Bitcoin Investor Seeks To Build Community On Island
SKNList.com
Bitcoin Investor Seeks To Build Community On Island
A concept illustration of the Destiny development. Image credit: Destiny SSZ
A Belgium-origin cryptocurrency investor is building a community on the southern coast of the island of Nevis, in the Caribbean, that is intended to have its own judicial system, the Financial Times reported.
Olivier Janssens’ company South Nevis Ltd is currently buying up properties on the island for the “Destiny” development, which is part of the “network state” movement backed by Silicon Valley figures such as Sam Altman, Peter Thiel, Marc Andreessen, and Coinbase chief executive Brian Armstrong.
Janssens describes the project as being aimed at entrepreneurs and investors seeking greater independence, and referred to Nevis as a “host nation”.
Libertarian community
He said he wanted to form a libertarian community because he does not trust politicians.
“We’re just like, ‘Leave us alone and let us do our things’,” Janssens said via video link to a panel of islanders in November, according to the FTreport.
The Destiny project is described by the island’s government as a multibillion-dollar scheme that will include massive construction along the south coast, including villas and medical clinics.
Janssens criticised the island’s court system as lacking “efficiency” which would make it “not attractive to people to come”.
He said Destiny could “propose that for certain matters we have our own efficient court systems”, although it would ultimately “still abide by” the national legal system.
Legal system
The project is enabled by the St Kitts and Nevis Special Sustainability Zones Authorisation Act, passed in summer 2025, which allows the government to enter into agreements for such zones, although it has faced opposition from some residents.
A handful of “network state” projects have received hundreds of millions of dollars in venture capital backing from wealthy investors, the report said.
While most remain theoretical, a gated community called Próspera on a Honduran island claims to have brought in more than $150 million (£112m) in investment and created jobs, although it is now suing the Honduran government, which is trying to repeal its charter.