Bitcoin tax payments in Panama, Portugal’s passport delays and the EU’s insane tax proposal—those are just a few of the major headlines my co-host, Marc Clair, and I break down in this edition of Expat News.

This week’s episode is packed with insights into the offshore world that you won’t hear in the mainstream media. Whether you’re deep into your offshore strategy or just getting started with your Plan-B, these are the global trends you need to understand to stay one step ahead.

IN TODAY’S EPISODE:

• Tune in to discover why Latin America is where smart expats are moving their money, their families, and their futures
• Find out how Panama’s bold embrace of Bitcoin could position it as Latin America’s next crypto hub
• Hear why wealthy individuals are fleeing the UK in record numbers—and whether a proposed plan to lure them back has any chance of succeeding
• Learn how Argentina’s proposed citizenship-for-investment program has the potential to shake up the global CBI market

THE EXPAT MONEY ONLINE SUMMIT 2025: THE FUTURE IS LATIN AMERICA

Join the Expat Money Online Summit 2025 for three high-impact days focused on why Latin America is becoming the ultimate destination for expats, investors, and freedom-seekers in 2025 and beyond.

You’ll gain exclusive insights from dozens of seasoned offshore experts as they reveal the best strategies to legally slash your tax bill, build real wealth overseas, and unlock second residencies and passports—all centred around Latin America’s rising power on the global stage.

Reserve your free ticket today.

RELATED EPISODES

352: Javier Milei’s Argentina: What It Means For Expats And Freedom

346: Expat News: Trump’s Tariffs, Canada’s New PM, UK Bans “Ninja Swords”

340: Expat News: Trump Sends Rubio To Panama & Javier Milei’s Meme Coin Scandal

The post 363: Expat News: Panama’s Bitcoin Push, Portugal’s Passport Delays And The EU’s Insane Tax Proposal appeared first on The Expat Money Show - With Mikkel Thorup.

CBDCs aren’t just “on the way”; they’re already being tested and quietly rolled out around the world. They promise convenience and safety, but what they really offer is unprecedented surveillance, control over your money, and the end of financial privacy as we know it.

In this explosive episode, I am joined by independent journalist and freedom advocate Efrat Fenigson to uncover what central banks are really planning and how individuals can escape the trap before it’s too late.

IN TODAY’S EPISODE:

• Tune in to learn exactly what makes Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) so dangerous
• Hear Efrat break down how governments plan to enforce behaviour through programmable money
• Find out why Bitcoin is the real exit plan, not just a speculative asset
• Listen in to discover what you can do right now to build your personal Plan-B

FOLLOW EFRAT FENIGSON

Find Efrat Fenigson on X @Efenigson

THE EXPAT MONEY ONLINE SUMMIT 2025: THE FUTURE IS LATIN AMERICA

Join the Expat Money Online Summit 2025 for three high-impact days focused on why Latin America is becoming the ultimate destination for expats, investors, and freedom-seekers in 2025 and beyond.

You’ll gain exclusive insights from dozens of seasoned offshore experts as they reveal the best strategies to legally slash your tax bill, build real wealth overseas, and unlock second residencies and passports—all centred around Latin America’s rising power on the global stage.

Reserve your free ticket today.

RELATED EPISODES

351: Nine Legal Flag-Planting Strategies To Protect Your Freedom & Wealth

345: Reject the Black Pill & Find Freedom Offshore

341: AI, Inflation & Economic Collapse: The Future Of Money – Thorsten Wittmann

The post 361: Unmasking The CBDC Agenda & Building Real Alternatives – Efrat Fenigson appeared first on The Expat Money Show - With Mikkel Thorup.

How can you get your message out in the Age of Technocracy?

Today’s guest, Wilfried Ligthart is a renowned Digital Blacksmith with a deep understanding of the evolving digital landscape. He specializes in driving external traffic, developing engaging online communities, and converting digital audiences into profitable customers. 

As we discuss in today’s episode, Wilfried has many insights into providing value in the digital age while focusing on protecting consumer data against Big Tech companies.

TODAY’S CONVERSATION WITH WILFRIED LIGTHART

• Learn why Wilfried views digital marketing like trying to get past the bouncers at a nightclub.  
• “The best things in life are free,” as they say; discover why this slogan applies to Internet traffic. 
• How can we protect against the proliferation of fake, AI-generated content? Can we prevent the Deep Fakes from crowding out content with real, genuine value?
• Discover the frightening effects of “algorithmic decision-making” – are the decisions you make online really your own?
• Wilfried and I discuss how social engineering programs pushing “equality, diversity, inclusion, etc.” have the opposite effect and have increased division in our society.
• Hear Wilfried’s suggestions for people who want to be honest and true to themselves but at the same time don’t want to be de-platformed for spreading their views.
• Uncover the insidious manner in which European countries incentivize the “voluntary” adoption of digital IDs.
• Could Joe Biden be a deep fake? We only half-jokingly discuss the possibility of the sitting U.S. President being AI-generated.

HOW TO CONTACT WILFRIED LIGHTHART

Email: wilfried@digitalblacksmiths.io

For your digital marketing needs, reach out to Digital Blacksmiths.

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER

As we discussed in this episode, the best way to stay in touch with us is by signing up for our email newsletter. You’ll receive a steady stream of my opinions, as well as plenty of news and updates affecting the expat community.

Sign up now, and you’ll also receive my FREE special report, “Plan B Residencies and Instant Citizenships.”

RELATED EPISODES

286: Untracked: The Role of Freedom Tech In Personal Security – Seth For Privacy

241: How to Secure Your Online Identity – Josh Summers

233: How to Stop Your Phone From Spying On You

CONCLUSION

It was so fun to have Wilfried on the show after working with him professionally and becoming good friends over the last few years. Wilfried is not only one of the world’s foremost experts in digital marketing but also, as you can tell from our conversation, certainly shares the values we embody here at Expat Money. 

Each of us has to find the right balance between utilizing Big Tech’s tools for our personal and professional needs and avoiding the insidious traps set by technocrats. 

As discussed in the episode, this podcast remains very difficult to censor, so we can speak openly here (but for obvious reasons, you won’t find today’s conversation on YouTube).

I’ll see you next Wednesday for another episode of the Expat Money Show.

The post 302: Social Media In The Age Of Technocracy – Wilfried Ligthart appeared first on The Expat Money Show - With Mikkel Thorup.

Seth for Privacy is a freedom maximalist and privacy advocate. He is the head of strategy and content for “Foundation Devices,” which builds Bitcoin-centric tools that empower you to reclaim your freedom. He also serves as the editor for Freedom Tech, a global hub championing Bitcoin builders, open-source developers, educators and privacy tech pioneers. 

Seth and I have a great discussion about the various freedom technologies available to increase your privacy. Enjoy!

TODAY’S CONVERSATION WITH SETH FOR PRIVACY

• Listen in to find out how Seth first took an interest in privacy issues while working for a cybersecurity firm when he realized the technology he was working on could be used to oppress humans.
• Hear how Seth started writing and podcasting about freedom issues in order to right some of the wrongs he had contributed to in his career.  
• Learn why Seth believes that free and open-source privacy tools are vital in protecting one’s privacy from both government and corporate spying. 
• Find out why Seth believes Bitcoin to be a core technology when it comes to privacy and security but why Bitcoin alone is not enough. 
• Hear Seth and I discuss the importance of self-custody when it comes to Bitcoin to fully utilize it as “Freedom Money.”
• Listen to Seth unveil some of the easiest “levers” people can enact right away to increase their own privacy.
• Learn why Seth is opposed to “privacy maximalism.” Just as I say, there is no “Shangri-La” perfect country out there; the same holds true for privacy technology.
• Find out what Seth thinks of the popular privacy-centric messaging apps like Telegram, Signal and Simplex – are some better than others?
• Hear Seth explain the importance of an “always-on” VPN – a simple tool that, while sometimes creating a minor inconvenience on some websites, presents a huge privacy upgrade.
• Seth and I discuss our philosophy on how to decide when trade-offs in privacy are worth the gain in productivity or security.

RELATED EPISODES

241: How to Secure Your Online Identity – Josh Summers

223: Fortifying Your Digital Fortress: Top Privacy and Security Tips For Expats

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

HOW TO FIND SETH FOR PRIVACY

Email: seth@foundationdevices.com

Seth For Privacy on X

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Start next year off right by ensuring you receive the EMS Pulse newsletter and the weekly Expat Sunday Times! Sign up now, and you’ll also receive my FREE special report, “Plan B Residencies and Instant Citizenships.”

CONCLUSION

It was great talking to Seth about the various technologies available to enhance your privacy in today’s digital age. Just as there is no “Shangri-La” perfect libertarian country out there, similarly, there is no perfect technology. Ultimately, the decisions you make in regard to how much privacy you are willing to give up in order to make your life or work more convenient. 

I have to make these decisions every day in my business, and the answers will look different for everyone. Hopefully, today’s discussion with Seth will continue to broaden your knowledge of the types of technologies available – and the rest is up to you!

See you all next Wednesday for another Expat Money Show.

The post 286: Untracked: The Role of Freedom Tech In Personal Security – Seth For Privacy appeared first on The Expat Money Show - With Mikkel Thorup.

Today’s guest is Titus Gebel, a German entrepreneur with a Ph.D. in International law. He is the inventor of the “Free Cities” concept and the founder of the Free Cities Foundation. He is also the CEO of Tipolis, where he is focused on creating and developing autonomous cities by partnering commercially with governments and special economic zones around the world. 

I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Titus over the years as I have served as both an Ambassador for the Free Cities Foundation and a member of the Advisory Council for Tipolis, and I’m excited to share today’s conversation in which we discuss the future of what is now being rebranded as “International Cities.”

TODAY’S CONVERSATION WITH TITUS GEBEL

• Listen to Titus detail how his ideas about free cities spawned from his frustration with politics. 
• Hear about Titus’s unique background in politics, law and entrepreneurship that made him the ideal person to craft the vision of the free cities concept.
• Learn about the many success stories that have emerged from the free cities model, including the widespread increase of special economic zones (SEZ’s).
• Titus and I discuss the concept of “government as a service” and how the services we’re used to getting from coercive governments can be delivered through the free cities model.
• Listen to Titus explain the new branding of “international cities” to counter the allergy governments have to the words “free” and “private.”
• Titus and I roll our eyes together at the concept of the “social contract,” –  the terms of which seem to change based on the whims of whoever is enforcing it.
• Hear Titus lay out the reasons why contractual governments are much better protectors of rights than the current coercive model. 
• Titus hints at the regions where we may see some of these International Cities popping up in the coming years.
  

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Sign up for our newsletter and get my FREE special report, “Plan B Residencies and Instant Citizenships.”

RELATED EPISODES

258: How To Underthrow The Government – Max Borders

256: Are Self-Governing Cities Our Chance At Freedom?

192: Building Free Private Cities Around The World – Peter Young

HOW TO FIND TITUS GEBEL’S WORK

Titus Gebel Website

Free Cities Foundation

Tipolis

CONCLUSION

I was so excited to have Titus Gebel on the show after knowing him for many years through our mutual work with various free cities projects. As you can tell from the episode, Titus and I are both incredibly optimistic about the future of what is now being dubbed “International Cities.” Even as the clouds of world war and economic calamity prospects loom, I always do my best to focus on the actions we can take towards achieving greater liberty, and the International Cities concept is one of the most exciting prospects ahead.

The post 270: The Future Of International Cities – Titus Gebel appeared first on The Expat Money Show - With Mikkel Thorup.