Many people dream about financial freedom and international living, but few take the leap. Today’s guest, Thorsten Wittmann, is an international financial author, speaker, and self-made multimillionaire who has mastered global investing, wealth protection, and financial sovereignty.

In this episode, Thorsten shares his journey from a traditional finance background in Germany to becoming a leading voice in internationalization, alternative investments, and financial independence. We discuss the importance of financial education, the changing global economy, and the urgent need for international diversification.

Enjoy!

TODAY’S CONVERSATION WITH THORSTEN WITTMANN:

• Tune in to hear how losing trust in traditional banking pushed Thorsten toward alternative investments and financial independence.
• Find out what Thorsten learned from the 2008 financial crisis—and how it reshaped his entire approach to money and investing.
• Thornton and I discuss why gold, silver, and international diversification are key to long-term financial security.
• Hear Thorten and I break down the biggest money mistakes people make—and how you can avoid them.
• Uncover Thorsten’s insights on artificial intelligence, its rapid rise, and the impact it will have on jobs, economies, and markets.
• Explore why both Thorsten and I are doubling down on investments AI can’t replace—like real estate and agriculture.
• Learn how to safeguard your wealth and gain more personal freedom through offshore banking, multiple residencies, and global investments.
• Listen in as Thorsten shares his incredible travel experiences, including a once-in-a-lifetime journey to Antarctica.
• Discover why Colombia keeps drawing Thorsten back and why he considers it one of the most underrated expat destinations.
• By the end of this conversation, you’ll gain valuable insights into financial freedom, global investing, and the future of money—plus some incredible travel stories!

WHERE TO FIND THORSTEN WITTMAN

https://thorstenwittmann.com/

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER

Keep up to date on the latest news affecting expats, as well as maintain a steady stream of my opinions, travel stories, and more by subscribing to our newsletter. Not only will you receive the EMS Pulse newsletter and the weekly Expat Sunday Times, but sign up now, and you’ll also receive my FREE special report, “Plan B Residencies and Instant Citizenships.”

THE WEALTH, FREEDOM & PASSPORTS CONFERENCE IN PANAMA MARCH 14-15

Join us in Panama for the inaugural Wealth, Freedom & Passports Conference, our first-ever large conference event, taking place in Panama City, Panama, March 14-15, 2025!

This is your chance to gain invaluable insights, connect with like-minded freedom seekers, and, most importantly, connect with 15+ of the most trusted partners necessary to secure a prosperous life offshore.

Head to ExpatMoney.com/Conference to learn more and secure your spot right away!

RELATED EPISODES

338: Former Walmart Exec Finds Freedom Abroad – Xenia Schneider

333: Spanish Lawyer Investing In Africa, Caribbean & Latin America – Rafael Millan

326: Paraguay Potential: Investing Offshore For Fun And Adventure

The post 341: AI, Inflation & Economic Collapse: The Future Of Money – Thorsten Wittmann appeared first on The Expat Money Show - With Mikkel Thorup.

Tom Luongo is a former research chemist turned geopolitical and market analyst. He is the publisher of the Gold, Goats ‘N Guns newsletter, as well as the host of the podcast by the same name. 

This was an absolute blast of a conversation covering various freedom-related topics, and I know you’ll love it. 

TODAY’S CONVERSATION WITH TOM LUONGO

• Hear Tom detail how he completely reinvented his career by pursuing his interest in economics and geopolitics, going from chemist to renowned geopolitical analyst. 
• Learn why Tom believes in delivering the unvarnished truth to build an audience organically.
• Tom explains why it’s important to understand your own limitations as a content creator – and why your audience will always forgive you if you’re honest.
• Hear Tom address how he “navigates the freedom question” in regard to platform censorship and self-censorship.
• Tom and I have a great back-and-forth discussion about the importance of narrowing your focus towards practical steps to protect yourselves instead of doom-scrolling all day.  
• Find out why Tom and I both turn off or remove our phones from the room when private conversations delve into certain topics. 
• Discover why Tom believes we are the “bottom of the dark age” and why the idea of the Great Reset will “end up in a museum.”
• Find out what Tom foresees as the future of the United States. Will the U.S. break up? And on whose terms?
• Learn what Tom thinks of Elon Musk. Is he on “our side?” Or is he just another plant by the global elite?

RELATED EPISODES

104: Digging Into The Deep State And Where The Election Is Taking Us – Chris Temple

095: Top Political Operative Tells Americans to Escape – Carter Clews

036: Jim Rogers – North Korea, China, Mandarin And The Current State Of Education

HOW TO FIND TOM LUONGO’S WORK

Gold, Goats N’ Guns: https://tomluongo.me/

Twitter: @TWL1728

CONCLUSION

What an absolute blast it was talking to Tom! We got sidetracked from my initial topic idea and ended up going in many different directions, and I was thrilled with how it turned out. The topics we touched on in this conversation are of utmost importance, especially to those in the expat community who are tuned in to what is happening worldwide. If you weren’t already, you’ve got to follow Tom Luongo for his take on geopolitics. 

See you next Wednesday!

The post 252: Spit In The Eye Of The Globalists – Tom Luongo appeared first on The Expat Money Show - With Mikkel Thorup.

Antony Sammeroff is a psychotherapist, economics journalist, the author of Universal Basic Income – For and Against, and the upcoming book Pharma Lie, People Die.

Originally from Scotland, he has spent the past several years since the onset of the UK’s COVId policies living outside the country as a digital nomad in places like Mexico, Costa Rica, Turkey and most recently, India.

TODAY’S CONVERSATION WITH ANTONY SAMMEROFF

• Antony and I discuss the nature of remote work and why Antony had already begun moving his work primarily online even before COVID policies shut the world down.
• Hear Antony describe the onset of the absurd COVID policies in his home country of Scotland and how that propelled him to take his business fully remote and to search for more sane parts of the world to reside in.
• Antony points out an interesting side benefit of the COVID travel restrictions – spending time in a place previously hadn’t planned to – in this case, Mexico.
• Hear Antony describe how the “COVID years” altered people’s sense of what they are allowed to say and has caused many to self-censor with friends, family and the workplace. 
• Antony describes the push for “subjectivity” within his education and profession, which is often a cover for leftist bias within institutions. 
• We discuss what it is like to hold “radical” (sane) positions in today’s post-COVID clown world and how Antony helps people in his practice deal with this feeling of friends, family and institutions acting like they are the crazy ones. 
• Antony and I discuss the concept of natural law and why so many libertarians were able to see through much of the BS of the last several years due to their ability to filter things through the natural law model.
• Hear Anthony’s opinion on “conspiracy theories” and mental health after a member of our Expat Money Forum on Facebook questioned my own mental health due to my emails criticizing the World Economic Forum. Does Antony think I’m nuts? You’ll have to listen to find out!

RELATED EPISODES

245: Fleeing the UK Lockdowns to Become a Sovereign Individual – Johnny HODL

240: Being a Digital Nomad Since Before It Was Cool – Sam Rivello

237: What’s It Like Relocating to Mexico When the World Doesn’t Make Sense – Jonathan Lockwood

HOW TO FIND ANTONY’S WORK:

7pharmamyths.com

Beyourselfandloveit.com

Email: antony@beyourselfandloveit.com

CONCLUSION

It was great connecting with Antony and learning about how he has helped others cope with this crazy post-COVID clown world we’ve been living in and how he himself coped by leaving his own country and becoming a digital nomad. This conversation was even a bit therapeutic for me – it’s always nice speaking with someone with a similar view of ethics and natural law.  

Antony is a fantastic example of someone who saw greener pastures elsewhere and didn’t hesitate to take life into his own hands and explore them. 

See you all next Wednesday on the podcast!

The post 251: How To Cope When Your Country Goes Crazy – Antony Sammeroff appeared first on The Expat Money Show - With Mikkel Thorup.

Today’s episode celebrates 250 episodes of the Expat Money Show!

I can’t believe some of the incredible people I’ve gotten to speak to doing this podcast, many of whom I admired years before this show, were even an idea in my mind.  It occurred to me that many of you hadn’t yet begun your expat journey when I started this podcast back in 2017, and there’s a decent chance you haven’t heard some of the biggest and best interviews that I’ve conducted over the years. 

So this week, we’ll be checking out a sampling of top names I’ve interviewed since starting the Expat Money Show – people like Doug Casey, Grant Cardone, Jim Rogers, and the great Congressman Ron Paul. Enjoy!

RELATED EPISODES

221: What The World Can Expect In 2023 – Ron Paul

075: Grant Cardone – Developing a Millionaires Mindset

036: Jim Rogers – North Korea, China, Mandarin And The Current State Of Education

CONCLUSION

While this episode may have been a look back into the past, believe it or not, we are just getting started here at Expat Money. This podcast has laid the groundwork for the efforts we are currently undertaking, helping thousands of freedom-loving individuals seek higher ground. The future is bright for those who take action to improve their lives by becoming an expat, and this show will remain the flagship for those who share our ideals. I’m greatly looking forward to the next 250 episodes and beyond, and I’m thrilled to have you all along for the journey. 

See you all next Wednesday on the podcast!

The post 250: Celebrating Success: Key Takeaways from Expat Money’s Finest Discussions appeared first on The Expat Money Show - With Mikkel Thorup.

This week’s episode will be a little different than the normal fare, as I am officially unveiling a project that has been in the works for ten months now.

Dare I say, this will be a game changer for anyone serious about achieving more freedom in their lives in the face of all the craziness in the world right now.

Please take the time to listen to this brief episode, and if it sounds like it’s right for you, sign up for the EMS Pulse Newsletter over at ExpatMoney.com. This is the ONLY way I’ll be sending information out about this – no Twitter, no Facebook, no YouTube.

Let’s just say the technocrats aren’t going to be happy about this.

Enjoy,

Mikkel

The post 247: How To Defend Yourself From What Is Happening In The World appeared first on The Expat Money Show - With Mikkel Thorup.

Johnny HODL is a freedom advocate, podcast host, and digital nomad originally from the United Kingdom.

In 2021 he decided to permanently leave the UK after becoming disenfranchised by that government’s authoritarian covid policies. He now lives on the sunny Mexican Pacific coast, where he continues to work remotely in the Bitcoin industry.

TODAY’S CONVERSATION WITH JOHNNY HODL

• Listen to Johnny describe the evolution of his political views and how adopting Bitcoin in 2016 led him to a more freedom-oriented philosophy.
• Johnny explains what was the exodus point that prompted him to permanently leave his home country of the United Kingdom.
• Hear Johnny and I discuss the hubris displayed by many in the West supporting lockdowns while many of those in the developing world didn’t have the convenience of “just staying home.”
• We examine why the “soft admission” of guilt over the COVID narrative isn’t enough of a recanting from those supporting it.
• Johnny and I talk about the lack of ethics in the COVID policies implemented and why even if all the data were correct, it would still be a major ethical violation to enforce lockdowns, vaccine mandates, etc.
• Listen to Johnny describe how, once you take the “red pill” regarding the nature of government, it’s hard not to see government at every level as a monopoly on violence.
• I drive home the notion that after 23 years of travelling the world and visiting over 100 countries, voting with your feet, i.e. being an expat and utilizing offshore markets, is absolutely hands down the best solution I have ever found. 
• We discuss how governments around the globe are starting to close their doors in various ways – including the looming threat of CBDCs.
• Johnny provides his view of what “sovereignty” is and how others can reclaim more of their sovereignty as he has by seeking out more freedom abroad.
• Johnny and I both reflect on how, once taking personal responsibility for every single aspect of your life and respect natural law, life simply gets better.
• We have an interesting back-and-forth on the correlation between wealth and happiness. Does the ethics by which the wealth is acquired affect the happiness of those who hold it? I’d love to hear my listener’s thoughts on this!

RELATED EPISODES

237: What’s It Like Relocating to Mexico When the World Doesn’t Make Sense – Jonathan Lockwood

186: Fighting Back Against The Technocrats – Hrvoje Moric

102: Bitcoin For International Privacy, Protection And Control – Eryka Gemma

HOW TO FIND JOHNNY HODL’s WORK:

The Stayin’ Free Podcast 

Johnny HODL on Twitter

CONCLUSION

I really enjoyed this conversation with Johnny HODL today, and I’m sure long-time listeners will understand exactly why I see him as a kindred spirit of sorts.

While my focus is on the actions you can take to achieve more freedom as an expat, the ethics behind those actions are vitally important, and it was great to hear about Johnny’s evolution on the subject and how he has now come to see individual sovereignty as an ethical ideal. You’re gonna love this one.

See you all next Wednesday on the podcast!

The post 245: Fleeing The UK Lockdowns To Become A Sovereign Individual – Johnny HODL appeared first on The Expat Money Show - With Mikkel Thorup.

Josh Summers is an expert in online security and identity protection who has lived and worked in Asia since 2006. He has written for Lonely Planet, published his own travel guides, and built multiple online brands that reach tens of millions of people each year.

I am doing my best to stay current on the latest developments in privacy and security, and I was thrilled to speak with Josh, one of the most well-informed voices on these issues.

TODAY’S CONVERSATION WITH JOSH SUMMERS

• Listen in as Josh recounts how living in highly surveilled China led him to take on a more complete understanding of privacy and surveillance issues.
• Josh and I discuss how we bridge the gap between our own personal privacy while still maintaining a personal brand and business.
• Josh explains why he sees himself as a “privacy pragmatist” in how he views finding the right level of achievable privacy for himself and his family.
• Listen as Josh details the 3 different solution sets for privacy – which one is right for you?
• We dig into how to look at the pros and cons of Big Tech companies and how even the biggest Big Tech villain can offer its own privacy advantages. 
• Josh lays out some of the most basic first steps that everyone with a baseline level of privacy concern should take. Have you done these yourself?
• Josh explains the concept of “salting” a password on top of using a password manager. This is a great idea that I’ll be implementing right away!
• Hear Josh emphasize the importance of holding the keys to your own security. Is your security in your own hands or that of a third party?
• Josh and I dig into some of the more advanced techniques for securing your devices. I’ll be curious to hear if my audience has been utilizing any of these tactics!
• We discuss how to navigate the KYC Problem. How can you protect your identity when everyone requires you to prove it?
• Josh breaks down options for an often forgotten piece of the privacy puzzle – protecting your address via virtual addresses.

RELATED EPISODES

223: Best of Privacy & Secrecy

217: Online Privacy For Freedom-Minded Individuals – Terry Tillaart

162: How Privacy Can Protect You If They Come For You – Gabriel Custodiet

HOW TO REACH JOSH SUMMERS

Website: All Things Secured

“All Things Secured” YouTube

CONCLUSION

As my listeners know, privacy and security are issues that affect everyone in the age of Big Tech, particularly but not limited to expats. It was great to hear Josh’s perspective on these issues, and as far as I’m concerned, he is one of the best voices for the general public to follow to keep up to date on privacy concerns. 

There was so much great information here that I had to take notes myself! I know you’re going to derive great value from this conversation.

See you all next Wednesday on the podcast!

The post 241: Digital Defense: Josh Summers’ Strategies for Protecting Your Online Presence appeared first on The Expat Money Show - With Mikkel Thorup.

Often I get asked by subscribers and clients, “Hey Mikkel, What Are You Doing?”

So I thought it would be helpful to record a quick episode on what I am doing with my own money to protect myself and my family from the financial armageddon that is on the horizon.

This episode should give you a bit of insight into the way my brain works and what I think is important for us to defend ourselves.

I don’t expect my opinions to be popular, but at least I am honest.

Enjoy,

Mikkel

The post 239: Safeguarding Wealth Beyond Borders: My Offshore Journey appeared first on The Expat Money Show - With Mikkel Thorup.

Jonathan Lockwood is a pro voice over talent originally from Detroit and currently living in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. He now spends his spare time venturing deep into the Mexican countryside and finding amazing artisanal mezcal. 

I enjoyed getting to know Jonathan and you are going to learn a ton from this conversation.

TODAY’S CONVERSATION WITH JONATHAN:

• Listen in to hear Jon share the story of how he grew up in an apocalyptic religious cult and how he “woke up” from the brainwashing, which helped him to see that things are not always as they seem.
• Jon describes how foreseeing the forthcoming fiscal nightmare in the United States led him to explore other options outside of his home country.
• Hear Jon describe the striking similarities with how politics created divisiveness in families over the last several years to his own experience rejecting the beliefs his family had raised him to hold. 
• We dig into our shared belief that it’s important not to condemn others for being behind where you are at any given moment in life. 
• Then we discuss how Jon wound up choosing San Miguel de Allende, Mexico as his home, where he now lives with his wife and their daughter. 
• Learn what Jon views as the surprising advantage of living in a country with an extremely inefficient government. 
• Jon relays a hilarious experience he had when he first attempted to speak Spanish upon arriving in Mexico – he had me stitches!
• We discuss the concept of “stacking freedom” as opposed to trying to find a “Shangri-La”, and how not to become paralyzed by the fear of making the wrong decision.
• Jon goes into detail describing the “melting pot” city of San Miguel de Allende, and how the locals have responded to the always-growing expat community there. You’ll be wanting to book your trip to San Miguel after hearing this!
• Then we discuss how Jonathan developed a passion for artisanal Mezcal that he sources from “the Disneyland of Mezcal” in Oaxaca, Mexico. I learned so much about Mezcal that I never knew before!

RELATED EPISODES

234: I Wrote a New Book on Moving to Mexico

213: From The Bay Area To Mexico an Expat Story – Ken

170: Searching For Freedom In Mexico – Marc Clair

PURCHASE THE EXPATS GUIDE ON MOVING TO MEXICO

Inspired by Jonathan’s story to look further into Mexico? Get your own copy of the Expats Guide on Moving to Mexico and after you read the book, do us a HUGE favour and leave us a great review on Amazon! This is a huge help in getting the book in front of more people.

HOW TO REACH JONATHAN

Jonathan’s voiceover website: https://jonathanlockwood.com

The Mezcal Maniac Substack: https://mezcalmaniac.substack.com/

CONCLUSION

I had an absolute blast getting to know Jonathan and his story. His journey is such an excellent example of the kind of opportunities that can open for you when you begin to look at the world in a different way and decide to take the leap into the expat lifestyle. See you all next Wednesday on the podcast!

The post 237: A Different World: Jonathan Lockwood’s Mexican Relocation Amidst Global Madness appeared first on The Expat Money Show - With Mikkel Thorup.

Today, I am going to share a conversation I had on The Tom Woods Show. This interview has gotten such a great response since it first aired that I wanted to share it here with you to make sure you didn’t miss it.

Tom didn’t let me off easy and really put me on the hot seat, bringing up a ton of objections that many who are first hearing about the expat lifestyle tend to come up with.

Answering Common Expat Objections

• In this discussion, I respond to some common “black pilled” takes that Tom has heard about the negative side of expatriation, dispelling the notion that the advantages you can achieve outside your country of birth aren’t all that great when you break it down.
• There is no Shangri-La – no perfect libertarian country in the world. It does not exist. But that’s not to be said that we can’t get more freedom in our lives by being overseas or by jurisdiction shopping.
• I explain to Tom exactly what FATCA – the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act –  is and how it works, and why it’s even caused some Americans to go as far as to renounce their U.S. citizenship!
• I address Tom’s concern that whatever problems you have in the U.S., they may very well be worse outside the U.S., as was the case in certain countries when it came to COVID restrictions.
• Tom and I talk about how Americans can utilize the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion to greatly reduce their tax burden while living overseas.
• I break down the concept of citizenship by investment and how the process typically unfolds for those with substantial funds to invest overseas.
• I lay out the many reasons to have a second passport, even if you do not plan to live outside your home country!
• I provide some definitive first steps to take for those that have caught the expat bug and are ready to take their expat journey to the next level.

RELATED EPISODES

221: What The World Can Expect In 2023 – Ron Paul

170: Searching For Freedom In Mexico – Marc Clair

093: Why Are People Leaving The USA – Travis Luther

PURCHASE THE EXPATS GUIDE TO MOVING TO MEXICO

Get your own copy of the Expats Guide on Moving to Mexico and after you read the book, do us a HUGE favour and leave us a great review on Amazon! This is a huge help in getting the book in front of more people.

THE EXPAT MONEY SUMMIT

We also discussed the Expat Money Summit a bit, and even though this was from last year, we will be doing another summit this year, so you can head to this link and grab a FREE ticket to the largest expat event of the year.

CONCLUSION

I hope you enjoyed today’s conversation on The Tom Woods Show. Tom is an excellent interviewer, and I loved how he pressed me on some of the common objections people who are first learning about the expat lifestyle often hold. These are questions that don’t often come up here on the Expat Money Show, where I primarily interview those who are already on the expat journey, so it was a great change of pace.

This is the perfect episode to share with a friend or family member who has expressed interest in the expat lifestyle but has been hesitant to pursue it further due to many of the objections addressed in this conversation.

See you all next Wednesday on the podcast!

The post 236: Debunking Expat Myths: Mikkel Thorup Sets the Record Straight on The Tom Woods Show appeared first on The Expat Money Show - With Mikkel Thorup.

In today’s episode of The Expat Money Show, we did something totally different and I would really like your feedback. After you’ve listened to this episode, please go to ExpatMoney/forum and leave us an honest review. I want to know if you all loved it or hated it. I also want you to vote: Bitcoin vs Gold when you leave your review.

WHAT WE DISCUSSED IN THIS INTERVIEW:

• Debate Topic: Bitcoin vs. Gold
• Location: Las Vegas, earlier this month
• Moderator: Mikkel Thorup
• Panellists:
  • Team Bitcoin: Eryka Gemma and Paul Rosenberg
  • Team Gold: Rich Checkan and Kirk Chisholm
• Format:
  • 7 questions, each side had 2 minutes to defend their beliefs
  • Audience voted after each round
• Debate Rounds:
  • Round 1: Cross Border Transactions
  • Round 2: Privacy & Practical Issues
  • Round 3: Intrinsic Value
  • Round 4: Longevity
  • Round 5: Counterfeit
  • Round 6: Liquidity
  • Final Round: Education
• Outcome: Audience voted to determine the winner. Listen to the episode to find out the result.
• Overall Experience: Fun, light-hearted debate with passionate discussions. All panellists were previous podcast guests.

TEAM GOLD

• 106: How To Protect Your Wealth In Uncertain Times – Kirk Chisholm
• 092: Why Gold In An International Portfolio Is More Important Than Ever Before – Rich Checkan

TEAM BITCOIN

• 102: Bitcoin For International Privacy, Protection And Control – Eryka Gemma
• 087: The Man Who May Have Inspired The Creation Of Bitcoin – Paul Rosenberg

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER

If you’d been receiving the EMS Pulse newsletter and the weekly Expat Sunday Times, you would have already read the basics of today’s story! Sign up now, and you’ll also receive my FREE special report, “Plan B Residencies and Instant Citizenships.”

CONCLUSION

Both teams were amazing and understand their field better than anyone else I know. I hope you take some time and listen to these folks talk about gold, wealth and bitcoin. They really know what they are talking about. Make sure to please go to ExpatMoney/forum and leave us an honest review. I want to know if you all loved it or hated it.

The post 108: Clash of Assets: Bitcoin vs Gold Live from Las Vegas appeared first on The Expat Money Show - With Mikkel Thorup.