• The campaign coincided with Bitcoin’s rise toward high price milestones in early 2021.
• President Nayib Bukele’s avatar change marked a rare moment when meme culture met national policy.
• U.S. public figures helped amplify awareness beyond crypto native circles.
• This analysis separates the memetic hype from lasting legal and market implications for American readers.

Breaking context: President Nayib Bukele’s laser eyes and Bitcoin as legal tender

When El Salvador moved to accept Bitcoin alongside the U.S. dollar, the switch tied a vivid online symbol to formal policy. President Nayib Bukele’s avatar change happened as the June 9, 2021 law made bitcoin legal tender in the country.

The law means Bitcoin can settle debts, pay taxes, and buy everyday goods, running in parallel with the U.S. dollar. It requires economic agents to accept the new currency, while the government pledged training and technology to help people and businesses onboard.

• Mandate: Acceptance by merchants for goods and services.
• Public support: Government to provide wallets, training, and tech.
• Significance: First IMF-member nation to recognize bitcoin legal tender.

“The combination of a meme-driven moment and legal change compressed public attention and policy action into a short time window.”

Feature	Before June 9, 2021	After
Tender status	U.S. dollar only	U.S. dollar + Bitcoin
Merchant obligation	Voluntary	Required by law
Government role	Limited	Training and tech support

Implementation raised practical questions: merchant readiness, device and network needs, and how to handle volatile prices. The laser eyes moment amplified both excitement and confusion in equal measure, setting up the tensions that follow in policy and markets.

The meme’s backstory: From Bitcoin Twitter Plebs to #LaserRayUntil100K

A single creative nudge in a chat spawned a viral avatar switch that rippled across crypto circles.

Chairforce says they joined bitcoin twitter as a Pleb and quickly bonded with American HODL. Together with others they formed the meme factory, a loose crew making splashy, copyable community art.

Chairforce, American HODL, and the rise of The Meme Factory

The group had a track record: holiday avatars and Hodlonaut support taught the network how to sync. That history made mass adoption feel natural and fast.

How a kangaroo request sparked a viral avatar movement

A simple ask to put laser eyes on a kangaroo image became the spark. Members coordinated a timed switch near the $50,000 mark and launched #LaserRayUntil100K.

Why repeatability and exclusivity made laser eyes spread

The visual was bold in a tiny avatar: focused laser beams, clear contrast, instant legibility. Repeatable templates and an insider wink made adoption feel exclusive.

• Short, copy-ready images made creating memes easy.
• Synchronized rollouts amplified reach in hours, not months.
• American HODL’s sharp persona—tweet perfect shitposts and would call bullshit—gave the effort credibility.

“One of history’s great marketing campaigns,” Anthony Pompliano later said.

Virality in action: Celebrities, lawmakers, and Bitcoin maximalists put laser eyes on

A synchronized social push morphed into headlines when public figures added laser beams to their avatars. Within 72 hours of the February 16 launch, senator Cynthia Lummis and other lawmakers adopted the look, bringing the meme from bitcoin twitter into mainstream feeds.

High-profile adoption helped compress diffusion from months to days. Celebrities like Tom Brady and Paris Hilton, and investors such as Michael Saylor, put laser eyes on their profiles and made the motif visible in national timelines.

One-day boosts mattered. Elon Musk’s brief laser avatar on February 19 spiked attention beyond crypto-native circles and sent reporters searching for context.

Why mainstream figures mattered

The meme factory and contributors like american hodl engineered repeatable graphics that made creating memes easy and fast. Visual simplicity gave social proof: when known people used the image, others felt early to a movement.

“One of history’s great marketing campaigns,” Anthony Pompliano later said.

Media coverage and quote-tweets from skeptics widened reach. Even foes who would call bullshit or call bullshit scams amplified discussion by engaging publicly.

The tone—playful but assertive—let a bitcoin maximalist would signal conviction without a word, which encouraged more high-profile adopters and, ultimately, drew policy attention that set up the legal debates that followed.

El Salvador’s legal framework: adoption, mandates, and government support

El Salvador’s 2021 law moved a bold online signal into formal policy, creating new obligations and a national rollout plan.

Core provisions set Bitcoin as an official form of payment. The statute recognizes Bitcoin as legal tender and requires economic agents to accept it for goods and services. The law also allows taxes and public fees to be settled in BTC.

Training, technology rollout, and obligations for economic agents

The government pledged technical support to reduce friction. That includes merchant training, wallet rollouts, and point-of-sale tools to help small businesses accept bitcoin legal payments.

Officials promised connectivity upgrades, device distribution, and help desks to assist first-time users. These measures aim to lower the UX barrier many cite when adopting crypto.

Why this is a signature moment for crypto — and DeFi implications

Analysts call it a signature moment because a dollarized country legally benchmarked a cryptocurrency at the highest official status. For market observers, the move tests sovereign-level adoption in a real economy.

Proponents see potential bridges to DeFi rails: custodial on-ramps may soon link to on-chain services, expanding access. Still, on-chain fees, volatility, and settlement UX remain real constraints for everyday use.

• Financial inclusion: Promises broader payment access for unbanked users but raises volatility questions.
• Support matters: Government training and tech are critical to merchant compliance.
• Cross-border limits: Recognition as bitcoin legal tender does not remove international tax or reporting complexities for non-residents.

“Government-backed support—from connectivity to education—will determine whether legal tender status becomes practical or symbolic.”

a-look-at-the-origins-of-bitcoin-laser-eyes-as-el-salvadors-president-dons-them

A timed social campaign around a hot price milestone pushed a playful graphic from niche chats into broad political conversation.

The core storyline: laser eyes surged from bitcoin twitter to global political feeds and into a national story in remarkably short time.

The meme factory timed the push near a watched price bitcoin threshold. That cadence made the signal stick for people tracking market moves.

The design focused on eyes and bold laser lines so avatars read clearly in tiny spaces. That simplicity helped profiles cycle the look on and off over months.

American HODL and collaborators made creating memes easy, inviting fast participation with minimal effort. The hashtag #LaserRayUntil100K tied the graphic to a measurable goal and raised sharing momentum.

“Avatars changed quickly; the deeper story remained political will, merchant tooling, and consumer education.”

In short, the visual trend was a rapid identity marker. Behind it were policy choices and practical steps that decided whether the moment became lasting change.

U.S. lens: taxes, income, and property rules when Bitcoin crosses borders

Cross-border Bitcoin payments raise two basic U.S. tax concerns: income recognition when received and capital gains or losses when spent or converted.

IRS treatment and timing

The IRS classifies Bitcoin as property. That means U.S. persons who receive BTC record ordinary income equal to the fair market value in USD at the time of receipt, even if the payment originates in another country.

Later spending, selling, or converting that same Bitcoin usually creates a capital gain or loss. Track your basis (the USD value at receipt) and the disposal price to compute any taxable gain.

Practical rules for individuals and businesses

El Salvador’s decision to make Bitcoin legal tender does not change U.S. tax treatment. Domestic rules rely on classification, not foreign tender status. Taxpayers should document why they valued BTC a certain way if they rely on alternative arguments.

• Keep timestamps, USD equivalents, counterparty IDs, and wallet addresses for each event.
• Market volatility matters: changes in the price between receipt and disposal drive gains or losses.
• Businesses billing or paying in BTC must recognize income when received and may trigger capital events on treasury conversions.

“Day-to-day compliance depends on strong recordkeeping and clear valuation at the time of each transaction.”

Cross-border acceptance by a country can ease payments in practice, but U.S. taxpayers still must report worldwide income. For case-specific interpretations or complex foreign-currency theories, consult a qualified tax professional.

Market mood: price swings, McDonald’s hats, and #LaserEyesUntilFiatDies

When the meme peak passed, social feeds tracked a sharp turn in price bitcoin and sentiment. Bitcoin fell below $30k, and a new counter-meme—the McDonald’s hat—marked local bottoms with tongue-in-cheek humor.

The market then staged a quick recovery: in a single day bitcoin rallied about 18% on June 23. That jump showed how fast narratives flip and why traders watch price moves day-to-day.

#LaserEyesUntilFiatDies picked up where the original push left off, keeping the laser motif alive through months of volatility. People remixed avatars to signal peaks, troughs, and confidence.

Memes mirrored mood but did not change fundamentals. Liquidity, macro forces, and adoption data still set long-term outcomes. Leaders who kept steady messages—Bukele calling the plan “bulletproof”—helped frame a long-horizon stance during pullbacks.

“Memes offered a shared language to process rapid moves without needing technical charts.”

Event	Price move	Social signal
Post-peak retrace	Below $30k	McDonald’s hat (local lows)
June 23 rebound	+18% in one day	Renewed laser posts
Months after peak	Choppy swings	#LaserEyesUntilFiatDies continuity

Each meme wave nudged newcomers toward basic lessons: wallets, custody, and risk management. In short, social signals helped people interpret rapid price action while fundamentals remained the anchor.

LatAm ripple effects and the stablecoin counterargument

A wave of avatar changes and policy signals across the region showed how a social trend can push concrete debate.

Paraguay and Panama registered quick reactions. Paraguay’s Carlitos Rejala and Panama’s Gabriel Silva flashed laser-eyed avatars while voicing crypto-friendly plans. Those public gestures brought attention to country-level policy work and startup attraction.

Venture moves reinforced interest. Bitso reaching unicorn status proved liquidity and infrastructure were growing across latin american markets. That milestone matters for on-ramps and local custody options.

Stablecoins, DeFi access, and scaling

Stablecoins like USDC and DAI offer steadier buying power than BTC and can earn yields via DeFi lending. But high Ethereum gas fees have limited access.

• Layer 2 solutions such as Polygon lower costs and widen DeFi access.
• DeFi lending can provide yield on stablecoins, improving saving options for people.
• Practical rails remain key: adoption needs low fees, wallets, and trusted custodians.

“Scarcity and neutrality vs. stability and utility — both frameworks matter, depending on the user’s needs.”

El Salvador’s incentives — residency offers, no property tax, and no capital gains on Bitcoin — aim to attract builders who can scale local ecosystems. The meme factory, american hodl, and bitcoin twitter helped normalize discussion across latin american feeds, accelerating grassroots education and policy interest.

Conclusion

What started as a coordinated avatar flip became a live experiment in national finance. The meme factory and laser eyes pushed a visual cue into headlines and into the hands of the salvador president nayib, sparking real policy choices.

Long-term success depends on merchant enablement, user education, and reliable rails—more than social momentum or price bitcoin chatter. U.S. taxpayers must still treat Bitcoin as property and track basis for every taxable event.

Stablecoins and DeFi offer practical paths for day-to-day budgets alongside Bitcoin’s tender status in one country. The original energy—from twitter american hodl’s ethos to would call bullshit and tweet perfect shitposts—should guide builders toward resilient tech, clear policy, and inclusive tools.

The laser moment grabbed attention; durable change will follow from infrastructure, good rules, and community stewardship over time.

FAQ

What does it mean that Nayib Bukele put “laser eyes” on his avatar?

The laser eyes avatar is a viral meme from Bitcoin Twitter that signals strong support for Bitcoin’s price reaching new highs. When President Nayib Bukele adopted it, the gesture mixed internet culture with official politics, amplifying Bitcoin’s profile globally and sparking debate about a head of state endorsing a private digital asset.

How did the laser-eyes meme start and spread on social platforms?

The meme began among Bitcoin enthusiasts and influencers who used laser eyes as a shorthand for bullish confidence. Key accounts like American HODL and coordinated groups dubbed “meme factories” helped push the trend. Viral challenges, celebrity reposts, and coordinated avatar swaps like #LaserRayUntil100K drove mass adoption across Twitter and other networks.

Why did the meme gain traction after a “kangaroo request” anecdote?

That anecdote — a playful, unexpected prompt in a social thread — illustrated how simple, repeatable calls to action can generate massive engagement. People replicated the avatar change because it was easy, visible, and created a sense of community and exclusivity among participants.

What does “legal tender” status mean for Bitcoin in El Salvador?

Declaring Bitcoin legal tender means businesses in El Salvador must accept it for goods and services where feasible, alongside the U.S. dollar. The law aimed to increase financial inclusion and lower remittance costs, while the government provided infrastructure and a conversion mechanism to reduce volatility risks for merchants.

How does El Salvador’s Bitcoin policy affect U.S. tax and reporting rules?

U.S. taxpayers must follow IRS guidance: Bitcoin received as income is taxable at fair market value when received, and spending or converting Bitcoin triggers capital gains or losses measured from the time of receipt. Cross-border payments originating in El Salvador do not change U.S. tax treatment for U.S. persons.

What legal and operational steps did El Salvador take to implement Bitcoin payments?

The government rolled out a digital wallet, promoted merchant adoption, and offered training. It also set conversion utilities to allow instant swaps to dollars, and passed regulations clarifying obligations for businesses and public agencies to accept Bitcoin where practical.

Did prominent U.S. politicians and celebrities join the laser-eyes trend?

Yes. Senators like Cynthia Lummis and public figures including athletes and entertainers repurposed the meme to express support or curiosity about Bitcoin. Their participation helped mainstream the symbol beyond niche crypto circles.

How did markets react when the Salvadoran president embraced the meme and Bitcoin policy?

The reaction was mixed. Short-term price moves and social-media-driven volatility often followed. Some traders saw the move as bullish sentiment, while others worried about centralization risks, regulatory blowback, and the impact of political headlines on market mood.

What are the regional implications for Latin America after El Salvador’s adoption?

Several countries in the region, such as Paraguay and Panama, monitored El Salvador closely and signaled varying levels of interest. The episode pushed discussions about crypto regulation, remittance economics, and the role of stablecoins versus Bitcoin for inclusion and volatility management.

How do stablecoins compare with Bitcoin for national payment use and inclusion?

Stablecoins offer price stability and clearer pricing for everyday transactions, which can aid merchant adoption and reduce conversion friction. Bitcoin proponents argue for decentralization and store-of-value benefits. Policymakers must weigh volatility, on-ramps, DeFi integration, and regulatory oversight when choosing between them.

Could adopting Bitcoin as legal tender create compliance or consumer protection issues?

Yes. Rapid adoption raises concerns about consumer education, fraud, price volatility, anti-money-laundering controls, and platform resilience. Governments need clear rules, training, and oversight to protect users and integrate crypto safely into the financial system.