Buenos Aires Will Run Ethereum Validators Starting in 2023

Buenos Aires plans to deploy and operate Ethereum validators next year, the city government says

by Tiago Varzim /
article-image

Source: Shutterstock

share
  • The city will be a driving force behind blockchain adoption, but private companies will serve as partners in node deployment
  • Buenos Aires announced in April that citizens would be able to pay taxes using cryptocurrencies

Buenos Aires will become one of the first public entities in the world to help run Ethereum’s network infrastructure, a city official announced during Argentina’s ETHLatam conference last week.

Private companies will contract with the city to deploy validator nodes — computers running Ethereum client software — which are slated to be installed next year. 

The validators, which are responsible for storing data, processing transactions and adding new blocks to the blockchain, will become part of the proof-of-stake network consensus system being implemented in conjunction with the Merge, expected to occur in mid-September.

The city’s secretary of innovation and digital transformation, Diego Fernández, didn’t disclose how many nodes would be deployed during last week’s announcement, but each validator requires a stake of 32 ether to operate (currently valued at about $60,300).

The city council’s investment will be conducted within the regulatory sandbox created in early 2021 by the Buenos Aires legislative branch. The city’s data centers will host the nodes.

Fernández, a crypto enthusiast, told Coindesk that the city’s decision “has exploratory and regulatory purposes” that will help “develop adaptable [crypto] regulation.”

Once regarded as a crypto-friendly country, Argentina’s stance on digital assets has since shifted, although perhaps involuntarily — the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in May reportedly pressured the country’s central bank to ban unregulated crypto transactions in traditional banks.

However, the country’s capital has continued to look favorably upon the nascent space. Buenos Aires Mayor Horacio Rodríguez Larreta in April announced that local citizens would be able to pay taxes using cryptocurrencies. He later elaborated, explaining that the process would be handled by crypto companies, as the local government itself can only accept Argentine pesos. 

Argentines rank among the world’s top adopters of digital assets, in part due to persistently high inflation in the South American country, alongside the yearslong devaluation of the local peso. Locals, in turn, have started investing in crypto to protect their savings from losing purchasing power.


Get the news in your inbox. Explore Blockworks newsletters:

Tags

Decoding crypto and the markets. Daily, with Byron Gilliam.

Upcoming Events

Old Billingsgate

Mon - Wed, October 13 - 15, 2025

Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

recent research

Research Report Templates.jpg

Research

Figure, founded by former SoFi CEO Mike Cagney, has emerged as a leader in onchain RWAs, with ~$17.5B publicly tokenized. The platform’s ecosystem volume is growing ~40% YoY as it expands beyond HELOCs into student loans, DSCR loans, unsecured loans, bankruptcy claims, and more. Operationally, Figure cuts average loan production cost by ~93% and compresses median funding time from ~42 days to ~10, creating a durable speed-and-cost advantage.

article-image

New short and long-term priorities include L1 gas boosts, ZK-EVMs, privacy reads, and a lean, quantum-resistant Ethereum

by Blockworks /
article-image

The new stBTC token redistributes Bitcoin gas fees to users, creating liquid yield without inflation or lockups

by Blockworks /
article-image

The reserve will collect protocol revenues to back W token, alongside new yield and unlock schedule

by Blockworks /
article-image

Layer 2 network Taiko integrates Chainlink Data Streams to deliver reliable onchain market data for DeFi and institutions

by Blockworks /
article-image

The license will allow Bullish to operate in New York under strict digital asset rules

by Blockworks /
article-image

The derivatives giant expands crypto offerings with new Solana and XRP futures options, pending regulatory review

by Blockworks /