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Liberation Travel Hacks 10/2025
it is interesting to observe how Slovaks and other Anglo-Saxon nations (where, unfortunately, freedom has also been declining in recent years) perceive state intervention in liberty.
When censorship was introduced in Slovakia a few years ago, all Internet providers in Slovakia were forced by law to block access to unlicensed online gambling (licensed gambling, of course, remained permitted). My friend Juraj Bednár and I spoke publicly about censorship. People thought we were crazy—after all, it didn't affect "us" in any way, so that it couldn't be "censorship."
When they expanded the list to include "conspiracy websites" during the COVID pandemic, again, it wasn't censorship, but a "necessary fight against misinformation." Again, it doesn't affect us, so it's not censorship.
None of this would be conceivable in the US, for example, where even attempts to ban Holocaust denial are inadmissible and unconstitutional.
In Slovakia, the introduction of electronic ID (eID / eDocuments) went unnoticed once again.
If I were to protest against it or even publicly express my opinion that it is a fundamental invasion of our privacy, I would once again be considered a complete lunatic.
ID cards have been around in Slovakia for decades, and everyone finds them completely normal. No one perceives them as an invasion of privacy, and everyone finds it normal to show their identity at every opportunity. We show them during preventive traffic checks without question (whereas preventive checks are prohibited in some of US states, for example).
The experience is different in the UK, where they have not had national ID cards for a long time. In fact, they have just been approved.
The British media is literally flooded with opposition to digital identities, with almost 2 million (!) people signing a petition against them!
63% of Britons do not believe that the British government can protect their digital identities from leaks.
When asked whether politicians are willing to pay every British citizen £10,000 in the event of a leak of their sensitive information, the answer is NO, which says it all.
It is bizarre that one of the main reasons given for introducing digital identities is the fight against illegal immigrants (especially since no digital ID is required of unlawful work :)
The Overton window in Slovakia is significantly shifted, and Slovaks have not even noticed that they have had digital IDs for a long time—and it passed without any protests.
Similarly, the transaction tax, 16% health insurance, bizarre amendments to the Constitution, and other nonsensical laws have been passed.
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Slovaks let themselves be kicked in the head.
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Unfortunately, without ever raising it.
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As they are currently doing in the UK.
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Pavol Lupták, October 19, 2025, Flores, Azores
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EU
The vote on the controversial EU proposal called "Chat Control," which was supposed to take place on October 14, has been postponed. The key state of Germany (fortunately) opposed this proposal. (Some) Child rights advocates are desperate that the EU does not stand up for "child protection." Perhaps no one has realized yet any uncensored offline AI model can generate that child pornography without anyone knowing about it (and without any child being abused). When EU bureaucrats figure this out, they will either ban the downloading of uncensored AI models and/or their local use. And anyone found with an uncensored AI model on their hard drive will be arrested as if they had child pornography itself.
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It sounds like something a Chinese dictator would say, but as an anarchist, I basically agree with Hummelgaard—we don't have any positive rights, only negative ones. Everything else must be contractually agreed upon. But we also don't have the right to decide on other people's lives through voting (elections) or to rob them under threat of violence (taxes).
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Jiří Kreibich: "If the proposed European Chat Control law, which would allow the monitoring of user communications, is adopted, we will ignore it completely. It is just another pathetic attempt by European bureaucrats to gain control over people under the false pretext of fighting illegal content. I consider this proposal to be highly immoral and contrary not only to my strong libertarian beliefs, but also to common sense. The vast majority of people do not want this law to be introduced. Unfortunately, this is just another of many cases where European bureaucrats and lawmakers are not acting according to the will or needs of the people, but according to their own will or in the interests of the interest groups they serve.
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Since our Yellow software, which would be affected by Chat Control (because it includes instant messaging and social networking features), has and always will have open source code, it can't be modified in this way. If someone were to force our software developers to adjust it to comply with Chat Control, it would be quickly discovered because anyone can download it, compare the changes with previous versions of the source code, report them, and then modify the code again to make it non-compliant with Chat Control.
I hereby give the middle finger to all European bureaucrats who live under the illusion of their superiority over other people, and I refuse to modify our Yellow software in any way to comply with Chat Control (or any other similarly ridiculous law) and thus enable the tracking of user data. Furthermore, I will continue to provide this software even in jurisdictions where it would become illegal as a result of Chat Control or any other legislation. I would be thrilled if you shared our software wherever possible, regularly backed up its source code, and stored it in various, preferably decentralized, repositories, as we do.
I don't need you to sign petitions, file appeals, or organize demonstrations. I am simply informing you that Yellow will always be available to you in a form that protects your data, whether you live in the EU, the US, Russia, China, or anywhere else.
We are creating a NEW FREE WORLD based on decentralized technologies that no human force can stop or censor. A world that, thanks to intelligent decentralized technologies, effectively resists threats from state servants."
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Western society is extremely hypocritical—it pretends not to discriminate against people based on gender, ethnicity, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation.
However, all countries in the world massively discriminate against people based on their place of birth/nationality. And they call it grandly "visa policy" or "embargo." And all ordinary people are victims of this.
Try talking about this with your Iranian friends who were just born in the wrong place.
Even if you have a European passport, have lived in the EU for a long time, and your place of birth in your European passport is Tehran, you can still have huge problems.
Read about the lives of Iranian software engineers.
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UK
I don't know about you, but I'm adding the UK to my blacklist of totalitarian countries that don't respect freedom of speech and where I don't plan to travel. I recently added Brazil to the list, and before that, the US for a highly traumatic experience at the border. China and Russia have been on the list from the beginning.
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USA
If you don't know what to do with your money, for $5 million, you can live as a non-US citizen for up to 9 months a year in the US with territorial taxation (without any taxes on foreign income outside the US). All you need is a Trump Platinum card.
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Ukraine
I spent the evening in a Warsaw bar with my Polish friends and a young Ukrainian couple who had fled Ukraine to Warsaw.
I learned that currently, the best-paid government job in Ukraine is that of a police officer. They earn several times more than the average salary in Ukraine. The reason is simple—not to be bribed by men who do not want to join the army.
Another great advantage of being a Ukrainian police officer is that you will never be sent to the army.
I was disgusted by how Slovak police officers can chase potheads and destroy their lives.
Being a Ukrainian police officer, chasing and forcing young men to sacrifice their lives for themselves, is an entirely different level of the police profession that I don't understand at all. But "someone has to do it" if we want to save Ukraine.
The bribe for assisted escape is still $20,000.
If you are a man under the age of 25, you do not have to go and fight automatically. In this case, the state offers you a reward of one million hryvnia (approx. 20000 EUR) to go and fight. My friends were not convinced by this "attractive" offer to go and die on the front line.
If you are over 25, you will not receive this extra reward, and you must automatically join the army.
They showed me a recent video from their street where the police started chasing their neighbor, even though he had a medical certificate stating that he did not have to enlist in the army. In the end, his poor health was recognized.
Not all Poles welcome Ukrainians who have fled Ukraine. They want them to stay in Ukraine and fight against the Russians.
When you are a young couple in love (like my friends) living in a cage from which you cannot escape, when all your friends are hiding so they don't have to join the army, going to fight for your country is the last thing you want to do.
If Poland enters the war, it is likely that Ukrainian men, who are currently being treated leniently, will be deported back to Ukraine.
That is why my Ukrainian friends are considering residency in Uruguay.
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Panama
Paraguay
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From January 1, 2026, the Paraguayan immigration office will require a mandatory one-day visit to Paraguay if you have temporary residence there, within 365 days of your temporary residence being approved (i.e., 365 days from the date of issue of your plastic residence card).
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We will see next year exactly how this rule will be enforced.
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The rule does not apply to people who have permanent residence in Paraguay.
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🌍 Validity of Paraguayan driver's licenses
✅ Valid without an IDP (international driver's license)
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A Paraguayan driver's license alone is sufficient (for short-term stays/tourism).
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Most of Europe – all EU and EEA countries (Slovakia, Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Baltic countries, etc.) + Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein. In Germany, you need an official German translation of your driver's license (you can get it here).
United Kingdom – accepts for short stays, but requires an exchange for extended stays.
North and South America – most countries that are party to the Geneva or Vienna Conventions (e.g., Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Canada).
Australia and New Zealand – generally accepted.
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👉 In Europe, an IDP is not usually legally required, but it may be recommended when renting a car or if your driver's license is not in Latin script. The Paraguayan IDP is widely accepted in Latin America, so there is usually no problem.
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⚠️ You need an IDP (international driver's license)
Here, an IDP is either required by law or required by the police/rental companies:
Japan – strictly only IDP according to the Geneva Conventions of 1949. Without it, driving is illegal.
Thailand – officially, a driver's license from a signatory country should suffice, but the police and insurance companies require an IDP. Without an IDP, you risk fines and invalid insurance.
India – foreigners are only allowed to drive with an IDP.
Indonesia (Bali, Java, Lombok, etc.) – IDP required.
Vietnam – requires an IDP according to Vienna 1968, but Paraguay only recognizes Geneva 1949 → in practice, a Paraguayan driver's license is not valid; a local permit is required.
China – does not recognize foreign driver's licenses or IDPs at all → a local Chinese driver's license is required.
Korea (South) – accepts IDP (Geneva 1949); a Paraguayan driver's license alone is not sufficient.
Hong Kong / Macao – usually require an IDP.
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ℹ️ Summary
Europe: a Paraguayan driver's license is sufficient (an IDP is only recommended, not mandatory).
Asia: IDP often required, except a few countries that tolerate foreign driver's licenses.
Special case: Spain has a bilateral agreement, so it is even possible to exchange your driver's license without taking a test.
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Bitcoin, Monero, ZCash, and cryptocurrencies
At Liberation Travel, we have supported the new Bitcoin game Game of Satoshi. The game features 12 episodes with hidden puzzles and tangible rewards. Created for Bitcoiners by Bitcoiners. Watch the trailer and join the story.
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We are happy to help you obtain permanent residency in Paraguay, Uruguay, and Panama! If you decide to apply for two (or even three) residencies at once, we now offer a 10% discount!
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Privacy
Travel Hacks
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Want to know if you have a valid tax number (e.g., Paraguayan RUC)?
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The TIN CHECK app can check it for you and find out if you are actually a tax resident of that country. In the case of Paraguay, the tax number (RUC) is your cedula number + an extra digit, which you can find in your SET profile.
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Comparison of services through which you can send and receive crypto, pay by card, and make transfers in the EU/US, and most importantly, which you can open with just your Paraguayan ID card or driver's license, no passport required
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Although the Western world is rushing down the path of draconian regulations (AML, CRS, MiCA, FATCA, etc.) and widespread spying, new crypto-friendly startups are emerging in various destinations that allow the use of crypto, are connected to SEPA, thus enabling bank transfers within the EU, and, incredibly — you can easily open an account with just your Paraguayan (or other Latin American) ID card or driver's license. If you don't have one yet, we will be happy to arrange it for you.
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In the following article, I will describe and compare crypto services that are:
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- crypto-friendly (and allow you to receive and send at least stablecoins across different networks)
- have a connection to the EU SEPA (or US) banking network, some of which also allow you to receive SEPA transactions
- have a payment card (in EUR/USD/or other currency), physical or virtual, with which you can pay anywhere (via NFC)
- can be opened without a passport, only with a Paraguayan or other ID card (this means that from the outset you are registered with the service as a Paraguayan resident, and the service operator does not recognize any other tax residence)
I want to point out that there are other excellent bank accounts and crypto cards (XAPO) that allow SEPA transfers and support Paraguayan residents. Still, you need a real passport to open them, and they are pretty expensive (XAPO costs USD 1,000/year).
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There are similar excellent crypto cards (RedotPay, CypherWallet, ReadyCard) that can be verified with Paraguayan documents only, but they do not allow SEPA payments.
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1. Jeton
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Jeton is one of my favorite services.
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You can complete KYC for a Paraguayan ID card/driver's license in 3 minutes. Your account is held in USD or EUR, and you can optionally open an account in any other currency (I also use CZK).
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You can deposit fiat or crypto into your account:
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- for free and instantly(!) directly from your Revolut (question to consider — do you really want to link it to your Revolut)
- via Apple Pay for 2.5%
- via Binance Pay for 0% fee
- for free with any crypto (stablecoins above ERC20/TRC20/Solana, BTC, BCH, ETH, DOGE, SOL, TRX, etc.)
- Jeton Cash, which you can buy online with fiat or crypto
However, you do not have any SEPA or other externally available account to which a bank transfer could be made.
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You can withdraw fiat or crypto:
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- to a SEPA account for free (!) — it will arrive the next day, you are the sender of the SEPA payment (i.e., your name), which looks very trustworthy (other SEPA payment services use a proxy). It is also possible to define a "Reference", i.e., a payment description.
- to your other Jeton account or the account of another Jeton user.
- sending crypto (see above supported currencies) to any address
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Internal exchange of fiat to crypto and vice versa is at a practically mid-market rate (excellent).
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For $10, you can activate a virtual VISA card that you can use anywhere (from your phone via NFC).
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You can immediately generate a bank statement from your account with your Paraguayan address, so you have another functional "proof of address" that you can use for other services almost immediately.
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Unfortunately, Jeton has its limits — which is probably its biggest weakness. You can deposit a maximum of EUR 1,000 (per transfer) into an EU bank and withdraw a maximum of EUR 2,500 (per transfer). A maximum of EUR 500 can be deposited onto the card.
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For UK banks, the limits are higher — you can deposit up to £5,000 and up to £1,000 to a card. You can withdraw up to £25,000 to another UK account.
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2. Uglycash
Uglycash is a popular solution for Paraguayan freelancers. You can do KYC on any Paraguayan document.
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You can deposit fiat or crypto into your account using:
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- any stablecoin (via ERC20, BEP20, Polygon network)
- transfer to a US/EUR/Mexican bank account (special KYC is required for each). In the case of a EURO bank account, you will receive the IBAN and BIC proxy account (so-called "Bridge Building") through which you can deposit your account via SEPA transfer (free of charge)
- instantly from any other Uglycash users, which is, of course, also free
You can withdraw fiat or crypto:
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- to a SEPA account for free at a slightly worse exchange rate (0.849 EUR for 1 USD instead of the mid-market rate of 0.8533 EUR for 1 USD). It arrived the next day. However, it did not come from my name, but from the proxy account "Bridge Building Sp.z.o.o". If you want incoming SEPA transfers from your name, I recommend using the Jeton service mentioned above.
- to any US/Mexican bank account
- to cash via Moneygram — an interesting service that works in most countries around the world, including Paraguay (this option is also available with Decaf wallet)
- to the accounts of other Uglycash users
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You can also request a physical debit card to be sent anywhere in the world for a shipping fee of $58. Each withdrawal is charged at 1.5% plus $1. I did not find the option of virtual cards there (the Jeton mentioned above does not support physical cards).
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Uglycash has a robust loyalty program (in eUSD) for referrals, where both parties receive rewards. So don't hesitate to use my referral link.
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3. Meru
Meru is another service that is very popular with Latino freelancers. KYC for Paraguayan documents went smoothly.
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You can deposit fiat or crypto into your account:
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- with a VISA/Mastercard payment card for a relatively high fee (for $100, you will receive $93.99 in your account; for $1,000, you will receive $942.73 in your account)
- via Pix (Brazil), PayPal, AirTM, Deel, Wise, Payoneer, Upwork, Binance payment services
- in cash via MoneyGram service/branch
- USDC cryptocurrency via Stellar for a fixed fee of 0.50 USDC
- USDC cryptocurrency via Base or Polygon for a fixed fee of 1 USDC + 1.5%
- from other Meru users via payment link
- supports SEPA to IBAN, but unfortunately, I was only able to get on the waiting list
The most advantageous way to top up Meru is via USDC over Stellar for 0.50 USDC per top-up.
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You can withdraw fiat or crypto:
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- directly to a Paraguayan bank account (!), again at an undervalued exchange rate (1 USD = 6979 PYG, the average is 1 USD = 7211 plus a fee of 8165 PYG) or any other account in Latin America, the US, Canada, or China
- directly to an EU account—the fee is horrendous, for 100 USD you get 76.25 EUR (the average is 85.31 EUR), for 1000 USD you get 814.25 EUR (the average is 853.1 EUR)
- to cash via MoneyGram — an interesting service that works in most countries around the world, including Paraguay (this option is also available with Decaf wallet)
- via Pago móvil (Colombia) or Pix (Brazil)
- on Binance
- to USDC/Stellar, USDC+USDT/Polygon, and USDT/Tron cryptocurrencies
- to other Meru users via a payment link
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Meru allows you to generate a custodian web3 wallet where you can receive various cryptocurrencies across different networks, including Bitcoin.
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Unlike other solutions, it allows you to set up recurring payments and pay for various local services in Colombia, Venezuela, and the US (electricity, water, phones, mobile TV operators, etc.). Similarly, it allows you to purchase gift cards in these countries (including Spotify, Amazon, eBay, Xbox, Steam, and others).
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You can also request a free virtual VISA card in dollars, which Apple Pay and Google Wallet support.
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Similar to Jeton, you can easily generate a nice PDF list of transactions with your Paraguayan address, which you can use as proof of address for other services.
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Meru can be a good service if you need to pay for several services in Latin America/the US. It is too expensive for transfers to the EU.
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4. Ether.fi
Ether.fi is my favorite app, along with Jeton. Especially for those who cannot afford the expensive XAPO for $1,000 per year, Ether.fi is a significantly cheaper alternative. KYC is, of course, purely for Paraguayan documents.
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You can deposit fiat or crypto into your account using:
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- any stablecoin, including BTC, ETH, and its Liquid versions via the Ethereum/Base/Scroll network
- by bank transfer (!), you have an IBAN account for SEPA payments held at the proxy "Bridge Building Sp.z.o.o.", the fee is 0.2% + 0.5% (FX), which is very good, the exchange rate is de facto mid-market. SEPA payments arrive the next day. If you want the sender of the payment to be your name, I recommend using the Jeton service. The maximum deposit is EUR 4,000
- by bank transfer via ACH/FedWire, especially from US accounts. The fee is only 0.2% and the account is held directly in your name (not proxy). The maximum deposit is USD 4,000.
You can withdraw fiat or crypto:
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- to any stablecoin via the Ethereum/Base/Scroll network
- by bank transfer via Plaid to a US bank account
- SEPA bank transfer to any personal or corporate EU account for a fee of 0.6%, which is still good (for $100, you get €84.66, the average is €85.31). The payment will come through the proxy "Bridge Building Sp.z.o.o."
- by bank transfer via ACH/FedWire to US accounts.
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Ether.fi allows you to obtain both a "Cash" virtual card and physical cards (with basic membership, you are entitled to three virtual cards and one physical card). The cards can be easily recharged with crypto or fiat transfer (SEPA/ACH/FedWire).
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After registering, you automatically have a Core membership. As with any other membership, you receive an ETHFI reward every 3 months (ETHFI is Ether.fi's own token, which can be purchased on Binance, for example).
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When using the card, you get 2% cashback on every purchase made. And 1% cashback from every client you refer + 10% points from their deposits.
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If you decide to upgrade to the higher LUXE program, you will receive 3% cashback (instead of 2%) and a metal payment card. The price also includes 1 free entry to a crypto event. The fee for crypto-to-fiat transfers will be only 0.1%, and your monthly transfer limit will increase from $10K to $50K.
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To get the higher LUXE program, you need 15,000 membership points, which you can earn in the following ways:
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- 3 points/day for every $1,000 staked
- 9 points/day for every $1,000 deposited
- 3,000 points for every $1,000 spent
- 20 points/day for every 1k ETHFI staked or held in your (Vault) account
Or you can skip all that and stake 15,000 ETHFI (currently worth $18,600) to get the LUXE program, or store them in your Vault account.
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5. Decaf wallet
Decaf wallet is another popular service in Paraguay, mainly because of the possibility to withdraw cash via MoneyGram. KYC runs on Paraguayan documents.
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You can deposit fiat or crypto into your account:
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- USDC, Solana, Stellar are only on the Solana or Stellar network (Decaf wallet is relatively limited in this respect)
- by transfer from a US bank account for a 1% fee
- by transfer from a Mexican bank account for a 1.5% fee
- in cash via MoneyGram
You can withdraw fiat or crypto:
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- to an EU account for a 1.5% fee
- to a US/CZK account for a 1% fee
- in cash via MoneyGram
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The service also offers a payment card, but I was unable to request and activate it.
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Which service is best for me?
- For smaller bank transactions in the EU/UK, I recommend Jeton.com. There are no fees, and SEPA transactions are made in your name.
- For larger bank transactions and card payments (up to 200k per month, Pinnacle program), I recommend Ether.fi, which offers up to 3% cashback (SEPA transactions use a proxy). It is a cheaper alternative to XAPO.
- If you want to make bank transactions to the US, UglyCash may be a good option.
- If you need to pay for several specific services in Latin America/the US, then Meru. It is too expensive for transfers to the EU.
Summary
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Being cut off from the EU system, without reporting or spying, not only works but is improving every year.
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As we can see, there are several new services that you can use exclusively as a Paraguayan (tax) resident and simply pay for any services in both the EU and the US without being victims of excessive reporting.
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Interesting links
Events
27-30.12.2025 39C3 in Hamburg
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