START WITH

Step 1 · of 5

▶ Prefer to watch first? Bitcoin simply explained (under 3 minutes)

The problem is bigger than you think.

Most of us are taught the same recipe: work hard, save what you can, and you will be fine. But look closer. In several countries your savings are taxed even when they barely grow. In the Netherlands, where we come from, the tax office assumes a fictional return on your savings and taxes you on it, even if your bank account earned less. You pay tax on profit you never made. Read that again, slowly.

Now add inflation. The European Central Bank aims for 2% per year, and that is the minimum. In recent years it has often been much higher. That means your euro will be worth less next year than it is today. You are saving in something that is guaranteed to lose value.

Things are not getting more expensive. Your money is getting less valuable.

Then add VAT, excise duties, energy taxes and countless levies, all paid from a salary that was already taxed. Working hard feels like standing still. Often it is moving backwards.

Step 1 · continued

Why ₿itcoin is different.

₿itcoin was designed in 2009 as an answer to exactly this problem. A monetary system that does not depend on a government, a central bank, or political decisions. Its properties are radically different from those of the euro or the dollar:

• Scarce: there will never be more than 21 million ₿itcoins. No central bank can print more. No politician can change that.
• Decentralized: no government or company controls it. The network runs on thousands of computers worldwide.
• Sovereign: with the right knowledge you, and you alone, can access your own money. No middleman, no permission needed.
• Borderless: you can send it 24/7 to any place on earth. No bank can stop it. No country can freeze it.

Step 2 · of 5

Choose a regulated platform.

You make your first purchase on an exchange, a platform where you convert euros into ₿itcoin. One thing matters above all right now: safety and regulation. Since 2024 the EU has the MiCA framework: only platforms with a MiCA licence operate under European supervision and meet strict requirements. Exactly what you want when you are starting out calmly.

Our two platforms: Bybit EU and OKX.

We personally use two regulated platforms, both under European supervision and both safe: Bybit EU (MiCAR licence) and OKX (fully MiCAR regulated).

Still, OKX is our number 1: the whole path lives on one platform. Here is why, at a glance.

Just want to buy and save? Both are perfect. Want to grow into bots or copytrading later? Then OKX is the smartest choice. You can start with as little as a few tens of euros, via SEPA from your bank account.

Step 2 · continued

Your first purchase, step by step

The plan for your first purchase:

1. Create an account through our link on justbfreefamily.com. That way you always benefit from the promotions our partners create especially for our community.
2. Complete the verification (KYC). This is a legal requirement on every regulated platform; it is normal and a good sign.
3. Deposit an amount you can truly afford to miss. Start small. €50 or €100 is more than enough to learn.
4. Buy your first piece of ₿itcoin. You do not need to buy a whole ₿itcoin; satoshis (0.00000001 ₿TC) count too.
5. Breathe. You are on your way.

Step 4 · of 5

This is the moment it is all about. The reason ₿itcoin exists in the first place: that you, without a middleman, without permission, have full control over your own money. How do you do that in practice?

Step A: Get a hardware wallet.

Our recommendations (they keep your keys offline):

• Tangem (beginner): tap a card against your phone, done. 10% off with code HKVN4E via tangem.com.
• BitBox02 (with a screen): Swiss, open-source. 5% off with code JUSTBFREE via shop.bitbox.swiss.
• Blockstream Jade: affordable, open-source. No discount, blockstream.com.
• Cryptotag (seed backup, not a wallet): titanium plate for your seed phrase, fire and water resistant. cryptotag.com.

Always buy directly from the manufacturer, never second-hand.

Step B: Set it up safely.

During setup the device generates your seed phrase. Write it on paper or, if you are serious, on a metal plate that survives fire and water. Store it in at least two locations that cannot be hit by the same disaster (for example: at home + with a trusted family member).

Step C: Send your ₿itcoin from the exchange to your wallet.

Start with a small test amount, for example €10. Check that it arrives. Only when you are 100% sure, send larger amounts. A wrong address = money gone, so take your time.

"With that freedom comes responsibility: you are now your own bank."

Step 5 · of 5

Once you manage your own ₿itcoin, you are technically sovereign. But there are more steps you can take if you want to go further than a hardware wallet alone. These are the routes we have explored ourselves, or see others walking. Take what fits your life.

1. Emigrate to a friendlier regime.

The country you live in now is not the only place on earth. Several countries have a considerably lighter tax regime for crypto and wealth in general:

• Dubai (UAE): no income tax, no wealth tax, no capital gains on crypto. A fast-growing expat ecosystem and the Bitcoin heart of the Middle East. For many, the favorite final destination.
• Thailand: since September 2025 a remarkably attractive rule. Until 31 December 2029 you pay 0% personal income tax on crypto capital gains, provided you sell through a Thai SEC-licensed exchange. Combine that with an affordable cost of living and wonderful places to live, and you have a strong option for the coming years.
• Portugal: long a magnet for crypto investors thanks to favorable rules. The rules have been tightened but remain interesting, especially for long-term holders.
• Switzerland: stable, regulated, and some cantons are extremely crypto-friendly (Zug is not called Crypto Valley for nothing).
• El Salvador: the first country in the world to adopt ₿itcoin as legal tender. No capital gains tax on ₿itcoin. A true ₿itcoin community.
• Paraguay: a territorial tax system; only income earned inside Paraguay is taxed (and even that at low rates). Foreign income generally stays untaxed. Combine that with a relatively simple residence permit, low cost of living and dirt-cheap hydropower (popular with ₿itcoin miners), and you understand why it is quickly gaining popularity.
• Panama and Singapore: other jurisdictions firmly on the radar of people who dare to look further.

We are walking this path ourselves: we travel without a fixed base and will soon become residents of Dubai. A serious, well-considered step, not a paper trick and not for everyone, but it exists and it works. Follow our YouTube to follow our Dubai adventure.

Continue on the next page →

Step 5 · continued

2. Smart structuring at home.

Important: as long as you live and are registered in your country, you are tax-resident there, including your crypto. You only change your tax residency by actually moving, not on paper. If you stay where you are, there are still legal ways to build wealth more efficiently: a company structure for entrepreneurs, smart distribution between partners, or using existing exemptions. The rules differ per country, so a good tax advisor with real crypto knowledge is worth gold here, not a standard bookkeeper.

3. Self-custody as protection.

The point it all started with: if you manage your own keys, nobody can freeze your ₿itcoin, seize it, or use it against you. No bank run touches you. No account gets closed on you out of nowhere. Self-custody is not just a technical step; it is the foundation of financial freedom. That is why we dedicated all of Step 4 to it.

4. Privacy and self-determination.

₿itcoin was designed with privacy as a core value. In practice, however, most transactions are quite traceable: if you buy through a regulated platform with KYC, your identity is linked to your transactions. For most people that is fine, safe and simple. If you value financial privacy more, know that alternatives exist, such as peer-to-peer trading, decentralized exchanges, ₿itcoin ATMs and non-custodial services that deliver straight to your own wallet. Each comes with trade-offs: often higher costs, less convenience, a steeper learning curve and its own risks.

Important to say out loud: privacy is not the same as dodging your obligations. However and wherever you buy, you remain responsible for correctly declaring your wealth under the rules of the country where you are tax-resident. Privacy is about self-determination and protecting your data, not about evading the taxman. Want to go deeper? We cover this more extensively inside the Family.