6nomads

Meet the Winners of Startups in North and Central America

(Source: NordWood Themes, Unsplash) Building up the customer base, hiring, and searching for a product/market fit before even pitching a VC can be challenging. You probably don't have resources to hire top-tier business development people — well, you don't even have the Chief Inspiration Officer yet. You do most of the things on your own, from writing code to designing ad banners. This may be the perfect time to consider hiring your first independent contractor. Who or what is an independent contractor An independent contractor is either an individual or entity that performs work or provides service to another entity under contract and is not controlled or influenced by the client. To qualify as an independent contractor, the individual must not be controlled by the client, be free to use his or her judgment to then use the necessary methods required to deliver to the service or work as agreed upon and to be responsible for the result in accordance with the terms of the contract. Additionally, the client is not responsible to the third party for any legal wrongs such as actions of tort which are independent to that of the contract on behalf of the independent contractor unless the client has authorized the contractor to do so or where the actions of the independent contractor are controlled by the client. The client is also not responsible for providing social security or medical benefits such as insurance. Independent contractor vs employee There are several differences between the status of an independent contractor versus that of an employee. An employee is covered by employment law whereas a contractor is not. Also, the employer has more control over the means and resources provided to the employee to complete the necessary work whereas the client has limited to no control over the means and resources needed by the contractor to get the work done. (Source: Bruno Cervera, Unsplash) Benefits of hiring an independent contractor There are numerous benefits to hiring a contractor. Firstly, it is the best way for a startup to save money as hiring an employer comes with numerous costs such as worker’s benefits and a salary. Also, if you already have workers and they are all overwhelmed with tasks and you have deadlines to meet, you can hire a contractor to improve efficiency and rehire them when needed. As the independent contractor has a particular set of skills, you can reduce training costs as they already have the necessary skills to get the job done. Additionally, you reduce your exposure to lawsuits as employees have numerous rights under the law and therefore can bring numerous claims if these rights have been violated. Contractors are not covered by such laws and therefore can’t bring such claims against you. Hiring independent contractors abroad One of the challenges for startups is keeping costs in control. Working with foreign talent can be a great way to reduce operational costs in the early stages. Platforms such as AngelList and F6S are great places to find tech talent. Stuff to read: by Adam Schwartz Remote Work Doesn’t Scale … or Does It? by Dave Nevogt How to Pay Independent Contractors & Remote Employees by 6nomads. How to Hire Foreign IT Talent Legally for Your U.S. Startup in 3 Steps by Wade Foster and the Zapier team The Ultimate Guide to Remote Work by Nitesh Agrawal Why Hiring Remotely Will Prevent Your Failure by Daria Kulish The World's Most Productive Remote Team - Hacker Noon Noonies Awards 2019

Hiring Independent Contractors For Your Bootstrapped Startup

In a world where decentralized finance and digital nomadism are redesigning ways of life, "crypto nomads" could well be the newest breed that depends on blockchain and digital cryptocurrency to live and work in any part of the world. These pioneering spirits are part of fully decentralized structures, working on projects across borders without barriers, and again defining financial freedom. Who Are Crypto Nomads? Crypto nomads, a term derived from the combination of cryptocurrency enthusiasts and digital nomads, are individuals who work remotely but are financially supported by crypto assets, DeFi investments, or blockchain-based income. Crypto nomads work remotely, but for them, cryptocurrency and blockchain are the backbones of their professional and financial activities. Most of the time, one will be dealing in professions related to blockchain development, cryptocurrency trading, consultancy, and even project management by utilizing digital assets and DeFi. Besides traditional digital nomads who work remotely though bound through centralized financial systems, crypto nomads depend on decentralized systems through which they manage finances and pursue opportunities anywhere with ease in the world. Key Features of Crypto Nomadism Include: Borderless Work: This gives them, in turn, the evasion of national border or financial regulations, making global transactions and collaborations seemingly so much easier. Financial Independence: They are confident above all in cryptocurrencies, sidestepping banks, and systems of traditional money transfer. This decreases fees and simultaneously simplifies international payments. Decentralized Communities: Crypto nomads unite through DAOs, which is a way for them to work on projects flexibly and co-creatively. The growing significance of DAOs is that they are often touted as the future of work. Co-creation Within The Crypto Nomad Lifestyle Co-creation is integral to the crypto-nomad community. Co-creation, in a nutshell, is a process of collaboration and innovation by people or organizations through decentralized networks and DAOs rather than business hierarchies. In the crypto space, this means shared ownership and community-driven project development. One quintessential example is the DAOs, which allow participants to make collective decisions, contribute to skill-based decisions, and get rewarded via governance tokens. Key Benefits of Co-creation For Crypto Nomads: Collaborative Innovation: Participating in DAOs would mean crypto nomads are able to work on blockchain projects without any central body, hence facilitating cross-border innovation. Financial Inclusion: Through the use of the blockchain, they get involved in low-cost peer-to-peer transactions, hence getting involved with projects around the world and reducing their dependence on conventional systems of finance. How Crypto Nomads Are Redefining Work And Income The crypto nomad lifestyle seeks to reshape work and income by leveraging decentralized systems outside of the traditional models of work and employment. By this, professionals are allowed to work across borders, manage finances independently, and take up project-based jobs through DAOs. Unlike conventional jobs, which are generally confined to specific geography and corporate hierarchies, crypto nomads have been able to enjoy flexibility and freedom in work. The newly redefined work structure includes: Cross-border transaction: It eliminates the need for wire transfers and currency conversion. It therefore makes international financial transactions easier. Investment and financial independence: Crypto nomads can lend, borrow, and invest directly in DeFi solutions without any intermediaries; thus, it allows full control over one's finances. Fluid involvement in projects within DAOs: The crypto-nomads are allowed to work on projects in the DAO on flexible terms and get paid with governance tokens that are reward-enabling, carrying the extra value of decision-making on the future of the project. Impact on Local Economies and Community Building Cryptonomads add value, both economically and socially, to the communities they belong to by building digital nomad communities in Bali, Lisbon, and Dubai. Finally, coworking spaces, a strong internet connection, and visa-friendly environments make these hubs a core of economic activities: their presence boosts local hospitality, tourism, and technology industries, opening new possibilities for local businesses and society in general. Local Effects of Crypto Nomadism: Local economic boost: Crypto nomads pay for local services, boosting hospitality and tourism, and driving tech entrepreneurship. Cultural Exchange and Innovation: Diverse ideas and skills moved forward by nomads enrich the cultures of residents and encourage innovation due to higher receptiveness to novelty. Some governments, like Estonia, go so far as to offer special visas for digital nomads with the goal of attracting them as a resource for local economic growth. The Role of Crypto Nomad Communities and DAOs in Global Collaboration Crypto nomads build a community based on shared interests, values, and blockchain-based interactions. In this line, DAOs have become powerful ways of belonging and mutual support since members of such organizations can contribute anytime and from any part of the world. As opposed to traditional concepts of community, crypto nomad groups represent the principles of inclusiveness, trust, and co-ownership, hence fostering collaboration across projects and countries. Other Benefits of These Communities Include: Equitable Collaboration: Blockchain's transparency and permissionless design create the grounds for trusting, peer-to-peer collaboration. Social Contribution: The majority of crypto nomads are purpose-driven individuals ecologically seeking opportunities for volunteering and community engagements in the destinations they travel to. Crypto Nomadism: Its Challenges and the Way Forward While a decentralized, borderless lifestyle is romantic, crypto nomadism faces difficulties regarding regulatory uncertainties, fluctuating crypto values, and the instability of decentralized economies. Other common challenges are navigating complicated rules for visas, accessing consistent healthcare, and finding reliable connections to the internet. The future trends entail: Regulatory Developments: Accompanying increased mainstream adoption of crypto is that governments might also begin to adopt friendlier policies towards crypto nomads. Improved Security, Speed, and Innovation in Blockchain Products: Advances in blockchain technology could make blockchain networks more resistant to hacking and faster and more advanced financial products developed on the blockchain. The development of decentralized finance could be stabilized by such a development and, therefore, support the growth of the crypto nomad lifestyle. Case Study: House of Web3 The House of Web3, founded in 2022 by Edge & Node, is an outstanding example of a co-creation hub for internet nomads working in AI, blockchain and decentralized technology. Described as the modern-day” town hall”, it has welcomed over 10,000 attendees and has over 750 approved co-creators including developers, founders and VCs from more than 300 companies around the world. It serves as a work space and a community where digital nomads, developers, founders, and venture capitalists can connect, collaborate, and learn from one another. The space has hosted thousands of events, ranging from technical workshops to high-profile discussions with San Francisco's mayor and mayoral candidates, positioning it as a platform for addressing real-world issues through emerging technologies. Two years since its launch, it has fostered collaborations between blockchain and AI pioneers, and nurtured  a thriving community of crypto nomads. Conclusion: Crypto nomads rethink notions of work, community, and financial freedom through blockchain and decentralized finance to operate without borders. They also collaborate on international projects through DAOs, enabling a co-creative culture to support shared ownership in furthering innovation and financial inclusion. Crypto nomads have contributed culturally and economically to the communities in which they set up hubs in Bali, Lisbon, and elsewhere. Indeed, this somewhat strange marriage between global collaboration and local impact is what makes this lifestyle so different from most other modern prototypes. In a world where decentralized finance and digital nomadism are redesigning ways of life, "crypto nomads" could well be the newest breed that depends on blockchain and digital cryptocurrency to live and work in any part of the world. These pioneering spirits are part of fully decentralized structures, working on projects across borders without barriers, and again defining financial freedom. Who Are Crypto Nomads? Crypto nomads, a term derived from the combination of cryptocurrency enthusiasts and digital nomads, are individuals who work remotely but are financially supported by crypto assets, DeFi investments, or blockchain-based income. Crypto nomads work remotely, but for them, cryptocurrency and blockchain are the backbones of their professional and financial activities. Most of the time, one will be dealing in professions related to blockchain development, cryptocurrency trading, consultancy, and even project management by utilizing digital assets and DeFi. Besides traditional digital nomads who work remotely though bound through centralized financial systems, crypto nomads depend on decentralized systems through which they manage finances and pursue opportunities anywhere with ease in the world. Key Features of Crypto Nomadism Include: Borderless Work: This gives them, in turn, the evasion of national border or financial regulations, making global transactions and collaborations seemingly so much easier. Borderless Work: Financial Independence: T hey are confident above all in cryptocurrencies, sidestepping banks, and systems of traditional money transfer. This decreases fees and simultaneously simplifies international payments. Financial Independence: T Decentralized Communities: Crypto nomads unite through DAOs, which is a way for them to work on projects flexibly and co-creatively. The growing significance of DAOs is that they are often touted as the future of work. Decentralized Communities: Co-creation Within The Crypto Nomad Lifestyle Co-creation is integral to the crypto-nomad community. Co-creation, in a nutshell, is a process of collaboration and innovation by people or organizations through decentralized networks and DAOs rather than business hierarchies. In the crypto space, this means shared ownership and community-driven project development. One quintessential example is the DAOs, which allow participants to make collective decisions, contribute to skill-based decisions, and get rewarded via governance tokens. Key Benefits of Co-creation For Crypto Nomads: Collaborative Innovation: Collaborative Innovation: Participating in DAOs would mean crypto nomads are able to work on blockchain projects without any central body, hence facilitating cross-border innovation. Financial Inclusion: Financial Inclusion: Through the use of the blockchain, they get involved in low-cost peer-to-peer transactions, hence getting involved with projects around the world and reducing their dependence on conventional systems of finance. How Crypto Nomads Are Redefining Work And Income The crypto nomad lifestyle seeks to reshape work and income by leveraging decentralized systems outside of the traditional models of work and employment. By this, professionals are allowed to work across borders, manage finances independently, and take up project-based jobs through DAOs. Unlike conventional jobs, which are generally confined to specific geography and corporate hierarchies, crypto nomads have been able to enjoy flexibility and freedom in work. The newly redefined work structure includes: Cross-border transaction: Cross-border transaction: It eliminates the need for wire transfers and currency conversion. It therefore makes international financial transactions easier. Investment and financial independence: Investment and financial independence: Crypto nomads can lend, borrow, and invest directly in DeFi solutions without any intermediaries; thus, it allows full control over one's finances. Fluid involvement in projects within DAOs: Fluid involvement in projects within DAOs: The crypto-nomads are allowed to work on projects in the DAO on flexible terms and get paid with governance tokens that are reward-enabling, carrying the extra value of decision-making on the future of the project. Impact on Local Economies and Community Building Cryptonomads add value, both economically and socially, to the communities they belong to by building digital nomad communities in Bali, Lisbon, and Dubai. Finally, coworking spaces, a strong internet connection, and visa-friendly environments make these hubs a core of economic activities: their presence boosts local hospitality, tourism, and technology industries, opening new possibilities for local businesses and society in general. Local Effects of Crypto Nomadism: Local economic boost: Local economic boost: Crypto nomads pay for local services, boosting hospitality and tourism, and driving tech entrepreneurship. Cultural Exchange and Innovation: Cultural Exchange and Innovation: Diverse ideas and skills moved forward by nomads enrich the cultures of residents and encourage innovation due to higher receptiveness to novelty. Some governments, like Estonia, go so far as to offer special visas for digital nomads with the goal of attracting them as a resource for local economic growth. The Role of Crypto Nomad Communities and DAOs in Global Collaboration Crypto nomads build a community based on shared interests, values, and blockchain-based interactions. In this line, DAOs have become powerful ways of belonging and mutual support since members of such organizations can contribute anytime and from any part of the world. As opposed to traditional concepts of community, crypto nomad groups represent the principles of inclusiveness, trust, and co-ownership, hence fostering collaboration across projects and countries. Other Benefits of These Communities Include: Equitable Collaboration: Equitable Collaboration: Blockchain's transparency and permissionless design create the grounds for trusting, peer-to-peer collaboration. Social Contribution: Social Contribution: The majority of crypto nomads are purpose-driven individuals ecologically seeking opportunities for volunteering and community engagements in the destinations they travel to. Crypto Nomadism: Its Challenges and the Way Forward While a decentralized, borderless lifestyle is romantic, crypto nomadism faces difficulties regarding regulatory uncertainties, fluctuating crypto values, and the instability of decentralized economies. Other common challenges are navigating complicated rules for visas, accessing consistent healthcare, and finding reliable connections to the internet. The future trends entail: The future trends entail: Regulatory Developments: Regulatory Developments: Accompanying increased mainstream adoption of crypto is that governments might also begin to adopt friendlier policies towards crypto nomads. Improved Security, Speed, and Innovation in Blockchain Products: Improved Security, Speed, and Innovation in Blockchain Products: Advances in blockchain technology could make blockchain networks more resistant to hacking and faster and more advanced financial products developed on the blockchain. The development of decentralized finance could be stabilized by such a development and, therefore, support the growth of the crypto nomad lifestyle. Case Study: House of Web3 The House of Web3, founded in 2022 by Edge & Node, is an outstanding example of a co-creation hub for internet nomads working in AI, blockchain and decentralized technology. Described as the modern-day” town hall”, it has welcomed over 10,000 attendees and has over 750 approved co-creators including developers, founders and VCs from more than 300 companies around the world. It serves as a work space and a community where digital nomads, developers, founders, and venture capitalists can connect, collaborate, and learn from one another. The space has hosted thousands of events, ranging from technical workshops to high-profile discussions with San Francisco's mayor and mayoral candidates, positioning it as a platform for addressing real-world issues through emerging technologies. Two years since its launch, it has fostered collaborations between blockchain and AI pioneers, and nurtured  a thriving community of crypto nomads. Conclusion: Crypto nomads rethink notions of work, community, and financial freedom through blockchain and decentralized finance to operate without borders. They also collaborate on international projects through DAOs, enabling a co-creative culture to support shared ownership in furthering innovation and financial inclusion. Crypto nomads have contributed culturally and economically to the communities in which they set up hubs in Bali, Lisbon, and elsewhere. Indeed, this somewhat strange marriage between global collaboration and local impact is what makes this lifestyle so different from most other modern prototypes.

The Rise Of Crypto Nomads: How Co-Creation Is Redefining Global Work And Community

If you haven’t read The Reality of Digital Nomads: Chasing Highs, Finding What? (Part 1), it delves into the challenges I faced as a digital nomad — the lack of stability, absence of community, and the constant stress and fatigue. A key takeaway is my suggestion that “digital homeless” might be a more fitting term for digital nomads. I end by comparing today’s nomads to historical figures like Mountain Hermits and Monastic Wanderers, who also led lives of solitude and self-reliance. Read <Part 1> The Reality of Digital Nomads: Chasing Adventure, Finding What? on Hackernoon! [Click Here.] <Part 2> The common thread that ties digital nomads, Christian monks, and Buddhist monks together is that they all leave their hometowns in pursuit of greater enlightenment and growth. For someone like my parents, watching their daughter constantly pursue challenges can be concerning. Yet, traveling as a digital nomad has been incredibly meaningful for self-discovery and personal growth. Before beginning this journey, I struggled with anxiety rooted in self-consciousness. I was the type of girl who loved popcorn but would skip it when at the theater alone, worried about what strangers might think if they saw me in line by myself. I’d even wait until the theater emptied out to shyly grab a bag on my way out. One unexpected advantage of having to work full-time while traveling is that you don’t really have the leisure to get swept up in all the local tourist attractions. Instead, you find small joys in visiting cafes where you can quietly observe locals while working, or by changing neighborhoods for an evening stroll each day to experience subtle differences in scenery. Contrary to the high-pitched dialogue often heard in Japanese anime, residential neighborhoods in Tokyo are always astonishingly quiet. In Siem Reap, children rummage through trash cans in search of necessities just a few kilometers away from one of the largest and most impressive religious monuments. In Asia’s most liberal city, Bangkok, located in the only country to have legalized cannabis, a less hipster and more capitalistic, and self-conscious scene can be observed, with people waiting their turn at beauty clinics as late as 9 PM. Meanwhile, in Bali, locals begin and end their day with religious rituals, with every store and accommodation advertising their fast Wi-Fi speeds. In Philadelphia, some cafes do not provide Wi-Fi or even allow laptop use, yet still manage to thrive. Seeing such differences in real-life cultures all over the world leads to the questioning of how much of who I am was shaped by the culture and environment I grew up in, this journey becomes a time of introspection. Traveling is the culture and community that shaped a significant part of my identity disappearing right before my eyes. I start asking myself, “Who am I without my culture?” and “What are my fundamental traits?” And from city to the next, the answers to these questions about myself slowly unveil. Who am I without my culture? There’s a unique liberation that comes with exploring “me” in a foreign country. Here, everyone sheds their familiar identity and becomes a foreigner, free from their usual roles and expectations. The term “foreigner” means “a person who does not belong to a particular group or community.” You’re not the hometown girl, recognized by her daily iced black coffee, or the guy who’s known for his DIY car washes since he moved in last year. Instead, you’re simply you, stripped down to the essentials, unbound by the routines and labels from home. One of the greatest advantages of traveling to many places is adopting the mindset of “I am a foreigner anyway.” This mentality of inherently “being different” is freeing. Although we are always unique individuals, experiencing multiple cultures and their contrasts makes this truth resonate deeply. Realizing that no two communities are identical and that we don’t need to conform to any single one allows us to uncover our true nature and personality. As innate social animals, we’ve grown accustomed to communal life over thousands of years. In Eastern cultures, where communal living is especially valued, we sometimes overlook a key fact: communities are composed of individuals, each with unique traits. Often, we subconsciously prioritize the identity of the community over our own, hesitating to adopt beliefs or behaviors that set us apart. As a foreigner passing through an area briefly, it’s rare to get much attention from locals, apart from the enthusiastic promotions of bar promoters. This freedom of not being seen, to simply blend into the background, is liberating and accelerates your self-discovery by giving you more space to allow yourself to be who you are. This is entirely different from wearing a bikini on the streets in Southeast Asia after wearing Confucian-style clothing in your home country. The initial adventurous spirit of arriving in a new place fades, and it’s in the period when you’ve grown somewhat familiar with the place but still don’t belong to the community that you start to see your authentic self emerge. In various cities across the world, I encountered my intrinsic kindness. Even when I didn’t care about how I might be seen to others, and was under a massive amount of stress, I remained kind to others. My shyness was replaced with lengthy conversations with cab drivers. This new found self became a source of strength and uplifted me in ways I hadn’t expected. Language barrier was surprisingly not much of a discomfort, but a factor that helped with self-discovery. How much do the words and sounds we hear around us everyday influence our thoughts? Even last weekend, while hiking in the utter peace of nature, I passed by a group discussing the housing prices of Seoul. Under the clear sky, their conversation made blurred my future into darkness. Koreans, as a whole, seem particularly focused on wealth and the economy, with a strong drive toward accumulating wealth. Since my only financial planning involves saving whatever is left after impulsively spending my salary, hearing these conversations makes me feel on the verge of a panic attack. Additionally, I’m often greeted by a YouTube ad playing the moment I get in although I pay for each ride. Just how much do the words and sounds around us in daily life influence our state of mind In this day and age, exposure to materialistic and consumerist attitudes and media isn’t an experience exclusive to my home country. However, in a foreign country, all advertisements and other people’s conversations just come across as noise, so even if I was exposed to them, I wasn’t really impacted by them. Of course, just because I can’t understand the language around me doesn’t mean that the influence of the culture I’ve lived in for decades simply disappears. Even in the laid-back atmosphere of Southeast Asia, I still found myself prioritizing efficiency and speed — like a true Korean. But when the surrounding noise faded, I began to hear an authentic voice within me — a voice I couldn’t hear as clearly back in Korea. It was the desire to pursue art and creative work, so I began writing again. Traveling to different places felt almost like being free of a past, and therefore your age. Perhaps it’s because, as a foreigner, you’re somewhat invisible, not part of that community’s recorded history — only by staying long enough, by becoming a familiar face, might you start to leave a mark. Or maybe it’s because the places woven into the history of my life are out of sight, and all I see is ‘new’ around me. Anyways, with the emergence of the unique voice inside me, I also stopped feeling so self-conscious of my age. The self-doubt that normally would have risen with the emergence of my authentic voice subdued in the seeming absence of the history it was born from. But the best part of being a digital nomad didn’t strike me until it was over.. I’ll tell you guys everything about it in Part 3, next week.. Thanks for reading If you haven’t read The Reality of Digital Nomads: Chasing Highs, Finding What? (Part 1) , it delves into the challenges I faced as a digital nomad — the lack of stability, absence of community, and the constant stress and fatigue. A key takeaway is my suggestion that “digital homeless” might be a more fitting term for digital nomads. I end by comparing today’s nomads to historical figures like Mountain Hermits and Monastic Wanderers, who also led lives of solitude and self-reliance. The Reality of Digital Nomads: Chasing Highs, Finding What? (Part 1) Read <Part 1> The Reality of Digital Nomads: Chasing Adventure, Finding What? on Hackernoon! [ Click Here .] Click Here <Part 2> The common thread that ties digital nomads, Christian monks, and Buddhist monks together is that they all leave their hometowns in pursuit of greater enlightenment and growth. For someone like my parents, watching their daughter constantly pursue challenges can be concerning. Yet, traveling as a digital nomad has been incredibly meaningful for self-discovery and personal growth . Before beginning this journey, I struggled with anxiety rooted in self-consciousness. I was the type of girl who loved popcorn but would skip it when at the theater alone, worried about what strangers might think if they saw me in line by myself. I’d even wait until the theater emptied out to shyly grab a bag on my way out. self-discovery personal growth anxiety self-consciousness. I was the type of girl who loved popcorn but would skip it when at the theater alone, worried about what strangers might think if they saw me in line by myself. I’d even wait until the theater emptied out to shyly grab a bag on my way out. One unexpected advantage of having to work full-time while traveling is that you don’t really have the leisure to get swept up in all the local tourist attractions. Instead, you find small joys in visiting cafes where you can quietly observe locals while working, or by changing neighborhoods for an evening stroll each day to experience subtle differences in scenery. Contrary to the high-pitched dialogue often heard in Japanese anime, residential neighborhoods in Tokyo are always astonishingly quiet. In Siem Reap , children rummage through trash cans in search of necessities just a few kilometers away from one of the largest and most impressive religious monuments. In Asia’s most liberal city, Bangkok , located in the only country to have legalized cannabis, a less hipster and more capitalistic, and self-conscious scene can be observed, with people waiting their turn at beauty clinics as late as 9 PM. Meanwhile, in Bali , locals begin and end their day with religious rituals, with every store and accommodation advertising their fast Wi-Fi speeds. In Philadelphia , some cafes do not provide Wi-Fi or even allow laptop use, yet still manage to thrive. visiting cafes evening stroll Tokyo Siem Reap Bangkok Bali Philadelphia Seeing such differences in real-life cultures all over the world leads to the questioning of how much of who I am was shaped by the culture and environment I grew up in, this journey becomes a time of introspection. Traveling is the culture and community that shaped a significant part of my identity disappearing right before my eyes. I start asking myself, “Who am I without my culture?” and “What are my fundamental traits? ” And from city to the next, the answers to these questions about myself slowly unveil. “Who am I without my culture?” “What are my fundamental traits? Who am I without my culture? Who am I without my culture? Who am I without my culture? There’s a unique liberation that comes with exploring “me” in a foreign country. Here, everyone sheds their familiar identity and becomes a foreigner, free from their usual roles and expectations. The term “foreigner” means “a person who does not belong to a particular group or community.” You’re not the hometown girl, recognized by her daily iced black coffee, or the guy who’s known for his DIY car washes since he moved in last year. Instead, you’re simply you, stripped down to the essentials, unbound by the routines and labels from home. foreigner, you, One of the greatest advantages of traveling to many places is adopting the mindset of “I am a foreigner anyway.” This mentality of inherently “ being different” is freeing. Although we are always unique individuals, experiencing multiple cultures and their contrasts makes this truth resonate deeply. Realizing that no two communities are identical and that we don’t need to conform to any single one allows us to uncover our true nature and personality. being different” multiple cultures and their contrasts As innate social animals, we’ve grown accustomed to communal life over thousands of years. In Eastern cultures, where communal living is especially valued, we sometimes overlook a key fact: communities are composed of individuals, each with unique traits. Often, we subconsciously prioritize the identity of the community over our own, hesitating to adopt beliefs or behaviors that set us apart. As a foreigner passing through an area briefly, it’s rare to get much attention from locals, apart from the enthusiastic promotions of bar promoters. This freedom of not being seen, to simply blend into the background, is liberating and accelerates your self-discovery by giving you more space to allow yourself to be who you are. This freedom of not being seen, to simply blend into the background, is liberating and accelerates your self-discovery by giving you more space to allow yourself to be who you are. This is entirely different from wearing a bikini on the streets in Southeast Asia after wearing Confucian-style clothing in your home country. The initial adventurous spirit of arriving in a new place fades, and it’s in the period when you’ve grown somewhat familiar with the place but still don’t belong to the community that you start to see your authentic self emerge. In various cities across the world, I encountered my intrinsic kindness. Even when I didn’t care about how I might be seen to others, and was under a massive amount of stress, I remained kind to others. My shyness was replaced with lengthy conversations with cab drivers. This new found self became a source of strength and uplifted me in ways I hadn’t expected. In various cities across the world, I encountered my intrinsic kindness. Even when I didn’t care about how I might be seen to others, and was under a massive amount of stress, I remained kind to others. My shyness was replaced with lengthy conversations with cab drivers. This new found self became a source of strength and uplifted me in ways I hadn’t expected. Language barrier was surprisingly not much of a discomfort, but a factor that helped with self-discovery. How much do the words and sounds we hear around us everyday influence our thoughts? Even last weekend, while hiking in the utter peace of nature, I passed by a group discussing the housing prices of Seoul. Under the clear sky, their conversation made blurred my future into darkness. Koreans, as a whole, seem particularly focused on wealth and the economy, with a strong drive toward accumulating wealth. Since my only financial planning involves saving whatever is left after impulsively spending my salary, hearing these conversations makes me feel on the verge of a panic attack. Additionally, I’m often greeted by a YouTube ad playing the moment I get in although I pay for each ride. Language barrier Just how much do the words and sounds around us in daily life influence our state of mind Just how much do the words and sounds around us in daily life influence our state of mind Just how much do the words and sounds around us in daily life influence our state of mind In this day and age, exposure to materialistic and consumerist attitudes and media isn’t an experience exclusive to my home country. However, in a foreign country, all advertisements and other people’s conversations just come across as noise, so even if I was exposed to them, I wasn’t really impacted by them. Of course, just because I can’t understand the language around me doesn’t mean that the influence of the culture I’ve lived in for decades simply disappears. Even in the laid-back atmosphere of Southeast Asia, I still found myself prioritizing efficiency and speed — like a true Korean. But when the surrounding noise faded, I began to hear an authentic voice within me — a voice I couldn’t hear as clearly back in Korea. It was the desire to pursue art and creative work, so I began writing again. authentic voice within me Traveling to different places felt almost like being free of a past, and therefore your age. Perhaps it’s because, as a foreigner, you’re somewhat invisible, not part of that community’s recorded history — only by staying long enough, by becoming a familiar face, might you start to leave a mark. Or maybe it’s because the places woven into the history of my life are out of sight, and all I see is ‘new’ around me. Anyways, with the emergence of the unique voice inside me, I also stopped feeling so self-conscious of my age. The self-doubt that normally would have risen with the emergence of my authentic voice subdued in the seeming absence of the history it was born from. But the best part of being a digital nomad didn’t strike me until it was over.. But the best part of being a digital nomad didn’t strike me until it was over.. I’ll tell you guys everything about it in Part 3, next week.. Thanks for reading

The Reality of Digital Nomads: Defying Sight and Sound

<Deel 2> Die realiteit van digitale nomades: trotseer sig en klank

<Част 2> Реалността на дигиталните номади: противопоставяне на зрението и звука

<পর্ব 2> ডিজিটাল যাযাবরের বাস্তবতা: দৃষ্টি ও শব্দকে অস্বীকার করা

<Parte 2> La realidad de los nómadas digitales: desafiando la vista y el oído

<Drugi dio> Stvarnost digitalnih nomada: prkoseći vidu i zvuku

<第2部> デジタル遊牧民の現実：視覚と聴覚を無視

<2-бөлүк> Санариптик көчмөндөрдүн чындыгы: Көрүү жана үнгө каршы

<2 dalis> Skaitmeninių klajoklių realybė: nepaisyti vaizdo ir garso

<Część 2> Rzeczywistość cyfrowych nomadów: rzucanie wyzwania wzrokowi i słuchowi

<Chikamu 2> Chokwadi cheDigital Nomads: Kuzvidza Kuona uye Kunzwika

<Частина 2> Реальність цифрових кочівників: заперечення зору та звуку

<پارٹ 2> ڈیجیٹل خانہ بدوشوں کی حقیقت: نظر اور آواز کی مخالفت

The HackerNoon Newsletter: The Reality of Digital Nomads: Chasing Adventure, Finding What? (11/2/2024)

In July 2023, I had the opportunity to start working remotely for a couple of blockchain companies. Not wanting to waste a single moment of this opportunity, I dove into a digital nomad lifestyle, traveling across three continents, 13 countries, and 20 cities over the course of a year. Even before I graduated college, I started working in an office at an IT startup, so after three and a half years of office work, there was nothing more liberating and enchanting than opening my MacBook in cafés with an uniquely exotic backdrops. The freedom to go anywhere I wanted was ecstasy. During the first three months of remote work, I probably visited almost every café in Seoul. Then, I went on a trip to Europe with my parents and also visited my sister in Philadelphia, working remotely while traveling freely. Then, at the beginning of 2024, I decided to set off to Southeast Asia, starting with a month-long stay in Bangkok, the mecca for digital nomads in Asia after Bali. Experienced digital nomads would usually pack as lightly as possible, but as an overjoyed beginner, I left home with a fully packed 25kg suitcase and a 7kg carry-on. Of course, I regretted it several times along the way. My luggage included multiple dresses that would have been a bit too flashy to wear in Korea, along six pairs of shoes in anticipation of any special occasion that might just come up. I was so thrilled that I even published a post on my Medium blog titled How I Became a Digital Nomad in 6 Months With No Coding Skills. At the time of the post, I only had 22 subscribers, but it gained quite a bit of traction, attracting 20 new fans and receiving over 100 reactions. Seeing the enthusiastic response to my blog, which remains my most popular piece to this day, I was able to reaffirm that this lifestyle is something many people aspire to. This reaffirmation became very valuable to me because, in reality, the digital nomad life I experienced was lonely, unstable, and extremely stressful. The idea of breaking free from the constraints of traditional work and daily life felt like such an adventure for me. I thought that my days would be filled with delightful peaks if I just stepped outside of my regular routine—so much so that I packed six pairs of shoes! But reality turned out to be quite different. Settling into new places is undoubtedly fun and exciting, but even the excitement of newness becomes routine after about two weeks - but this is all on just the surface-level of our perception. Within our subconscious systems, circuits and gears are working tirelessly to adapt to the new environments we’ve placed ourselves in. When we’re in unfamiliar surroundings, our brain’s orientation system activates. This system helps us navigate our surroundings, recognize patterns, and adjusts our behavior accordingly. The hippocampus and amygdala play key roles in this process, helping us to perceive and remember spatial information and evaluate safety within those spaces. This cognitive load that comes from processing a vast amount of new stimuli and situations consumes significant brain energy, unlike the familiar routine tasks that used to take minimal effort. Imagine your brain only used to walk familiar paths, but now everywhere needs is new and needs to be calculated. As this cognitive load builds up until the environment feels sufficiently familiar, we start to consciously experience it as pressure or stress. I never stayed in a single city for over a month. I had believed the best way to get the most of remote work was to explore as many places as possible. The second reason was that until I felt certain that this was the right place to settle down, I didn’t want to deal with the uninspiring hassle of administrative procedures like visa issuance. At that time, my job involved frequent business trips, so I often planned my travels by extending my stay for a few weeks at the locations I visited for work. However, my ambition in wanting to see the world, and failure to take the leap and commit resulted in a cumulative unconscious workload of constantly having to adapt to multiple places in a short period—which scientifically resulted into stress. Moreover, I had full-time work on my plate, which psychologically felt like a heavier burden than it should have been. I was working more hours and on the weekends trying to make up for the time that I spent unfocused. I often found myself getting irritated with people around me, fearing I wouldn’t complete tasks on time, or becoming almost obsessive about getting things done in a certain way. I think I had this underlying sense of being unable to control my life in constantly changing environments, and it was quite overwhelming. Excerpt from my journal entry on the 12th of February, 2024 which is 19 days after I arrive in Bangkok. Oh God, this morning I felt this dense ball of air stuck in the back of my head, like an air bubble. Although air physically carries no weight, the one back there felt heavy that my head was tilting back as I was walking out from the bed. It’s like my brain was trying to stop me. Back home, I maintained a regular routine with five workouts a week with home-cooked meals. However, when my fatigue level reached its peak, it became difficult to stick to my regular exercise routine at local gyms, and even cooking meals at home became a luxury once I started traveling. I knew that home-cooked meals are the best, so I bought the necessary soy sauce, Gochujang, Mulyeot etc. that were needed to cook Korean meals when I arrived at my first destination in Southeast Asia. However, I didn’t even get to use a quarter of them before leaving them behind as I moved on to Phuket, making eating out was much less wasteful. Korean food abroad is more expensive than it is in Korea, and healthy meals are just as pricey. So, I mostly relied on local cuisine, and found it increasingly difficult to keep up with the oily fried dishes and unfamiliar flavors. While it's quite obvious that traveling would make it hard to maintain the diet I wanted, I intend to highlight the irony of how gaining freedom in place means but losing freedom in meals. Now, I often joke that people living this lifestyle should be called "digital homeless" rather than digital nomads. In fact, historically, nomadic living was primarily based on collective or communal life. However, digital nomads don't travel with their community. They travel alone, or sometimes as a couple. So in my joke, the word "home" in "digital homeless" doesn’t refer to a house or an apartment, but rather to a community where one belongs— family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors. Yes, there are digital nomad communities that can be accessed anywhere in the world, but those digital nomad communities can be more simply put as ‘a group of strangers that hosts co-working and after hour bar sessions’. A community isn’t a community until it starts feeling like yours over a period of time. A segment of people from history that actually resembles a digital nomad would be the Mountain Hermits and Monastic Wanderers. For example, Christian hermits in medieval Europe or wandering Buddhist monks in East Asia often chose to live away from home, moving from place to place to find spiritual enlightenment, or solitude. So, why do people choose the digital nomad lifestyle? Like the wandering Buddhist monks and Christian hermits - the instability and stress from exploring so many different places does in fact provide spiritual enlightenment and growth. That’s the for story next week. Thanks for reading. In July 2023, I had the opportunity to start working remotely for a couple of blockchain companies. Not wanting to waste a single moment of this opportunity, I dove into a digital nomad lifestyle, traveling across three continents, 13 countries, and 20 cities over the course of a year. Even before I graduated college, I started working in an office at an IT startup, so after three and a half years of office work, there was nothing more liberating and enchanting than opening my MacBook in cafés with an uniquely exotic backdrops. The freedom to go anywhere I wanted was ecstasy . During the first three months of remote work, I probably visited almost every café in Seoul. Then, I went on a trip to Europe with my parents and also visited my sister in Philadelphia, working remotely while traveling freely. liberating enchanting ecstasy Then, at the beginning of 2024, I decided to set off to Southeast Asia, starting with a month-long stay in Bangkok, the mecca for digital nomads in Asia after Bali. Experienced digital nomads would usually pack as lightly as possible, but as an overjoyed beginner, I left home with a fully packed 25kg suitcase and a 7kg carry-on. Of course, I regretted it several times along the way. My luggage included multiple dresses that would have been a bit too flashy to wear in Korea, along six pairs of shoes in anticipation of any special occasion that might just come up. I was so thrilled that I even published a post on my Medium blog titled How I Became a Digital Nomad in 6 Months With No Coding Skills . At the time of the post, I only had 22 subscribers, but it gained quite a bit of traction, attracting 20 new fans and receiving over 100 reactions. Seeing the enthusiastic response to my blog, which remains my most popular piece to this day, I was able to reaffirm that this lifestyle is something many people aspire to. This reaffirmation became very valuable to me because, in reality, the digital nomad life I experienced was lonely , unstable , and extremely stressful . How I Became a Digital Nomad in 6 Months With No Coding Skills lonely unstable extremely stressful The idea of breaking free from the constraints of traditional work and daily life felt like such an adventure for me. I thought that my days would be filled with delightful peaks if I just stepped outside of my regular routine—so much so that I packed six pairs of shoes! But reality turned out to be quite different. Settling into new places is undoubtedly fun and exciting, but even the excitement of newness becomes routine after about two weeks - but this is all on just the surface-level of our perception. Within our subconscious systems, circuits and gears are working tirelessly to adapt to the new environments we’ve placed ourselves in. When we’re in unfamiliar surroundings, our brain’s orientation system activates. This system helps us navigate our surroundings, recognize patterns, and adjusts our behavior accordingly. The hippocampus and amygdala play key roles in this process, helping us to perceive and remember spatial information and evaluate safety within those spaces. This cognitive load that comes from processing a vast amount of new stimuli and situations consumes significant brain energy, unlike the familiar routine tasks that used to take minimal effort. Imagine your brain only used to walk familiar paths, but now everywhere needs is new and needs to be calculated. As this cognitive load builds up until the environment feels sufficiently familiar, we start to consciously experience it as pressure or stress. orientation system As this cognitive load builds up until the environment feels sufficiently familiar, we start to consciously experience it as pressure or stress. I never stayed in a single city for over a month. I had believed the best way to get the most of remote work was to explore as many places as possible. The second reason was that until I felt certain that this was the right place to settle down, I didn’t want to deal with the uninspiring hassle of administrative procedures like visa issuance. At that time, my job involved frequent business trips, so I often planned my travels by extending my stay for a few weeks at the locations I visited for work. However, my ambition in wanting to see the world , and failure to take the leap and comm it resulted in a cumulative unconscious workload of constantly having to adapt to multiple places in a short period—which scientifically resulted into stress. ambition in wanting to see the world failure to take the leap and comm Moreover, I had full-time work on my plate, which psychologically felt like a heavier burden than it should have been. I was working more hours and on the weekends trying to make up for the time that I spent unfocused. I often found myself getting irritated with people around me, fearing I wouldn’t complete tasks on time, or becoming almost obsessive about getting things done in a certain way. I think I had this underlying sense of being unable to control my life in constantly changing environments , and it was quite overwhelming . underlying sense of being unable to control my life in constantly changing environments overwhelming Excerpt from my journal entry on the 12th of February, 2024 which is 19 days after I arrive in Bangkok. Oh God, this morning I felt this dense ball of air stuck in the back of my head, like an air bubble. Although air physically carries no weight, the one back there felt heavy that my head was tilting back as I was walking out from the bed. It’s like my brain was trying to stop me. Oh God, this morning I felt this dense ball of air stuck in the back of my head, like an air bubble. Although air physically carries no weight, the one back there felt heavy that my head was tilting back as I was walking out from the bed. It’s like my brain was trying to stop me. Oh God, this morning I felt this dense ball of air stuck in the back of my head, like an air bubble. Although air physically carries no weight, the one back there felt heavy that my head was tilting back as I was walking out from the bed. It’s like my brain was trying to stop me. Back home, I maintained a regular routine with five workouts a week with home-cooked meals. However, when my fatigue level reached its peak, it became difficult to stick to my regular exercise routine at local gyms, and even cooking meals at home became a luxury once I started traveling. I knew that home-cooked meals are the best, so I bought the necessary soy sauce, Gochujang, Mulyeot etc. that were needed to cook Korean meals when I arrived at my first destination in Southeast Asia. However, I didn’t even get to use a quarter of them before leaving them behind as I moved on to Phuket, making eating out was much less wasteful. Korean food abroad is more expensive than it is in Korea, and healthy meals are just as pricey. So, I mostly relied on local cuisine, and found it increasingly difficult to keep up with the oily fried dishes and unfamiliar flavors. While it's quite obvious that traveling would make it hard to maintain the diet I wanted, I intend to highlight the irony of how gaining freedom in place means but losing freedom in meals. the irony of how gaining freedom in place means but losing freedom in meals. Now, I often joke that people living this lifestyle should be called "digital homeless" rather than digital nomads. In fact, historically, nomadic living was primarily based on collective or communal life. However, digital nomads don't travel with their community. They travel alone, or sometimes as a couple. So in my joke, the word "home" in "digital homeless" doesn’t refer to a house or an apartment, but rather to a community where one belongs— family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors. Yes, there are digital nomad communities that can be accessed anywhere in the world, but those digital nomad communities can be more simply put as ‘a group of strangers that hosts co-working and after hour bar sessions’. A community isn’t a community until it starts feeling like yours over a period of time. Now, I often joke that people living this lifestyle should be called "digital homeless" rather than digital nomads. digital nomad communities A community isn’t a community until it starts feeling like yours over a period of time. A segment of people from history that actually resembles a digital nomad would be the Mountain Hermits and Monastic Wanderers . For example, Christian hermits in medieval Europe or wandering Buddhist monks in East Asia often chose to live away from home, moving from place to place to find spiritual enlightenment, or solitude. Mountain Hermits Monastic Wanderers So, why do people choose the digital nomad lifestyle? So, why do people choose the digital nomad lifestyle? Like the wandering Buddhist monks and Christian hermits - the instability and stress from exploring so many different places does in fact provide spiritual enlightenment and growth. That’s the for story next week. Thanks for reading.

The Reality of Digital Nomads: Chasing Adventure, Finding What?

حقيقة البدو الرقميين: ملاحقة المغامرة، العثور على ماذا؟

Рэальнасць лічбавых качэўнікаў: у пагоні за прыгодамі, у пошуку чаго?

La realidad de los nómadas digitales: ¿en busca de aventuras y qué encuentran?

Digitaalisten nomadien todellisuus: jahtaavat seikkailua, mitä löytää?

A realidade dos nómadas dixitais: perseguindo aventuras, buscando que?

Stvarnost digitalnih nomada: jureći avanturu, pronaći što?

デジタル遊牧民の現実: 冒険を追い求めて、何を見つけるのか?

ຄວາມເປັນຈິງຂອງ Digital Nomads: ແລ່ນການຜະຈົນໄພ, ຊອກຫາຫຍັງ?

De realiteit van digitale nomaden: op zoek naar avontuur, wat vinden?

Rzeczywistość cyfrowych nomadów: w pogoni za przygodami i w znalezieniu czego?

ڈیجیٹل خانہ بدوشوں کی حقیقت: مہم جوئی کا پیچھا کرنا، کیا تلاش کرنا؟

Inyani yeeNomads zeDijithali: Ukusukela i-Adventure, ukufumana ntoni?

Brazil is the biggest economy in Latin America and together with Mexico it has 57% of nominal GDP in the region. And this is the long-term trend for the future - according to PWC report “The world in 2050” Brazil will be the 5th country in the world with GDP at PPPs after US, China, India and Indonesia. Moreover, Brazil has a prospective fintech market and, in comparison with other Latin American jurisdictions, low barriers to setting up a company or issuing crypto ETFs. Recently, BlackRock launched an Ethereum ETF in Brazil and listed it on the biggest local stock exchange, B3. Brazil also offers flexible conditions for immigrants, including living conditions and a fast naturalization procedure. In this article, I describe existing options for crypto nomads to relocate to Brazil, including living conditions and crypto regulations in the country. How move to Brazil? Although some authors call Brazil “bureaucratic” like other South American areas, it has a flexible immigration system. If you want to move there you have a wide range of options for digital nomads, which include: -Digital Nomad Visa -Student visa -Working visa -Family visa -Investor visa -Refugee status The basic options for digital nomads are a nomad visa and an investment visa. These options are pretty affordable. To get a residence permit of digital nomad you need to prove your monthly income of $1,500+ or put $18,000 in your bank account and this gives you a residence permit. Brazil is one of the few with such a visa in Latin America, which was launched recently in 2022. The number of rejections with properly executed documents is minimal. For an investor visa, an applicant should create a company with a capital of 500,000 BRL (about $100,000) or purchase a property from 1,000,000 BRL (about $200,000). An investor gets a permanent residence permit and can apply for Brazilian citizenship within 3 years. There are some exemptions for the required amount of real estate purchase in North-West provinces of Brazil - it may start from $100,000. Also, the minimal required investment in innovative businesses starts at $30,000. Brazil has a developed education system for student visa applicants with 98 public universities, and 8 of the 20 best Latam universities are located in the country. The only obstacle is that most programs of study are in Portuguese, although you can also find a proper university with Spanish or English programs. Living Conditions and Costs Brazil is the largest country in Latam and has 26 states, from Roraima and Amazonas on the north to Rio Grande de Sul on the South. The cost of living will vary depending on your income and preferences. Probably the most popular place among expats is Florianopolis. It’s safe and has beautiful nature and a climate. Other expats prefer 2 largest cities in the country - Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.  Also on the coast there some other cities which attract immigrants - Recife, Vitoria, Salvador, Porto Allegre, Curitiba and some others. The capital of Brazil is a citiy Brasilia located close to the center of its territory and there is also a group of immigrants living there. Сosts of living in Brazil are quite affordable - depending on the place and district you choose, rent can cost from $300 up to $2000. For a single person, the minimum monthly cost of living may start at $1000. It is much cheaper than living in developed countries in Europe and the US. At the same time, compared to other Latin American countries such as Peru, Colombia, and Argentina, Brazil is somewhat more expensive. Also by this indicator, it loses to the affordable for nomadic countries of Asia, such as Vietnam and Thailand. If we talk about the difficulties faced by nomads in Brazil - there is quite a high crime rate in some areas, and there is a possibility of becoming a victim of theft or robbery. To avoid this, it is enough to choose a safer area of residence and not to appear in dangerous districts at night, also move on car. Another issue to be warned about is the language barrier—outside of the tourist spots, almost nobody speaks English. So you have to communicate with locals via Google Translate or in Spanish/Portuguese.  Last but not least, Brazil is a country with magnificent landscapes and reliefs - there are jungles, hills, plains, mountains, deserts and of course the sea. How to get a Brazilian passport? The standard naturalization procedure in Brazil is possible for those who have lived there for at least four years. However, obtaining citizenship is faster for investors or relatives of Brazilian citizens (spouses or parents)—it’s enough to live for three years. In Brazil, citizenship can be obtained not only by right of blood but also by right of soil. And to speed up this process, it is enough to move to the country and give birth to a child. Children born in Brazil receive citizenship immediately, while their parents can apply for it one year after birth. The processing time ranges from several months to two years. So, nomads having children born in Brazil get an opportunity to speed up the process of getting citizenship within 1-2 years. Fintech and Economy Brazil is a country of contrasts, also in the field of economy. Its GDP is about half that of all Latin American countries. At the same time, it has a high level of inequality and a large number of poor people. However, the situation is gradually improving, and the new president, Lula Da Silva, has made improving the welfare of citizens one of his main tasks. Local banks and fintech companies also capitalize on the economy's growth and innovating. Probably the biggest is the PIX system of fast money transfers and settlements. The system uses instant payments via QR codes, and commissions for PIX transfers are lower than they used to be. Taxation Among Brazil's few disadvantages for nomads, besides street crime, is the tax system. It is quite complicated, and the tax rates are comparable to those in Europe.  Brazilian residents are taxed on worldwide income, and the PIT rate is progressive up to 27.5%. Most nomads with incomes above $3000 will pay it at this rate, so it is better to calculate your budget immediately. Opening a business in Brazil is quite simple. You can open a company if you have already moved there and received a residence permit. However, the total rate of all corporate taxes in the country is about 35%. This includes a 15% profit tax, 9% of the social security fund, and a 10% tax increase if your company earns more than $45,000 annually. In addition, there are special taxes. For example, there is a tax on foreign payments (IOF) - you pay 4,38% for all card payments abroad. However, this tax probably will be canceled in 2029. Inheritance and gift tax rate in Brazil are up to 8%, and real estate tax of about 1-1.5% of its value. However, some taxes can make crypto nomads happy—the capital gain tax is only 15-20%, and that is the tax rate on the profit from an individual's sale of crypto. Crypto Regulation in Brazil Recently, Brazil became the first country in the world to approve a Spot ETF on Solana. Moreover, in September, BlackRock launched an Ethereum ETF on the local stock exchange—B3. One could easily put Brazil on the same footing as Hong Kong and the US on this basis—they allow crypto ETFs there, too. Even based on this news alone, the conclusion is that this country is one of the most innovative in fintech and cryptocurrencies in the world. And it's true. If we talk in general about crypto regulation in Brazil, business operations and transactions with crypto have been legal since 2019 through bylaws. In 2022, outgoing president Jair Bolsonaro signed a law passed by the parliament that introduced a licensing procedure for cryptocurrency exchanges and other VASPs in the country. The Central Bank and the local SEC CNV should be responsible for it. The law is still not fully implemented. Crypto business and VASP activity are legal in the country, but some details of their operations are still not defined in the law. This includes the licensing regime for crypto entities. Currently, to provide crypto services in Brazil, you need to open a company. However, licenses are required for transactions with fiat. Big local players like Mercado Pago, Mercado Bitcoin, and Ripio have fintech licenses. Also, local crypto card providers need them. Regulators promise that new legal acts for virtual assets will be in place as soon as this year. But its introduction may be postponed. Conclusion I think it's worth seeing Brazil to see if it's the right country for you. But in general, it has both economic prospects—a growing economy and a large crypto market—and a number of pleasant advantages for living—good climate and nature, relatively low prices, and easy legalization and naturalization. Brazil is the biggest economy in Latin America and together with Mexico it has 57% of nominal GDP in the region. And this is the long-term trend for the future - according to PWC report “The world in 2050” Brazil will be the 5th country in the world with GDP at PPPs after US, China, India and Indonesia. report report Moreover, Brazil has a prospective fintech market and, in comparison with other Latin American jurisdictions, low barriers to setting up a company or issuing crypto ETFs. Recently, BlackRock launched an Ethereum ETF in Brazil and listed it on the biggest local stock exchange, B3. Brazil also offers flexible conditions for immigrants, including living conditions and a fast naturalization procedure. In this article, I describe existing options for crypto nomads to relocate to Brazil, including living conditions and crypto regulations in the country. How move to Brazil? How move to Brazil? Although some authors call Brazil “bureaucratic” like other South American areas, it has a flexible immigration system. If you want to move there you have a wide range of options for digital nomads, which include: -Digital Nomad Visa -Student visa -Working visa -Family visa -Investor visa -Refugee status The basic options for digital nomads are a nomad visa and an investment visa. These options are pretty affordable. To get a residence permit of digital nomad you need to prove your monthly income of $1,500+ or put $18,000 in your bank account and this gives you a residence permit. Brazil is one of the few with such a visa in Latin America, which was launched recently in 2022. The number of rejections with properly executed documents is minimal. For an investor visa, an applicant should create a company with a capital of 500,000 BRL (about $100,000) or purchase a property from 1,000,000 BRL (about $200,000). An investor gets a permanent residence permit and can apply for Brazilian citizenship within 3 years. There are some exemptions for the required amount of real estate purchase in North-West provinces of Brazil - it may start from $100,000. Also, the minimal required investment in innovative businesses starts at $30,000. Brazil has a developed education system for student visa applicants with 98 public universities, and 8 of the 20 best Latam universities are located in the country. The only obstacle is that most programs of study are in Portuguese, although you can also find a proper university with Spanish or English programs. Living Conditions and Costs Living Conditions and Costs Brazil is the largest country in Latam and has 26 states, from Roraima and Amazonas on the north to Rio Grande de Sul on the South. The cost of living will vary depending on your income and preferences. Probably the most popular place among expats is Florianopolis. It’s safe and has beautiful nature and a climate. Other expats prefer 2 largest cities in the country - Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.  Also on the coast there some other cities which attract immigrants - Recife, Vitoria, Salvador, Porto Allegre, Curitiba and some others. The capital of Brazil is a citiy Brasilia located close to the center of its territory and there is also a group of immigrants living there. Сosts of living in Brazil are quite affordable - depending on the place and district you choose, rent can cost from $300 up to $2000. For a single person, the minimum monthly cost of living may start at $1000. It is much cheaper than living in developed countries in Europe and the US. At the same time, compared to other Latin American countries such as Peru, Colombia, and Argentina, Brazil is somewhat more expensive. Also by this indicator, it loses to the affordable for nomadic countries of Asia, such as Vietnam and Thailand. If we talk about the difficulties faced by nomads in Brazil - there is quite a high crime rate in some areas, and there is a possibility of becoming a victim of theft or robbery. To avoid this, it is enough to choose a safer area of residence and not to appear in dangerous districts at night, also move on car. Another issue to be warned about is the language barrier—outside of the tourist spots, almost nobody speaks English. So you have to communicate with locals via Google Translate or in Spanish/Portuguese.  Last but not least, Brazil is a country with magnificent landscapes and reliefs - there are jungles, hills, plains, mountains, deserts and of course the sea. How to get a Brazilian passport? How to get a Brazilian passport? The standard naturalization procedure in Brazil is possible for those who have lived there for at least four years. However, obtaining citizenship is faster for investors or relatives of Brazilian citizens (spouses or parents)—it’s enough to live for three years. In Brazil, citizenship can be obtained not only by right of blood but also by right of soil. And to speed up this process, it is enough to move to the country and give birth to a child. Children born in Brazil receive citizenship immediately, while their parents can apply for it one year after birth. The processing time ranges from several months to two years. So, nomads having children born in Brazil get an opportunity to speed up the process of getting citizenship within 1-2 years. Fintech and Economy Fintech and Economy Brazil is a country of contrasts, also in the field of economy. Its GDP is about half that of all Latin American countries. At the same time, it has a high level of inequality and a large number of poor people. However, the situation is gradually improving, and the new president, Lula Da Silva, has made improving the welfare of citizens one of his main tasks. Local banks and fintech companies also capitalize on the economy's growth and innovating. Probably the biggest is the PIX system of fast money transfers and settlements. The system uses instant payments via QR codes, and commissions for PIX transfers are lower than they used to be. Taxation Taxation Among Brazil's few disadvantages for nomads, besides street crime, is the tax system. It is quite complicated, and the tax rates are comparable to those in Europe.  Brazilian residents are taxed on worldwide income, and the PIT rate is progressive up to 27.5%. Most nomads with incomes above $3000 will pay it at this rate, so it is better to calculate your budget immediately. Opening a business in Brazil is quite simple. You can open a company if you have already moved there and received a residence permit. However, the total rate of all corporate taxes in the country is about 35%. This includes a 15% profit tax, 9% of the social security fund, and a 10% tax increase if your company earns more than $45,000 annually. In addition, there are special taxes. For example, there is a tax on foreign payments (IOF) - you pay 4,38% for all card payments abroad. However, this tax probably will be canceled in 2029. Inheritance and gift tax rate in Brazil are up to 8%, and real estate tax of about 1-1.5% of its value. However, some taxes can make crypto nomads happy—the capital gain tax is only 15-20%, and that is the tax rate on the profit from an individual's sale of crypto. Crypto Regulation in Brazil Crypto Regulation in Brazil Recently, Brazil became the first country in the world to approve a Spot ETF on Solana. Moreover, in September, BlackRock launched an Ethereum ETF on the local stock exchange—B3. One could easily put Brazil on the same footing as Hong Kong and the US on this basis—they allow crypto ETFs there, too. Even based on this news alone, the conclusion is that this country is one of the most innovative in fintech and cryptocurrencies in the world. And it's true. approve a approve a launched launched If we talk in general about crypto regulation in Brazil, business operations and transactions with crypto have been legal since 2019 through bylaws. In 2022, outgoing president Jair Bolsonaro signed a law passed by the parliament that introduced a licensing procedure for cryptocurrency exchanges and other VASPs in the country. The Central Bank and the local SEC CNV should be responsible for it. The law is still not fully implemented. Crypto business and VASP activity are legal in the country, but some details of their operations are still not defined in the law. This includes the licensing regime for crypto entities. Currently, to provide crypto services in Brazil, you need to open a company. However, licenses are required for transactions with fiat. Big local players like Mercado Pago, Mercado Bitcoin, and Ripio have fintech licenses. Also, local crypto card providers need them. Regulators promise that new legal acts for virtual assets will be in place as soon as this year. But its introduction may be postponed. Conclusion I think it's worth seeing Brazil to see if it's the right country for you. But in general, it has both economic prospects—a growing economy and a large crypto market—and a number of pleasant advantages for living—good climate and nature, relatively low prices, and easy legalization and naturalization.

Brazil: Hot Spot for Nomads and Biggest Fintech Market in LatAm

Thailand is one of the most popular destinations for expats. It boasts a relatively low cost of living and a friendly attitude towards visitors. Due to the large number of expats, the country plays the role of a hub between East and West. However, most expats at least have questions about getting long-term residence. In general, in Southeast Asia (unlike the EU), there are very few such options. The Thai government recently introduced a new visa option for remote workers - the DTV visa. In this article, I'd like to provide an overview of this visa and other legalization options in the country. DTV visa and other changes in the Thai migration system At the end of May, the Thai government announced several new initiatives to attract foreigners to the country. One of them is the launch of a new visa program called "Destination Thailand Visa" (DTV). This is a very affordable visa. To obtain it, you will need to prove that you have savings of 500,000 baht—about $13,500. The visa fee will be 10,000 baht ($270), and you also need to prove that you have a permanent source of income (for example, employment in a foreign company). After your visa is approved, you can stay continuously in Thailand for 180 days, and visa run is essential only two times a year. Previously, most expats could stay in Thailand only for 30 days without a visa. From June 1st, this period for residents of 93 countries has increased to 60. To stay for another 30 days is enough to apply for a short-term tourist visa on the spot. The total time for most expats (from 93 counties on the list) will be 90 days with a short-term tourist visa. Afterward, you will still need to go out and get a visa. Unfortunately, most Thailand visas, including a new DTV visa, will not help you obtain permanent residence and Thai citizenship. In addition, each time you do a visa run, you must pay the visa fee again. Two other long-term visas In Thailand, there is a five-year residence visa called a Long Term Residence Visa (LTR). With LTR, you can permanently reside in the country without visa runs with the prospect of obtaining permanent residence and citizenship. Unfortunately, the conditions for receiving an LTR visa won't work for everyone - you must confirm an annual income of at least $80,000 or savings of $1,000,000. However, this type of visa provides quite large tax benefits - a flat rate of 17% instead of the basic 35%. Also, since 2018, Thailand has had another type of long-term visa for foreigners  - the Smart Visa. It can be obtained by startup founders, investors, and talented employees. Depending on the type of smart visa, an income level of 100,000 baht per month ($2,700) or savings of 600,000 baht ($16,000) is required to prove financial solvency. For investors, these requirements are much higher - to invest 20,000,000 baht ($540,000) in promising startups in Thailand. Applicants' requirements also depend on the period for which they want to get a smart visa—from 6 months to 4 years. In general, the easiest option for this visa is the startup founder smart visa. The immigration system of Thailand and Thai Citizenship The immigration system of Thailand is really complex. It has dozens of types of visas represented on the website of the local Immigration Office. Long-term visas in Thailand can be considered analogous to temporary residence permits. Still, not all of them have the right to apply for permanent residence. Unfortunately, living in the country as a tourist and most other types of visas is not counted for this purpose, as is customary, for example, in the European Union. Previously, the main types of visas essential for long-term residence were non-immigrant visas for work. Maybe that's also possible for business non-immigrant visas and Smart visas. A long-term residence visa (LTR) will definitely give you this status. I need help finding out whether the opportunity to obtain permanent residence extends to holders of the Smart Visa and the new Destination Thailand Visa (DTV). If you know anything about this, please write to me on my X account or editor@cryptopenetration.com To obtain Thai citizenship by naturalization, you must have lived there for at least five years and have permanent resident status.  For permanent residence, you must live in Thailand for at least three years on a non-immigrant visa (there are 17 different types) and be sure to fulfill one of the following criteria: -do business in Thailand -officially work and have a work permit -live in Thailand for family reasons -conduct scientific research Moreover, there is a quota for obtaining permanent residence for applicants from one country—no more than 100 approved applications per year. The good news is that if your visa is not suitable for permanent residence, you can change to another type later. Suppose you want to move to Thailand as your new home. In that case, the main recommendation is to check whether your visa gives you long-term residence status and Thai citizenship by naturalization. Currently, there is yet to be an official source with an exact list of visas giving permanent resident status. In general, if you wish and have a legal income and type of activity in the country, you can obtain Thai citizenship by naturalization, but it will take you at least 6-7 years and most likely more. Thailand Tax System A new DTV visa (and most other Thai visas) doesn't have tax incentives options. Thailand has a progressive income tax rate from 5% to 35%. If your annual income is above 1,000,000 baht ($27,000), the tax rate will be 25%. The maximum rate of 35% applies to annual income of 5,000,000 baht. Previously, the PIT tax was applied only to domestic income from Thai sources. Still, since 2024, most foreigners spending in the country for more than 183 days per year should pay a personal income tax of 5% up to 35% of worldwide income. However, other tax rates in Thailand are relatively low: the VAT rate is only 7%. The corporate tax rate is 20%, and the capital gains tax on cryptocurrency sales is 15%. Asian Schengen Thailand has also invited other countries in the region to create a common visa zone for tourists, such as the Schengen area. Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin discussed this initiative with colleagues from Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia. But in general, an analog of the Asian Schengen has already existed for a long time—this is the APEC business card. This card allows 60 days a year to be located in most countries of Southeast Asia, including Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong. It also provides visa-free travel to Australia and New Zealand. However, the procedure for obtaining this card is quite complicated. What about crypto regulation in Thailand? The Kingdom of Thailand has legislation regulating cryptocurrencies since 2018. The main regulator is Thailand's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Over the last two years, regulations have been updated a lot - the rules have become clearer, but some restrictions have also appeared. As of July 31st, 2023, the SEC banned staking and cryptocurrency lending services. Also, in 2022, custodial wallet requirements were raised, and crypto payments, including crypto wages, were banned. However, the new Thai government, represented by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, has promised a crypto policy in August 2023. Being a real estate developer, this politician is also an active crypto investor.  The local SEC has softened regulations and removed the limit for investing in RWA assets—digital tokens backed by real estate or infrastructure. Also, the regulator recently approved Bitcoin ETF. After Hong Kong, Thailand is the second nation in Asia to do this. This year, Binance exchange got a license in the country and launched its official subsidiary in Thai. What's the result? Thailand has taken another step towards facilitating foreigners' access to the country. It's one of the most expat-loyal countries in Southeast Asia, and the new government is betting heavily on this as a key to the country's economic growth. For digital nomads who want to move to Asia, getting long-term residency status in the country may still be a challenge, especially given the new tax requirements, including a progressive PIT rate of 35% for worldwide income. However, the Thai Government may introduce new changes that will eliminate them in the future. In addition, other popular destinations in Asia (Vietnam, Indonesia, Sri Lanka) need suitable legalization programs with long-term residence status for digital nomads too. Therefore, the new DTV visa in Thailand is so far one of the best and most inexpensive programs of its kind in the region. If you are interested in getting more relocation and crypto regulation insights, you can watch the global crypto regulation rating here or get updates on my Telegram channel. Thailand is one of the most popular destinations for expats. It boasts a relatively low cost of living and a friendly attitude towards visitors. Due to the large number of expats, the country plays the role of a hub between East and West. However, most expats at least have questions about getting long-term residence. In general, in Southeast Asia (unlike the EU), there are very few such options. The Thai government recently introduced a new visa option for remote workers - the DTV visa. In this article, I'd like to provide an overview of this visa and other legalization options in the country. DTV visa and other changes in the Thai migration system At the end of May, the Thai government announced several new initiatives to attract foreigners to the country. One of them is the launch of a new visa program called "Destination Thailand Visa" (DTV). This is a very affordable visa. To obtain it, you will need to prove that you have savings of 500,000 baht—about $13,500. The visa fee will be 10,000 baht ($270), and you also need to prove that you have a permanent source of income (for example, employment in a foreign company). After your visa is approved, you can stay continuously in Thailand for 180 days, and visa run is essential only two times a year. Previously, most expats could stay in Thailand only for 30 days without a visa. From June 1st, this period for residents of 93 countries has increased to 60. To stay for another 30 days is enough to apply for a short-term tourist visa on the spot. The total time for most expats (from 93 counties on the list) will be 90 days with a short-term tourist visa. Afterward, you will still need to go out and get a visa. Unfortunately, most Thailand visas, including a new DTV visa, will not help you obtain permanent residence and Thai citizenship. In addition, each time you do a visa run, you must pay the visa fee again. Two other long-term visas In Thailand, there is a five-year residence visa called a Long Term Residence Visa (LTR). With LTR, you can permanently reside in the country without visa runs with the prospect of obtaining permanent residence and citizenship. Unfortunately, the conditions for receiving an LTR visa won't work for everyone - you must confirm an annual income of at least $80,000 or savings of $1,000,000. However, this type of visa provides quite large tax benefits - a flat rate of 17% instead of the basic 35%. Also, since 2018, Thailand has had another type of long-term visa for foreigners  - the Smart Visa. It can be obtained by startup founders, investors, and talented employees. Depending on the type of smart visa, an income level of 100,000 baht per month ($2,700) or savings of 600,000 baht ($16,000) is required to prove financial solvency. For investors, these requirements are much higher - to invest 20,000,000 baht ($540,000) in promising startups in Thailand. Applicants' requirements also depend on the period for which they want to get a smart visa—from 6 months to 4 years. In general, the easiest option for this visa is the startup founder smart visa. The immigration system of Thailand and Thai Citizenship The immigration system of Thailand is really complex. It has dozens of types of visas represented on the website of the local Immigration Office. Long-term visas in Thailand can be considered analogous to temporary residence permits. Still, not all of them have the right to apply for permanent residence. Unfortunately, living in the country as a tourist and most other types of visas is not counted for this purpose, as is customary, for example, in the European Union. Previously, the main types of visas essential for long-term residence were non-immigrant visas for work. Maybe that's also possible for business non-immigrant visas and Smart visas. A long-term residence visa (LTR) will definitely give you this status. I need help finding out whether the opportunity to obtain permanent residence extends to holders of the Smart Visa and the new Destination Thailand Visa (DTV). If you know anything about this, please write to me on my X account or editor@cryptopenetration.com X account To obtain Thai citizenship by naturalization, you must have lived there for at least five years and have permanent resident status.  For permanent residence, you must live in Thailand for at least three years on a non-immigrant visa (there are 17 different types) and be sure to fulfill one of the following criteria: -do business in Thailand -officially work and have a work permit -live in Thailand for family reasons -conduct scientific research Moreover, there is a quota for obtaining permanent residence for applicants from one country—no more than 100 approved applications per year. The good news is that if your visa is not suitable for permanent residence, you can change to another type later. Suppose you want to move to Thailand as your new home. In that case, the main recommendation is to check whether your visa gives you long-term residence status and Thai citizenship by naturalization. Currently, there is yet to be an official source with an exact list of visas giving permanent resident status. In general, if you wish and have a legal income and type of activity in the country, you can obtain Thai citizenship by naturalization, but it will take you at least 6-7 years and most likely more. Thailand Tax System A new DTV visa (and most other Thai visas) doesn't have tax incentives options. Thailand has a progressive income tax rate from 5% to 35%. If your annual income is above 1,000,000 baht ($27,000), the tax rate will be 25%. The maximum rate of 35% applies to annual income of 5,000,000 baht. Previously, the PIT tax was applied only to domestic income from Thai sources. Still, since 2024, most foreigners spending in the country for more than 183 days per year should pay a personal income tax of 5% up to 35% of worldwide income. However, other tax rates in Thailand are relatively low: the VAT rate is only 7%. The corporate tax rate is 20%, and the capital gains tax on cryptocurrency sales is 15%. Asian Schengen Thailand has also invited other countries in the region to create a common visa zone for tourists, such as the Schengen area. Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin discussed this initiative with colleagues from Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia. But in general, an analog of the Asian Schengen has already existed for a long time—this is the APEC business card. This card allows 60 days a year to be located in most countries of Southeast Asia, including Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong. It also provides visa-free travel to Australia and New Zealand. However, the procedure for obtaining this card is quite complicated. What about crypto regulation in Thailand? The Kingdom of Thailand has legislation regulating cryptocurrencies since 2018. The main regulator is Thailand's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Over the last two years, regulations have been updated a lot - the rules have become clearer, but some restrictions have also appeared. As of July 31st, 2023, the SEC banned staking and cryptocurrency lending services. Also, in 2022, custodial wallet requirements were raised, and crypto payments, including crypto wages, were banned. legislation However, the new Thai government, represented by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, has promised a crypto policy in August 2023. Being a real estate developer, this politician is also an active crypto investor.  The local SEC has softened regulations and removed the limit for investing in RWA assets—digital tokens backed by real estate or infrastructure. Also, the regulator recently approved Bitcoin ETF. After Hong Kong, Thailand is the second nation in Asia to do this. This year, Binance exchange got a license in the country and launched its official subsidiary in Thai. What's the result? Thailand has taken another step towards facilitating foreigners' access to the country. It's one of the most expat-loyal countries in Southeast Asia, and the new government is betting heavily on this as a key to the country's economic growth. For digital nomads who want to move to Asia, getting long-term residency status in the country may still be a challenge, especially given the new tax requirements, including a progressive PIT rate of 35% for worldwide income. However, the Thai Government may introduce new changes that will eliminate them in the future. In addition, other popular destinations in Asia (Vietnam, Indonesia, Sri Lanka) need suitable legalization programs with long-term residence status for digital nomads too. Therefore, the new DTV visa in Thailand is so far one of the best and most inexpensive programs of its kind in the region. If you are interested in getting more relocation and crypto regulation insights, you can watch the global crypto regulation rating here or get updates on my Telegram channel . here Telegram channel

Digital Nomads Listen Up: What You Need To Know About The New DTV Visa of Thailand

ডিজিটাল যাযাবর শুনুন: থাইল্যান্ডের নতুন ডিটিভি ভিসা সম্পর্কে আপনার যা জানা দরকার

Digitale Nomaden aufgepasst: Was Sie über das neue DTV-Visum für Thailand wissen müssen

Nómadas digitales escuchen: lo que necesitan saber sobre la nueva visa DTV de Tailandia

Nomades numériques, écoutez : ce que vous devez savoir sur le nouveau visa DTV de la Thaïlande

डिजिटल खानाबदोशों सुनो: थाईलैंड के नए डीटीवी वीज़ा के बारे में आपको क्या जानना चाहिए

デジタルノマドの皆さん、タイの新しい DTV ビザについて知っておくべきこと

디지털 유목민 들어보기: 태국의 새로운 DTV 비자에 대해 알아야 할 사항

Digital Nomads Ouçam: O que você precisa saber sobre o novo visto DTV da Tailândia

Цифровые кочевники слушают: что нужно знать о новой визе DTV в Таиланде

Dijital Göçebeler Dinleyin: Tayland'ın Yeni DTV Vizesi Hakkında Bilmeniz Gerekenler

Những người du mục kỹ thuật số hãy lắng nghe: Những điều bạn cần biết về Visa DTV mới của Thái Lan

数字游民请注意：您需要了解泰国新推出的 DTV 签证

Recently Bulgaria has become a member of Schengen zone. It’s also known for its low tax rates compared to other EU countries, which opens up great opportunities to become a permanent resident or doing business and conducting legal economic activities in the country. Such low personal income tax rates as in Bulgaria (10%) are also available in Andorra (10%), Romania (10%) and Hungary (9%). Headline corporate income tax in Bulgaria is also 10%. Under certain circumstances, this rate may be applied to cryptocurrencies on a company's balance sheet, but until MiCA finally comes into force Bulgaria is likely to remain uncertain about the regulation of cryptocurrencies, but is unlikely to ban them.  In 2014, the local tax office passed a ruling according to which profits from the sale of cryptocurrencies are subject to a 10% tax rate. Last but not least - Bulgaria is a good place for tourist vacations at the sea. It also has relatively low cost of living and real estate prices compared to other popular destinations. How to get residence permit in Bulgaria for digital nomads? Actually in the past, most remote workers obtained a residence permit in Bulgaria through opening a trade representative office of a foreign company. In fact, it was enough just to have a legal entity abroad and having passed the legal formalities one could count on obtaining a residence permit for all founders of the representative office (up to four people per company). However, now the procedure will be considerably toughened and the requirements for the turnover of the representative office will be 250,000 euros per year. Another alternative is to register as a self-employed person, it will be necessary to prove two years of work experience and knowledge of Bulgarian language at the level of B1 - to pass an exam in local institutions.  Other possible ways are described below. Residence permit for students. Foreigners enrolled as full-time students in a higher education institution in the Republic of Bulgaria may obtain a long-term residence permit for a period of up to one year. This will require a certificate of enrollment in the Republic of Bulgaria and proof of payment of the enrollment fee. Residence permit for pensioners. It is necessary to prove the fact of receiving a pension and the availability of financial means for living in the country (a little more than 3000 euros in the account). Employment in a local company. For this purpose, it is necessary to get a job in a Bulgarian company. By the way, social payments or taxes from the salary over and above the income tax in Bulgaria is 24%. Residence permit for self-employed. It will be necessary to confirm the work experience for two years and, knowledge of the Bulgarian language at the level of B1 - pass the exam in local institutions. Perhaps it is not as difficult as it seems. Investment activity. One of the most attractive options is to invest a capital of at least 250.000 euros in a business in Bulgaria, provided that you own at least 50% of the shares of the company. A mandatory condition is the creation of ten full-time jobs for Bulgarian citizens. If you do not want to register as a self-employed person and pass the Bulgarian language exam, you can apply for a residence permit by study or employment in a local company. Also if you will be moving as a whole company, you can relocate your employees. A pensioner's visa is suitable for persons of retirement age. Before you can apply for a residence permit, you must first enter the country on a national D visa. The documents for this visa are submitted to the Bulgarian consulate. The grounds for issuance of the D visa depend on the chosen category of residence permit. Depending on the chosen category, the residence permit, as a rule, includes such items: A copy of the passport; Proof of source of income. Health insurance valid on the territory of Bulgaria; Certificate of no criminal record; Confirmation of sufficient financial means for the period of residence; Proof of availability of housing for residence in Bulgaria; The application for a residence permit is processed on average within two weeks from the moment of its submission. After 5 years from the moment of obtaining a temporary residence permit in Bulgaria and provided that the holder of the status has been absent from the country for no more than 30 months, it is possible to apply for a permanent residence permit in Bulgaria. Bulgarian citizenship by roots and naturalization You can apply for Bulgarian citizenship by naturalization after 5 years of residence in the country. By the way, this option is especially convenient for those who will receive residence permit under the investment program. For the investor and his family is not required to confirm knowledge of the state language, as well as to renounce native citizenship. There is also an opportunity to obtain a passport of this country in the presence of Bulgarian relatives. A foreign citizen who at least one of his parents or grandparents was Bulgarian by nationality has the right to apply for Bulgarian residence permit and citizenship. What about crypto regulation? There is still no separate legislation in Bulgaria that defines and regulates cryptocurrencies and the licensing of these activities. But there are certain rules on taxation and transactions with crypto. Back in 2014, the local tax service was one of the first in the world to adopt a resolution according to which the profit from the sale of cryptocurrencies is subject to a tax rate of 10%. By the way, the basic income tax rate for legal entities in Bulgaria is also 10%. Under certain circumstances, this rate can be applied to cryptocurrencies on a company's balance sheet. Despite the lack of licensing to cryptocurrency companies in Bulgaria apply standard AML rules, the same as to other financial activities and, according to the law firm operations with crypto for legal entities are legal. By the way, this is confirmed by the fact that the country is home to one of the largest European and global crypto exchanges - Nexo. Gofaizen Sherle Nexo: real case of crypto business with Bulgarian origin Nexo is one of the top European cryptocurrency companies. For those who have a residence permit in Europe, Nexo can quite easily issue a crypto card with no fees. And this company has Bulgarian origins, Nexo's co-founders are Antoni Trenchev and Kosta Kantchev. Bulgaria can be a place, which provides innovation in the field of blockchain. From public sources we can conclude that the company at least had  an office in Sofia - it was a place there that a raid was carried out as part of the investigation initiated by the Bulgarian prosecutor's office against the exchange in early 2023. The prosecutor's office later dropped the investigation and acknowledged that the exchange had not violated the country's laws. Nexo representatives also call this investigation the politically-motivated operation of Bulgarian authorities and demand that it be recognized in court. However, currently the company is developing its operations in other jurisdictions, including Dubai, where it recently received preliminary approval from local regulator VARA. The Nexo case is important because it shows that a successful company with roots in Bulgaria faced certain difficulties when operating in the country - so the regulation of cryptocurrencies in Bulgaria needs to be improved. In general, although there is likely to be uncertainty about the regulation of cryptocurrencies in Bulgaria until MiCA (European-wide laws regulating cryptocurrencies) finally comes into force. However, Bulgaria still compares favorably with some European countries in that it has a low tax rate and operates crypto ATMs. So for individual relocation Bulgaria is definitely suitable, especially now - when the country has entered the Schengen zone from April 1, 2024 together with Romania. Conclusion Any country has its disadvantages. Such disadvantages are relevant for Bulgaria: High unemployment and low wages. It is one of the poorest countries in the EU. Possible increase in taxes and tightening of crypto regulation in the future. The country will soon enter the euro zone. By entering the Schengen Bulgaria can become a bridge for its new residents to move and relocate to the European Union. Low tax rates, one of the lowest cost of living in the EU, good climate - all these are unconditional advantages of this country. So far there are few options for nomads to obtain residence permits here - it is easiest to move as a whole company or get a study residence permit. But as they say, people living in Bulgaria, now the prices are even lower than in Serbia, which has recently become a popular place for relocation. If you interested in crypto regulation, you can watch global crypto regulation rating and get updates on my . here Telegram channel

Is Bulgaria a Good Option for Crypto Nomads?

Photo credit: , view from El Poblado rooftop looking southward Ruhana Rahman Note: This was originally written in 2019. As I decide to enjoy deep breaths of the warm 'eternal spring' air after my all-nighter on the plane, I notice a man running towards me. Before my first solo trip, my friend , a seasoned traveler, imparted upon me that the best part of travel is the people you meet. In Medellín, you feel welcomed by the people who live here, which becomes contagious amongst travelers, creating a small-town feel in an international city. Waj Due to my lack of sleep, or poor Spanish skills, I was waiting in the airport parking lot for my Uber. The man running is Juan, from Uber. I realize as Juan and I run through the parking that he has abandoned his car in the pick-up loop. In most cities, an Uber would drive away after a short wait, and an unattended car would be confiscated by police. Not here, Juan came to find me. Why here This marks my first solo adventure. My last trip abroad was with a group in Israel eight years ago. I read (T4HWW) when I was 20. During a college job, standing in the weight room waiting to spot frat bros, I vigorously annotated T4HWW. Tim Ferriss' The 4-Hour Workweek Long-term travel being possible and affordable while working was a mindset shift. Tim's led me to , a book with practical advice, anecdotes, and insight on viewing the world was the launch pad for my travel. podcasts Rolf Pott's Vagabonding Being stressed with work leading up to the trip, I thought about a favorite stand-up comedian and , , and his global stand-up adventures. I asked myself, 'What would Ari do?', allowing me to take the leap. podcaster Ari Shaffir For reasons such as its accessibility from San Francisco, Medellín is a great choice for my first solo adventure out of the wealth of places I haven't visited. My plan was to explore for a week, and then work remotely as the creator of , the first cryptocurrency news audiocast app. Coinverse Reasons to come here Balance of city and nature Sitting on the beach is great for a few days, but I prefer an active approach to exploring via running, hiking, eating, drinking, and wandering. Medellín is a balance of a vibrant city with unique culture and history, nested in the valley, between the mountains and rainforest. Parts of the city, like El Poblado, contain natural greenery and flowing streams throughout the neighborhood, while hiking opportunities are only a short rideshare away. Culture Everyone I know who has traveled here shares how welcoming and joyful the people are. It's inspiring how Medellín has transformed in the last two decades. There are many markets to explore for food, crafts, and art, as well as unique buildings spanning many time periods and outside influences. Tech Theoretically, I can work on Coinverse from anywhere. However, Medellín has growing nomad and local developer communities. These communities are easy to access with platforms such as and Facebook. Meetup Once connected to a few like-minded individuals, you begin discovering other groups. For example, after working at for a week, I was part of an informal lunch club with a diverse group of people. Selina coworking Affordability Medellín is relatively affordable compared to most cities in the US, especially San Francisco, where a meal in a restaurant may cost one-half to two-thirds more. The city of coincidences As Juan drove down into Medellín, he sensed my excitement as the panoramic views of the city emerged from the valley. Without asking, he stopped three times in order to take my picture. A less-than-rigid schedule leads to opportunities to make unique connections where you may meet someone and end up talking for hours. I planned my trip not knowing anyone in Medellín. Right before leaving, I saw a post from someone I met twice, Mary Evans, looking for a roommate starting the day I left the hostels. This set the theme for the coincidences. The second week, at , I saw a potentially familiar face. is the co-founder of one of . After Derek caught me studying his website on my laptop, he introduced himself, and we had lunch, brainstorming ideas for hours. Urbania Café Derek Pankaew my favorite Kickstarters Discovering how cryptocurrency is having real-world impacts is important to me. I had not found such projects online when a guest of the apartment arrived my second to last week. I mentioned the project I've been working on. This led to my new friend teaching me about how Medellín is a major city for crypto, using , a project creating financial freedom for everyday people. As I continued to ask questions, we talked the whole day, and I was invited to dinner with a developer working on Dash, which led me to meet other people in the Dash community. Dash Lastly, when shopping for pull-up rings, I was confused when Google led me to a residential building. Upon realizing I accidentally went to ' corporate office rather than the store, I assumed they would send me away. Sports Fitness After communicating my desire to acquire $30 pull-up rings, we talked for over an hour, and I left with an offer I couldn't refuse, free pull-up rings in trade for sharing e-commerce insights. Originally, I planned to be in Medellín for a month and then ended up extending it to two and a half months. You'll see why in my posts on the best food, local activities, and working remotely. Follow me to stay tuned. Next up, exploring the classic foods, activities, and how to work effectively. Medellín —  A taste of classics and the best cacao Medellín —  Discover the local appeal Medellín —  Work remotely enjoys sharing and is a researcher and product consultant. Adam Hurwitz travel open info

Medellín — The nomad's hidden gem

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