On 3 September, the Ekhi social currency was introduced in Biteri, which will soon be launched in Hernani. Municipal representatives, representatives of the Ekhilur cooperative and members of the association of merchants and hotel managers Berriak explained the project. The mayor, Xabier Lertxundi, said that the objective of this system is "to stop the money that Hernaniarras spend on the people and strengthen the economy of the people". The goal is to strengthen the community, change people's buying habits and regain control over money.

With this objective, Ekhilur is a digital payment system and there are no physical currencies. All Hernani residents, businesses and businesses can participate. “The more extensive the network, the stronger the system will be and the greater the benefit to the local economy,” Lertxundi stressed.

Initially, the City Hall will promote the expansion of this system. Therefore, the City Council is committed to making some of the purchases made by the entity through the Ekhilur system. In addition, in order to promote trade, the Municipality will take advantage of municipal programs and campaigns to promote economic activity, as well as a portion of the purchase bonds it takes from time to time in June.

What is its functioning?

To participate in the Ekhilur system, the first step is to become a member of the Ekhilur cooperative. The contribution is EUR 50, but if you stop being a partner, the money will be refunded. Then you have to lower the clickoin application and recharge money, as in the case of bizums or similar systems. In addition, recharging can also be done in stores. In addition, a physical card with the QR system will be made available to all users for those who do not wish to use the vomiting system or the like.

Ekhilur users stressed that the system has multiple advantages, as “in addition to fostering the local economy, users will receive an automatic discount when making a payment in a trade. This discount is subsequently accrued to account and can be used in any other network trade’.

The account has a maintenance cost: EUR 15 per year plus VAT for citizens and EUR 24 plus VAT for traders. However, the promotion campaign will be launched in October and the first year’s maintenance cost for the first 800 citizens and the 80 shops in the city will be free of charge.

The challenge, widening the network

In Bizkaia, in Bilbao, the operation started before the summer and Alex López, from the Ekhilur cooperative, reported that there are about 30 shops on the commercial network. “In Gipuzkoa, Hernani is the pilot project. Our intention is that in the future it should extend to the whole of the Basque Country. In this way, each town besides having its own internal network, we would create a larger network, especially so that companies and businesses could buy within that larger network,” he said. “We are also talking to the Basque promoters in Ipar Euskal Herria to discuss how we can build the relationship between the two.”