Key Takeaways

• Diego Gutiérrez Zaldívar co-founded Rootstock (RSK), the first smart contract platform built on the Bitcoin network. 

• He has been a major force in developing Latin America’s crypto ecosystem through initiatives like Bitcoin Argentina and LaBITconf. 

• Diego began his career in technology in 1995, co-founding early internet ventures such as Xinergia, Patagon.com, and Internet Argentina.

Diego Gutiérrez Zaldívar is a co-founder of Rootstock (RSK), the first smart contract platform built on the Bitcoin network. He has also played a key role in shaping Latin America’s crypto ecosystem, founding initiatives such as Bitcoin Argentina and the Latin American Bitcoin & Blockchain Conference (LaBITconf). As of early 2026, he leads RootstockLabs as Co-founder and CEO, overseeing the development of the Rootstock protocol and supporting the community of developers and innovators building on it.

Early Career and Professional Background

Education and Credentials

Diego Gutiérrez Zaldívar began his education at Escuela Nro 26 Adolfo Van Gelderen (1982–1987) and continued at Instituto Libre de Segunda Enseñanza (ILSE), where he earned a Humanistic-oriented Bachiller degree from 1988 to 1992. In 1993, he pursued Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), gaining valuable technical knowledge that would later shape his professional journey.

Early Technology and Internet Ventures

Diego’s career in technology began in 1995, marking him as one of Argentina’s early web innovators. That year, he co-founded one of the country’s first ISPs and launched Xinergia, a web development company he led as CEO for over 17 years. During this period, he worked on high-profile projects such as serving as Webmaster for Clarín and helping establish its online portal, Clarín Digital.

Between 1996 and 1998, he co-founded Patagon.com, a pioneering online financial platform later acquired by Banco Santander for around $750 million. He also co-founded Internet Argentina, led R&D at ElSitio.com, and in 2002 co-founded Edunexo, a SaaS platform for educational institutions in Latin America and Spain, where he continues to serve as director.

Entering the Bitcoin and Blockchain Space

Around 2012, Diego shifted his focus to Bitcoin and blockchain, aiming to promote adoption in Latin America. In 2013, he co-founded the Bitcoin Argentina NGO (Asociación Civil DECODES), serving as president to educate communities and foster adoption. He also co-founded the Bitcoin Latam NGO, creating a network of Bitcoin communities across nine countries.

In May 2013, he co-founded the Latin American Bitcoin & Blockchain Conference (LaBITconf), now recognized as the world’s longest-running Bitcoin conference. Diego has engaged in institutional and governmental initiatives, co-creating LACChain with the Inter-American Development Bank and meeting leaders like Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro to explore Bitcoin’s societal potential.

Blockchain Entrepreneurship

In 2015, Diego co-founded Koibanx, a fintech company building blockchain-based tokenization and payment solutions for Latin America’s financial sector, where he continues to serve on the board. That same year, alongside Sergio Demian Lerner, Rubén Altman, Adrián Eidelman, and Gabriel Kurman, he co-founded RSK Labs to develop Rootstock (RSK), an open-source smart contract platform merge-mined with Bitcoin to expand its scalability and functionality.

Leadership at Rootstock Labs

In January 2018, the RSK mainnet, “Bamboo,” went live, marking a major milestone for Bitcoin-based smart contracts. Following this, RSK Labs evolved into IOV Labs, now RootstockLabs, a hub supporting both Rootstock and the RSK Infrastructure Framework (RIF). As Co-founder and CEO, Diego has guided the team in expanding Bitcoin’s potential, building infrastructure for decentralized applications, and driving blockchain innovation across Latin America and beyond.

Zaldívar’s Take on Bitcoin and Banks

In a YouTube interview on the TEDx Talks channel, Diego Gutiérrez Zaldívar shared his thoughts on how the internet has changed the way we communicate and share information, and how Bitcoin and blockchain fit into that shift. He explained that even online, banks and other intermediaries have traditionally been relied on to manage trust and coordination in financial transactions.

He also noted that while these intermediaries made trade possible, they added extra costs, complexity, and limited access for many people. Because digital information can be copied easily, Zaldívar said it’s been challenging to move value directly online without depending on trusted middlemen.

Impact on Latin America’s Crypto Ecosystem

Diego Gutiérrez Zaldívar has played a key role in shaping Latin America’s crypto landscape. Through initiatives like the Bitcoin Argentina NGO, Bitcoin Latam NGO, and LaBITconf, he has educated communities, built networks, and brought together innovators, entrepreneurs, and policymakers. 

His work has not only increased awareness of Bitcoin and blockchain but has also created the foundations for a thriving, connected ecosystem, leaving a lasting impact on the region’s adoption and development of crypto technology.

Vision for Bitcoin and Smart Contracts

Diego Gutiérrez Zaldívar sees Bitcoin as more than just a digital currency. Through Rootstock (RSK), he has brought smart contract capabilities to Bitcoin, letting developers create apps, tokenized assets, and financial tools directly on the network. 

By merge-mining RSK with Bitcoin, Rootstock adds more flexibility and speed while keeping Bitcoin secure. For Diego, this is a key step toward a financial system that is open, programmable, and accessible to everyone.

Final Thoughts

Diego Gutiérrez Zaldívar has shaped Bitcoin and blockchain in Latin America through both innovation and community building. From his early tech ventures to pioneering smart contracts with Rootstock, he has worked to make blockchain more accessible and practical. His vision goes beyond technology. He is building an open, programmable financial system that empowers people and helps the crypto ecosystem grow. Today, his work continues to inspire a new generation of developers, entrepreneurs, and advocates to explore what Bitcoin and blockchain can achieve.