Money Mingle - Reinventing Monetary Governance Next Door w/ Alex Lopez at ekhilur
- Sophie Charrois
- May 11
- 2 min read
Updated: May 20
We’re more than thrilled to have ekhilur’s founder, Alex Lopez, join us for our next Money Mingle on June 9 at 5 p.m. and can’t wait to hear his story. This event is free, and we recommend a donation to support our work
ekhilur is a non-profit citizen-owned cooperative that operates its own payment system, regulated by the Bank of Spain. While it uses legal tender like any other payment system, it is independent of VISA and builds its own network. Because it is governed by the cooperative, it can set its own rules and “program” money to operate differently—fostering alternative economic dynamics to those generated by conventional currency.
The system includes a loyalty scheme that incentivises purchases at local businesses through bonuses shared between merchants and the municipal government. This both attracts money into the network and discourages its leakage. Future developments will integrate the municipal government's payment system and include an energy cooperative and a telecommunications cooperative as part of the ekhilur network. Ekhilur is not a local currency or crypto-asset, but a tool for community-oriented monetary governance.
Here are 2 articles that explore what's behind the apparently very pragmatic solution: Beyond local currencies: strengthening your city's economy
Check out more about ekhilur here and sign up for our Money Mingle to not miss this conversation. Money Mingles are open spaces to get in touch with new ideas around money. Once a month we invite an innovator from the field for a shared exploration. Join us for intriguing conversations, new perspectives, and a sense of community. Our sessions are open to public and we invite you to contribute following the principles of gift economy: Offer what you can, and share the value with others..
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