EPISODE · Feb 20, 2026 · 1H 30M
170 - Leaving Europe Is The Rational Choice | Tim Stern
from Free Cities Podcast
"I want to be back in my tribe. I want to have strong people which I can rely on, which I can do business with, which I know, which have my back and I have theirs. That's exactly what I want to have. And if we are building this place right now, why would I fill it with people I don't know and I don't give a shit about?" - “The whole country is falling apart and nobody gives a shit about it.” - Timothy Allen speaks with Tim Stern, founder of CryptoCity on Margarita Island, Venezuela. Tim explains why more Europeans are treating exit as a practical strategy, not a fantasy: rising tax friction, social instability, and the creeping merge of Digital ID with state money. We talk about why “CryptoCity” is a toxic name for Bitcoiners, what a DAO is actually useful for (crowdfunding businesses and managing shared infrastructure), and why he is building a high-trust community with a hard filter. We also get into the on-the-ground reality: moving earth, building terraces, planning a real port, and the longer-term bet that Latin America buys you time while Europe tightens control. Enjoy the conversation. - Links Mentioned in the Show: New ArkPad Seasteading Resort in Próspera: https://tinyurl.com/ArkPad EP 111 with Alex Martynov: https://fountain.fm/episode/WTlkU4B2kkMr8qTuoYyF Email Alex Martynov: [email protected] NEWS 002 episode with Tim Stern after Maduro Capture: https://fountain.fm/episode/mfLZXe5WpBaEbGs3vz2e - SHOW SPONSOR: Veritas Villages: https://www.veritasvillages.com/freecities Veritas Villages are building off-grid, energy self-sufficient communities for freedom lovers in Latin America. Bitcoin is accepted at all villages, including for the purchase of property. - Previous interviews with Patrick Hiebert, Founder of Veritas Villages: EP 156: https://fountain.fm/episode/66NqAclTBh7FByIX7lCq EP 107: https://fountain.fm/episode/Fh6uGwZvVtPsYsR53pTI - DONATE Bitcoin to the Free Cities Podcast: bc1q5jun0nzxzqepch84rqk0jnv0rd8uvns28df7mg - DONATE fiat currency to the Free Cities Podcast: https://buy.stripe.com/5kQ9AT90zeeY5JX7Jv4ow00 - Listen on Fountain.fm to subscribe for BONUS episodes & EARLY ACCESS: https://fountain.fm/show/xudG4tsYH5TimGLfAmqn All the Podcast Links: https://linktr.ee/FreeCitiesPodcast Free Cities Telegram Community: https://t.me/+im6c6r4jQkUzMjU0 Free Cities Conference: https://freecitiesconference.com/ Free Cities Foundation Newsletter: https://free-cities.org/subscribe - Podcasting apps that support Value-4-Value Bitcoin payments: https://podcastindex.org/apps?appTypes=app - TIMESTAMPS (Audio Version Only) 0:00:29 – Episode introduction 0:12:14 – Start of Conversation 0:14:01 – Media Backlash And “Billionaire Conspiracy” Narratives 0:16:46 – “Will Maduro Nationalize It?” Political Risk And How Margarita Differs From The Mainland 0:19:21 – “CryptoCity” Name Debate: Bitcoin Vs “Crypto” 0:22:37 – What The DAO Actually Does: Crowdfunding Local Businesses 0:28:09 – Project Update: 1.1M Tons Of Earth Moved, Terraces, Scale 0:31:01 – The Port Plan: Permits, Timeline, And Funding 0:33:16 – Freshwater Discovery And Why It Changes Everything 0:43:13 – Why People Are Leaving Europe: Exit Taxes, Incentives, And “Chaining” Entrepreneurs 0:49:55 – Germany Vs Prague: Safety, Culture, And “Normal People From The 90s” 1:06:29 – Digital ID And CBDCs: The Next Control Layer 1:12:02 – Bitcoin As Parallel Rails Vs Physical-World Chokepoints 1:16:05 – CryptoCity In 20 Seconds: Who It’s For And How Selection Works 1:19:10 – Roadmap: Walls, Roads, First Houses, And Next Steps - NOSTR: Timothy Allen: npub1gcf9ltaeu42f4tr20z3avkas04dezlx3jaudqsuu87gvmh686xasrvqjg0 Free Cities Foundation: npub1lsj8pmgedqqamt89c27tzjjnlf0wn7q7udjm7j2cl9xxz97eacns2mwpee - LEGACY SOCIAL MEDIA: CryptoCity on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFeDneLtvyG7AXR6GPsOBIg CryptoCity on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cryptocityve/ Timothy Allen: https://twitter.com/MrTimothyAllen Free Cities Foundation: https://twitter.com/freecitiesfound - OTHER LINKS: CryptoCity: https://www.cryptocity.land/ Veritas Villages: https://www.veritasvillages.com/freecities Invest in ArkPad's Próspera Resort: http://tinyurl.com/ArkPad Free Cities Foundation: https://free-cities.org/ Become a resident or business owner in Próspera: https://prospera.co/r/freecities
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170 - Leaving Europe Is The Rational Choice | Tim Stern
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