I take your point that it's a difficulty across the board given the current interest levels in crypto.  That said, I still have to get an account opened with whatever's closest right now to a functional exchange that will offer a competitive rate (as I intend to take 'some' profit from my current holding).


Whilst all exchanges are under pressure, I would imagine some are performing better than others.  If I take the Kraken example, if they can't even answer my query ref. address change, I simply cant use the account ( i cant cash out until change of address has been effected - for tax and other reasons).

I can put up with delays (if i have to) - but beyond that - I still need a functional exchange to cash out some of my btc holding to FIAT competitively.

Thanks for that - checking them out now.  How do I pull up their current rate of BTC against the USD? Struggling with pulling this info up with a lot of exchanges as the default interface seems to show rates of exchange with other crypto's.

Do you find them competitive on rates?

I'm in Europe - but by next weekend, I will have taken up residency in Panama.  Once I have established residency there, I want to either change address associated with my existing exchange account or open up a new one.

When i tried recently, I couldn't seem to be able to open up a GDAX account.  i am currently a Kraken account holder.  However, they have simply ignored the query I sent them ref. change of address the best part of 2 weeks ago.


There's not much choice in Panama for locally based exchanges.  I did find one but for a number of reasons, it's not really practical for my usage.

I want to use a reliable exchange that offers decent prices for selling btc.....one that I can get an account opened with and verified reasonably trouble-free- and that has some semblance of a functional support team.

Some have simply cancelled all new registrations until further notice.  Others simply don't respond to queries (waiting over 10 days).

I understand that there is clearly a backlog but I have business to do.....


I'll have a look at the smaller ones you mentioned.  Have you experience of any of them?  What are their rates like?  Would you be uneasy in transacting a large amount through them?

I intend to cash out some bitcoin (not an immodest sum) within the next 10 days.  I'm struggling to find an exchange that is actually functional anymore! Even the ones i'm with are not answering when I try to change the address on my account (which i need to do before I cash out any coin ..for tax purposes).


What are the most competitive exchanges which are largely functional right now in terms of registering with them and getting verified with them?  Do they also have functional and timely support?

Thanks for posting guys but I guess I'm looking for practical feedback from those that have travelled this road previously. Is there anyone here that has moved to a capital gains tax - free - jurisdiction in order to cash out their bitcoin?


@olushakes:  I'm in the early days of figuring this out  - but it's not going to be cost prohibitive to take up residency in Panama.  A few thousand dollars to get the visa and bank account sorted via an immigration attorney.  As regards being 'tagged as a criminal or spy', I have no such concerns.  I do have queries with regard to bank and exchange reporting requirements - and what that would mean in terms of my home country (were they to get this information and were I ever to return to live in my home country).  If anyone has info on that - relative to Panama or any other tax friendly state - I'd be grateful to hear from you.  Naturally, I've posed this query to the specialists - and i'm awaiting an answer....but perhaps someone here has the knowledge already...


@Dabs:  It's some years ago but I spent some time in the Philippines previously.  It was definitely a happy time.  However, what you are proposing ( that I hand over a slice of my holding to someone!) - is not what I'm looking for.  Nor am I interested in giving someone a 'loan' - there's an official label for such an action - Idiot Tax.  Weather, sexuality, how much bitcoin I hold? This doesn't come into the query - with respect.


Anyone broaching this taxation issue? - either currently or in the recent past?  If so, please post your experience here.

I've been a hodl'er - playing the long game since 2013 and have never taken profits. I was quite content to continue to hodl.  However, the drama in recent months (dramatic rise in btc price)  has made me nervous.  I have all my eggs in one basket - which is not savvy.  I've arrived at a life changing amount and whilst I believe that there's every chance that btc will power on, It's not savvy for me not to take a proportion of profit now.

With that, I can't bring myself to pay the extortionate 35% Capital Gains Tax in my home country!  I've just put in paperwork with my employer to take a years leave.  However, that's just as a safety net.  Provided I can cash out safely and btc doesn't plummet beforehand, most likely I won't be going back to work.

That leaves me with a conundrum.   Where do I relocate to?  I guess I need a  country that has little or no CGT and preferably one that I can trust placing FIAT in their banks without the likelihood of their bank disappearing with my money!


Has anyone been down this road OR is anyone currently contemplating going down this road?


I'm considering Panama right now - but I don't have the full detail - and the devil is in the detail as we know....

When it comes to cross-chain transactions down the road, would this give a new lease of life to the likes of Litecoin?

If lightning network came into play, would there even be a need for cross-chain transactions using an alt-coin?

What alt's are compatible for cross-chain transactions?


Disclaimer: There's definitely major comprehension / knowledge gaps in my musings and questions above. I'm just trying to figure out if there could be scope for something like Litecoin to become relevant for micro-transactions down the road (in association with bitcoin through cross-chain transaction) and furthermore, if some alternative crypto's are the natural fit for same (i.e. not all other Alt's would be compatible / suitable for this purpose)?

thanks to you both.  I'm euro based - so will register with bitstamp and maybe kraken.   Is there much of a difference in terms of the commissions charged/pricing offered?


Is there a thread on here speculating on the direction btc pricing will take?  (I appreciate that even if there is, there's likely to be a variance of opinions and that I can't take that as financial advice...albeit I wouldn't mind reading through it all the same).

As per the thread title, I'm veering towards arriving at a decision to buy some bitcoin.  It may be a modest some to most but it's substantial for me.

Which exchange is likely to offer the best rates?  Should I register with a couple?

How do I protect myself from the dangers of using an exchange? i.e. I know not to use a wallet provided by an exchange.  However, should I buy in increments - so that I don't have a lot of FIAT on account at a given time (just in case I'm unlucky enough to get caught at that particular moment with the exchange collapsing)?