The Expat Money Show - With Mikkel Thorup

256: Are Self Governing Cities Our Chance At Freedom? – Alex Voss


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Alex Voss is the CFO of TIPOLIS, a company committed to becoming the creator, owner and operator of a global portfolio of international, autonomous cities. 
Alex also shares an affinity for topics like Bitcoin, Austrian economics and free cities, so as you can imagine, we get along great. Alex and I have known each other for a few years now, and it was great to sit down and pick his brain on the topic of free cities. Enjoy!
 
TODAY'S CONVERSATION WITH ALEX VOSS
  • Listen to Alex detail the pathway that took him from an interest in Austrian Economics to directly applying that knowledge through his work with Tipolis. 
  • Learn the differences between the for-profit company “Tipolis” and the not-for-profit “Free Cities Foundation.”
  • Alex answers the question on everyone’s mind when it comes to “free cities”: where does the money come from, if not from “taxes" in the traditional sense?
  • We discuss one of the most well-known “free cities” projects in Prospera, Honduras, and provide an update on the troubles they’ve encountered with the government there.
  • Hear Alex further explain the business model behind free cities and how the risk associated with these projects is “built-in” to the price. If everything were perfect and predictable, the costs wouldn't be as attractive as there are today. You are paid handsomely for the perceived risk.
  • Alex and I discuss the interesting case of El Salvador and whether its’ adoption of Bitcoin could make it a prime location for a free city project itself. 
  • Listen to Alex give an inside look at how and why the doors have rapidly begun to open in the last several years when it comes to finding opportunities with sympathetic governments for potential free city prospects. 
  • We discuss how the economic impact of the COVID years, along with the rise of digital nomadism, have completely changed the landscape for the viability of free cities. 

  •  
    RELATED EPISODES
    222: Best Of Special Economic Zones And Private Cities
    214: Stacking Laws Like Lego Blocks To Secure Your Freedom - Patri Friedman
    192: Building Free Private Cities Around The World - Peter Young
     
    HOW TO FIND ALEX VOSS’ WORK
    Alex’s Substack: virtusvoss.substack.com
    Tipolis: https://tipolis.com
     
    CONCLUSION
    One of my favourite parts of what I do with Expat Money is all the great people like Alex I’ve had the opportunity to connect with through the shared interest of helping others achieve more liberty in their lives.
    There is a massive overlap between what I do in the expat space and the work Alex and others are doing with the Free Cities Foundation and Tipolis, and that’s why I decided to become involved in these projects myself and now sit on their company's advisory council.
    I hope you enjoyed this latest look at the concept of free cities. We’ll continue to circle back to it here on the Expat Money Show as things constantly evolve. In the meantime, be sure to follow Alex and his work at Tipolis and the Free Cities Foundation!

    Mentioned in this episode:

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    Brazil Tour August 2 - 9, 2025

    Join Us For Upcoming Live Webinars

    Every month, we offer exciting new webinars for our community. Topics include how to use retirement accounts to buy real estate overseas, how to get a second passport in Latin America, why you should sell your stock portfolio and move your money offshore, how to buy a beachfront rental property in Brazil for less than $100k, or apartments in Paraguay for $60k.

    If you want to join us for FREE for these presentations with live Q&A, insider secrets, and exclusive opportunities with my professional network of experts, then sign up today.

    Webinars - Expat Money

    Into The Amazon—Then Straight To The Beach

    This year, I’m taking a private group into the Amazon rainforest—then we head to Fortaleza and explore Brazil’s booming Northeast coast. Think Amazon river cruises, beachfront developments, and wide-open opportunity. From the heart of the rainforest to pristine beaches most people only dream about—this is bucket-list meets Plan-B strategy. If you’ve ever wanted to see the real Brazil and scout investments along the way, this is it. Go to ExpatMoney.com/Brazil.

    Brazil Tour August 2 - 9, 2025

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    The Expat Money Show - With Mikkel ThorupBy Mikkel Thorup

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