FT: Crypto Entrepreneur Promises Nevis Citizens Monthly $100 Payments Through Development Deal
A development initiative called Destiny, led by cryptocurrency millionaire Olivier Janssens, has proposed monthly payments of $100 to Nevis residents contingent on governmental approval, sparking significant backlash from local officials, according to Financial Times reporting.
Olivier Janssens, a cryptocurrency millionaire from Belgium, has allegedly proposed monthly payments of $100 to residents of Nevis in exchange for governmental approval of his plans to develop a libertarian, technology-focused community on the Caribbean island nation.
According to an email obtained by the Financial Times, Destiny—Jannsens' project seeking to acquire and redevelop approximately 2,400 acres on the Caribbean island—stated that monthly $100 payments to residents would commence "immediately once the final agreement with the government is approved."
This $100 monthly payment represents a substantial increase compared to the original proposal of 30 East Caribbean dollars (US$11) that the project announced in November 2025.
Critics of the development project responded to the payment offer with intense disapproval, characterizing it as a deliberate strategy to manipulate both public sentiment and the government's decision-making process.
A member of the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP), Kelvin Daly, issued a strong rebuke of the initiative, accusing it of applying undue pressure on government officials to grant approval for the development. In a Monday Facebook post, Daly stated: "Janssens and De Primer have upped their bribe from US$30/month to US$100/month."
"This is influence buying, a clear attempt by a private developer to interfere in the domestic socioeconomic and political affairs of our country."
Daly called upon government authorities to launch an investigation into the proposal to determine whether it violates provisions of the Anti-Corruption Act.
The Destiny project is pursuing authorization through the Special Sustainability Zones framework of St. Kitts and Nevis, a legislative structure enacted in 2025 that provides the legal foundation for such development projects.
The project outlines plans to contribute $50 million toward infrastructure development in Nevis, with funding allocated for hospitals, health centers, residential villas, and employment opportunities, alongside commitments to distribute 10% of the profit to citizens and an additional 10% to Nevis' sovereign wealth fund.
Cointelegraph has reached out to Destiny requesting comment regarding the anticipated timeline for project approval.
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Janssens gained recognition as an early investor in Bitcoin and held a position on the Bitcoin Foundation's board briefly in 2015, during which time he publicly declared that the organization was "effectively bankrupt."
Balaji Srinivasan, the former chief technical officer of Coinbase exchange, revealed a comparable initiative during the Network State Conference held in Singapore in October 2025.
In his presentation, he encouraged individuals from the cryptocurrency and technology sectors to pool resources to purchase land and establish additional technology-friendly communities, framing the concept as Silicon Valley's "ultimate exit" from what he described as "failing" US institutions.
Srinivasan additionally presented a document indicating that a total of 120 "start-up societies" are currently under development across the globe.