One argument I rarely see for Bitcoin is international travel. Although it is a big thing for me.
I haven't traveled in the last few years but looking forward to it in the next few years. But the last time I came to the US my hands were sweaty and my heart was beating when at the ATM. International travel is barely distinguishable from credit card theft for American Express, Visa etc. And I my card would have been denied I would be FUCKED.
This is a situation, I am sure many of you know. Even if not everyone has as much anxiety.
Bitcoin fixes this. Even if not primarily - at least as a backup. A Bitcoin hot wallet and a Lightning Wallet gives peace of mind.
This is how I felt in mexico. If I had lost my atm card I would have enough sats in my wallet to get by for a bit
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Depending on where you’re from I could see this being a huge issue. I haven’t experienced the same anxiety but as an American that’s probably because of my financial privilege. It might be a good idea to travel with btc anyway though.
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What if your phone gets stolen?
What is the ideal setup in this situation? You have some kind of lock set up where your mobile wallet is not allowed to spend more than X sats per X time period?
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Few years ago I was in a situation where Bitcoin shows its true power.
I was traveling abroad, so as you know you have to declare cash etc.
So I was just with a laptop and my TailsOS usb (filled with BTC). Work travel.
At the airport, the agent asked me the standard question: do you have any cash to declare etc? I wanted to make some fun so I answered: yes, I have like 1 million in cash with me, is that a problem ? Is my money, I travel with them everywhere I want. Nobody can have any authority or jurisdiction over my own money.
She was stunned in that moment, on her face was like seeing her best catch in the last 5 years. I was smiling nicely. She said: where do you have them? I couldn't find anything in your luggage. I said: in my head, in my mind. 12 words. She said: how so? is that money? I said: yes, bitcoin. learn more about 😂 are very powerful money.
And I walked out, smiling She was like very upset but in the same time thinking about what I just said.
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To give you an example of how many people are not only getting peace of mind from having bitcoin when traveling, but have become entirely reliant on it, next month check out he P2P trading orderbooks for Miami, when the Bitcoin conference is there.
If history repeats, there will be many sell offers, and an unusually high number offering to sell where they are looking for an in-person cash buyer. Sure, they could spend on gift cards, and such, but cash is what many want, and not many bitcoin ATMs are two-way (i.e., dispense cash as well).
For many of them, it's a bank debit card that they keep in their luggage at the hotel for emergency needs, and instead bitcoin + cash is used as their walking around money.
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