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Liberation Travel Hacks 11/2024
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I moved to Latin America again for many months, enjoyed a weekend at LaBitconf in Buenos Aires, and finished another newsletter. Again, in a slightly dystopian vein, the situation in many EU countries is only hardening, especially for the crypto folks.
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- The ECB (European Central Bank) has been spreading theories that older Bitcoin BTC holders are profiting at the expense of newer holders, arguing that the decentralized currency should be regulated to prevent its price from rising or outright banned. That central bank-issued state money is the world's biggest Ponzi scheme that robs absolutely everyone by inflation, not a word.
- Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and other countries have introduced an exit tax - a bailout for wanting to leave the country as a tax resident (inspired by the Nazis who introduced the Reich Flight 25% wealth tax in 1931 to prevent wealthy Jews from quickly leaving the country).
- Italy and Denmark have introduced a 42% capital gain tax on crypto, publicly declaring that they don't want crypto people; on the contrary, they want them out of the country as soon as possible. It is absurd to think that rich, flexible crypto people will pay these taxes since they can choose a country where they won't pay them. In Slovakia, the total tax burden on cryptos is 40%, and the Slovak tax office collected 98% less than planned for 2023 (this is not a joke, but a tax reality).
- France goes even further - it introduces citizenship-based taxation, i.e., global tax slavery, which you will not be able to get out of even if you move from France to a country where taxes are 50% lower than in France. The "bull market" that will emerge in a few months will only make the struggle of European bureaucrats against the Bitcoin aristocracy harder and worse. It is to be expected that all EU countries will gradually introduce the exit tax. And probably also citizenship based taxation.
- Anonymous cryptocurrencies (such as Monero) have been delisted on European centralized exchanges. The European bureaucrat doesn't want you to be able to use anonymous transactions that he can't see into.
Expect to wake up one morning and have your country demanding the same bailout. Cancel your permanent residency now and avoid the payoffs already enforced in many EU countries.
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Pavol Lupták, 4.11.2024, Buenos Aires
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EU
Norway
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The recent increase in the wealth tax in Norway was expected to bring in an additional $146 million in annual tax revenue. Instead, millionaires worth $54 billion left the country, losing $594 million in yearly wealth tax revenue—a net decrease of more than $448 million.
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Driving rich people out of the country (which European countries are trying hard to do) doesn't work.
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Paraguay
There are still problems with the delayed release of cedulas (more than 4000 cedulas are stuck/slowed down). So please be patient if yours is out there.
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My last trip to Paraguay was a plane full of Germans (not tourists, but residents). Supposedly, over 100,000 of them went to Paraguay in the previous year. In Paraguay, there are German cities, German colonies, and German schools; you don't even need to know Spanish. On the contrary, the German cities are declining. You don't need to track the technological progress of the US or China against the EU, which is falling dramatically behind (and will get worse, even though the EU has already appointed a commissioner who plans to fight it:) Just come to Paraguay, where there is massive construction going on, where the most significant bitcoin mining centers are becoming, where I can realistically see the difference from where Paraguay was 5 years ago and where it is now. And with the lowest possible taxes (10% flat tax) in Latin America. Something European bureaucrats are not doing right. And they are going to pay heavily for the next few years. And most of all, their tax victims.
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Walking through the Paraguayan marketplaces fills me with happiness - it's a clean, functioning, free market that we have forgotten in Europe.
Small vendors pay absolutely nothing to sell on the street. The big ones with big stalls pay a monthly rent of 1-2 million guaraníes (115-230 euros).
Most people in Paraguay do not pay taxes, as income tax (IRP) is only paid on profits of more than US$10,000 a year, which most do not earn.
That means no receipts, no cash registers, no taxes on bank transactions, no pointless permits and bureaucracy. Cash is the king.
You can get out on the street now and sell what you see fit.
You will perfectly realize that the state is a cancer, which, if you remove it, not only does nobody miss, but everything works significantly better - you can buy absolutely everything in the marketplaces, cheap and fresh food (since Paraguay is a food mecca), including gluten-free or carnivore delicacies. I also visited a health food exhibition from local farmers and found about everything you'd buy in a modern European health food store, plus various tropical foods you won't find here.
I spent all morning at the market, talking to locals about how it works.
Suppose you want to ensure that the poorest in society have a good time. In that case, you need minimal or no taxes and eliminate bureaucracy so that everyone with no education can create and provide value to others.
A European welfare state that steals from the most productive (who have not yet left) and makes it impossible for the poorest to do business is not only a road to hell but against our human nature to exchange everything we produce.
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I migrated from my Paraguayan Clara to my Paraguayan Personal. They gave me 60 GB for 200k PYG (23 EUR). Data roaming works for me all over America and Europe. I can enjoy 1 GB for 0.38 EUR, and the data has been transferred for the last three months, so if I don't spend it, I will have 180 GB accumulated in three months. After over two months out of Paraguay, my Internet will slow down and resume when I return.
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The advantage of the mobile operator Personal is that you can easily open a basic Personal Pay bank account to pay for anything in Paraguay (via QR code). And you send your guaraní there via, for example, the Binance P2P service, which is the most convenient and fastest way to deliver crypto to any Paraguayan bank account - with the best exchange rate and virtually instantly (15-30 minutes):
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1. On the Binance website or in the Binance app, select the P2P option.
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2. In your P2P profile, click "Payment Methods" and add your Paraguayan bank account (don't forget to enter your Paraguayan cedula number, which is necessary to complete the transaction). You can also add alternative payment methods (Personal Pay or Tigo Money).
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3. On the top right, select that you want to trade PYG and choose the coin you want to sell on Binance P2P (the most liquid with the best exchange rate is USDT).
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4. Select "Sell" if you want to sell USDT for PYG or "Buy" if you're going to buy it.
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5. Click on the most advantageous offer (sorted from most beneficial) and select "Sell."
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6. Enter how many USDT you want to sell - some sellers accept hundreds, some thousands of USDT. Select your payment method (your Paraguayan bank account) and click "Place order."
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7. You will receive payment from the seller within 15-30 minutes (if they do not respond, your payment will be canceled). Some of them put their WhatsApp number where you can contact them if they don't respond immediately.
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8. Check that you have received the payment in the required amount in your Paraguayan bank account (in Paraguay, unlike in the EU, interbank payments are instant, even at the weekend). If so, confirm the seller's transaction receipt in the Binance app.
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Many retailers allow you to pay in Paraguay on bank accounts and mobile payment services (Personal Pay Billetera or Tigo Money). As a client of Paraguay Personal, I opened a Personal Pay account instantly, equivalent to a Paraguayan bank account (I had to install the app through the Aurora Store, as it only works in Paraguay). You can also remotely open a BASIC bank account with ITAU in a few minutes.
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Paraguay hasn't signed the CRS, so no one else will know about your bank account in Paraguay (including Personal Pay or Tigo Money). If you don't have an official local income in Paraguay, you can only use BASIC accounts with a limit of about $1,000 per month (you can have multiple accounts open).
Binance P2P is a popular tool that works well in Argentina, Mexico, and other countries.
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We came across another Paraguayan crypto-friendly developer (a family company with a long reputation), Vierci Development, that is offering new apartments in two exciting locations:
1. In Mariscal, in the great neighborhood to live Recoleta with access to all services. Address. Current price list.
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Construction of both buildings is scheduled for completion in May-August 2026. You only need to pay a small down payment upfront, and the rest will be paid gradually as the building grows. Financing is available completely crypto with no proof of income. If you're interested, let us know - we'd be happy to help you with the purchase.
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Uruguay
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We have the first tested clients who have been successfully approved for permanent residence in Uruguay after their first visit! I completed the entire immigration process in Uruguay last week.
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If you are already an existing client of ours, we have a special discount for you when you order Uruguayan permanent residency before 30.11.
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Argentina
The current price comparison in Buenos Aires after one year since my last visit (the second round of elections, when Milei won):
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- Food prices in restaurants have doubled, and Buenos Aires is now on par with Montevideo or even Bratislava. So restaurants are expensive. This applies to prices in the most expensive neighborhoods of Buenos Aires (Palermo, Recoleta). Of course, food is cheaper elsewhere in Argentina.
- Accommodation in Argentina is still cheap. Although prices in Argentina have doubled since the artificial peg of the peso to the dollar was lifted, they have fallen again thanks to Milei's deregulation. Many people have stopped traveling to Argentina, causing prices to fall further. I'm currently paying $50/night for a beautiful apartment with a balcony in the best neighborhood in Buenos Aires (Palermo). So, accommodation here still seems pretty cheap to me.
- Uber's price has increased by maybe 30-50%, but it is still cheaper than in most European cities. If you want a more affordable alternative, try DiDi or InDrive, which also works in Buenos Aires.
- The price of a metro/public transport ticket is about 10x higher. Previously, this ticket cost a few pesos, but now it still costs less than a dollar (so transportation is cheap here).
- It still makes sense to exchange dollars/euros on the street at the blue dollar rate, which is about 5-10% better than the official rate. Or exchange it via Western Union. The card companies use the MEP rate, which is slightly better than the official rate. Crypto has an even better exchange rate.
- Bitso, unfortunately, doesn't work on Mercado Pago payments anymore, so you can't pay everything with crypto like a year ago. It is possible to use fiwind, but you need to have Argentine residency (Argentine DNI).
- But BitRefill works excellently, where it is possible to buy vouchers with Bitcoin Lightning, which hundreds of chains in Argentina accept.
- Binance P2P works great for exchanging cryptos, but again, you need a local Argentine account, which you can't open without Argentine residency. Similarly, you need an Argentinian DNI to use the popular Argentinian crypto card Lemon.
- Bike sharing is renovated in Argentina (bikes are blue). Again, you need to be an Argentinian resident to be able to rent them for free. Otherwise, as a tourist, you pay about $2/ride (such an Uber can set you two back cheaper, which is a bit of a paradox).
So prices have gone up quite a bit, but it's still a lovely country to live in.
I'm applying for residency in Argentina next year waiting for passive income from Paraguay.
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Georgia
Binance P2P is the most convenient and fastest way to deliver crypto to any bank account in Paraguay and Georgia, where it works great with Bank of Georgia and TBC.
I tried selling USDT for both GEL and USD to my SOLO account (the transaction came within two minutes). You get the absolute best rate and payment virtually instantly (within 15 minutes, sometimes longer).
1. On the Binance website or in the Binance app, select the P2P option.
I should note that Binance supports Paraguayan residents who can do the KYC with their Paraguayan cedula.
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2. In your P2P profile, click "Payment Methods" and add your Georgian bank account.
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3. On the top right, select that you want to trade GEL or USD and choose the coin you want to sell on Binance P2P (the most liquid with the best exchange rate is USDT). If you want to sell USD/EUR, then select the country Georgia to see only offers in Georgia.
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4. Select "Sell" if you want to sell USDT for GEL/USD/EUR or "Buy" if you're going to buy USDT for GEL/USD/EUR.
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5. Click on the most advantageous offer (sorted from most beneficial) and select "Sell."
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6. Enter how many USDT you want to sell - some sellers accept hundreds, some thousands of USDT. Select your payment method (your Georgian bank account) and click "Place order."
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7. You will receive payment from the seller within 15 minutes (sometimes longer) (if they don't respond, your payment will be canceled). Some of them put their WhatsApp number where you can contact them if they don't respond immediately.
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8. Check that you have received the payment in the required amount in your Georgian bank account (payment is instant). If so, confirm the seller's transaction receipt in the Binance app.
The fantastic advantage of the whole solution is that you are not receiving money into your Bank of Georgia / TBC account from an exchange (like cryptal.com) but from another personal Bank of Georgia / TBC account, so it is an intra-bank transfer that is trustworthy for the bank.
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Bank of Georgia has launched the best and most widely used Dragon Pass airline lounges for SOLO customers. Your Visa Platinum card gets you six complimentary visits yearly, and your Visa Signature card (SOLO Club) gets you ten free visits yearly. If you make payment transactions in the last 35 days for a minimum of 5000 GEL (approximately 1685 EUR/month), you will have an unlimited number of them.
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Bitcoin, Monero, and cryptocurrencies
If anyone is going to tell you that the EU/EEA protects the privacy of citizens or that MiCA regulation promotes cryptocurrencies, then kick them somewhere...EU regulation killed Monero and is once again closer to financial totalitarianism. Kraken is the last exchange to delist Monero's use in the EEA. Kraken sent us as a company a threatening email saying they need to explain all Monero transactions going back X years or they will block our account. They didn't block it, but the XMR withdrawal took more than 3 days. In any case, Monero, which the world's largest centralized exchanges have delisted, is becoming a genuinely underground cryptocurrency that is so anonymous as to be unacceptable to states. And whose value will be determined by the actual black market, not the exchange price. Maybe now is the time to start using it (places where you can still buy Monero).
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It is said that envy becomes a virtue in socialism.
The inability to make risky decisions at times when no one dared to make them (like buying some weird Bitcoin more than 10 years ago) and the subsequent strong FOMO feeling that can never be shaken off. Transforming envy into social justice, where those Bitcoiners have gotten incredibly "unjustly" rich, and it's (how else) at the expense of everyone else.
The no-coiner syndrome is often behind statist political decisions in the EU to completely pluck the crypto people who took the risk or outright expel them from the EU.
The former doesn't work very well (the greedy financial administration in Slovakia collected 98% less from the crypto in 2023 than it had planned), so the vast majority of Slovaks gave it a real middle finger.
The war against the emerging Bitcoin aristocracy is in full swing, and the EU states are making it clear they don't want it.
The world is vast, and other countries are opening their arms to crypto people - in the Caribbean, Georgia, UAE, and Latin America.
This means these people will bring (and have already brought) significant capital here, which will be lacking in the EU. And they will make it even poorer, more "socially just" in the eyes of European bureaucrats, where, by staying on inflationary money, everyone will end up equally poor.
An excellent diagnosis of the no-coiner syndrome of Mr. Bindseil and Mr Schaaf of the ECB, who are behind the heavily frustrated Bitcoin paper.
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A new documentary about Bitcoin on HBO's Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery, according to which Satoshi Nakamoto is Peter Todd. I met Peter yesterday in the LaBitconf VIP lounge, and he didn't pretend much to be Satoshi :-)
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A new crypto rechargeable payment card (virtual and physical), RedotPay, is accepted by Apple Pay/Google Pay. Most importantly, you can perform KYC only with your Paraguayan cedula. I've tried it out, and it works great.
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Travel Hacks
I bought a new System76 Lemur for traveling. I think it's the best Linux laptop under 1kg (everything else is just heavier). I have also installed the excellent new Cosmic desktop environment (it runs on PopOS! 24.04 LTS). I've been testing it for two months and am very satisfied.
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On the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold phone, I ran the latest GrapheneOS with Android 15 and moved Google apps to Private Space, which the new Android supports.
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A few people will be interested in the eSIM adapter that allows old phones (such as the Nokia 8110 4G) to use anonymous eSIM cards. This phone does allow you to change the IMEI. Alternatively, you can use PinePhone to do this.
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On the recommendation of Juraj Bednar, I bought the ultimate neurofeedback device Sens.AI. I will test it in a few months when I will be in Europe. I am looking forward to it very much.
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Interesting links
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Julian Assange was for years considered by European Democrats to be a Russian troll. Now
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Surveillance Watch is an interactive map revealing the intricate connections between surveillance companies, their funding sources, and affiliations.
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Events
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8-12.8.2025 WHY2025, the biggest hacker camp in the Netherlands
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