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Every story to a 250k salary (or income) is different. Mine did take 8 years, and I did not even have a CS degree. What I did have is passion for tech, social skills, and a never ending yearn to learn and teach what I know.2005 - ($40k)- Graduated with BA Design degree from Tech School and 20k student loan debt.- Started working first design job in NYC at small 10-person company at $40k a year.- I quickly run out of design projects and starting doing simple web coding for them in HTML/CSS.2006 - ($50k)- $10k yearly raise. Requests from company get more complex and I’m doing PHP / Postgres now.2007 - ($75k)- $10k yearly raise then current company battles with social networking company. Result is my new salary of $75k at social networking company.- New job accelerates my learning about the web.2008 - ($85k)- $10k yearly bonus. Eventually move to lead front end.2009 - ($95k)- $10k yearly bonus. Begin becoming bored of current job. Really want to advance the company but company is lead by finance people not technology people. I start freelancing on the side at $40/hr on small fun projects to keep brain active.2010 - ($120k)- Leave social networking company after 3 years as they are stagnating in tech and don’t accept my ideas. Disney likes my tech ideas and hires me for 120k porting iPhone and Android games to HTML5. I move to the West Coast.- I leave job after 7 months. Disney is an amazing company but full of comfortable people who don’t push envelopes and are ready for 2.5 kids and a house. No risks means no rewards other than a room full of candy and catered meals.- Start my own startup (LLC) which runs out of funding (my own money) within months. Decide this is marginally better than having a real boss and convert startup into consultancy helping companies advance their tech: usually helping them move from Flash to HTML5.- This is the year of hustle. I give so many (unpaid) talks at various Tech Conferences on things like Backbone.js and Responsive Design. I get invited to be tech editor on some Packt Publishing books where I get a paragraph dedicated to me and my consultancy. Eventually move on to editing O’Reilly books.- I help so many startups, usually for free and tell them if they have any issues that takes more than an hour to solve, then to call me.- I get so busy that I hire on two full time contractors to work for me.2011 - (165k)- Consultancy work continues. I generally spend 3 months with each startup. Biggest client is Skype where we work on internal experimental projects. I raise my rates between clients and eventually start charging $140/hr.2012 - (250k)- Every single client wants to hire me full-time. This is not something I want or need as I’m making enough with plenty of work queued up. One small client gets fully funded through one of our prototypes we helped them build. Offers $250k salary to lead full dev team and scale on Amazon Cloud. This peaks my interest as they know I’m unqualified for this but they trust that I can learn. I get to 1) Get paid a fat salary without hustling for work 2) Get paid to learn how to scale on Amazon Cloud 3) Get paid to learn valuable skills in running an operating a dev team.My main tips are:- Never stop hustling.- Never stop learning. Have a growth mindset (The Science: The Growth Mindset). It doesn't matter how much smarter those around you are, if you understand that intelligence can be developed, nothing can stop you.- Don't get too comfortable with minor successes.- Network and help everyone. Not only is it just a great thing to do but some of these people may go even further than you will and need your help, as you might need theirs when you're on top.- Never stick around at the same job for more than 2-3 years (or whenever you feel you have nothing else to learn, whichever comes first.)- Never accept a job just for the money. It's the best way to reach a career dead-end, or waste valuable time.- When you have at least two big names on your resume, people automatically trust you a lot more. You've been around the block. In between those two big names, take risks, work at smaller companies or try to start your own. It may pan out in your favor, or they may not. In tech, failure is a badge you wear. It means you tried.- Linked-In recommendations. They're super lame to ask for, but man when you have like a dozen AND you have 2 big names on your resume you become unstoppable. If you are genuinely great to work with, all of these real recommendations will have similar themes running through them about who you are and what its like working with you.- Embrace calculated risk. I've refused developer jobs at every company from Amazon to Skype to Microsoft to get where I am today. (These guys wouldn't even talk to me in the early days before I was successful.) Every road I didn't take was a huge risk of being jobless or having to start over at a new job, but (luckily) every big jump was successful.- I often tell my dreamer friends to not look at the stars to tell you where to go but to look to them to plot out a map of where you are and where you want to go. Check it regularly to correct your ship as it adjusts off course to your intended goal. (I'm sure I can make this sound more poetic if I tried, but you get my point. Dream less and do more.)- And finally, a number goal like $250k is great, but recognize it is not the end all and be all. Just like a marathon is not really about completing a marathon, but what shape your body and mind will be in by getting there. In the end, who cares about the actual marathon.[This is a first draft. I'm sure I'll be back to fine-tune if I'm able to as an anonymous user.]Update 8/14/2015: I've added more content. More to come!*** NOTE, all of the above is essentially the answer. Everything else below is just me challenging myself to do more and the thoughts and learnings around that. ***Update 10/23/2015 [Edited 4/8/2016]: This post blew up more than anticipated and I've received a lot of great comments and questions. The one that intrigued me the most was "How do you reach the next step of a million?" To be honest, it left me quite dumbfounded with an answer because just reaching 250k seemed comfortable—4 years of making that kind of salary and you've already hit $1M.But I am not one to rest on my laurels for very long. I previously stated I never had a goal of making a mil but giving it more thought I actually did: I wanted to make a mil before I turned 30. I'm currently 33 now and I remember the day I turned 30 I had a passing thought of "ah well, I didn't make it, but I didn't do so bad". In fact the day I had accepted the 250k salary offer a year or two before turning 30 I knew I wouldn't make it and I was mostly ok with that. Similarly, I had a goal of running a marathon, went from the couch to months of training and successfully completed 2 half marathons (best time: 2:01). I found my knees just won't work well after 10 miles and so called it quits on my marathon goal. On one hand, I am a complete failure for not making my million dollar goal or my marathon goal, on the other hand, its those goals that led me to reach the smaller milestones. I'm finding this a reoccurring theme in my life.As previously written in my update, following my tips above I have decided to renew my million dollar goal and believe I can do it. I've done a lot of research and 11 books later (on finance, real estate, startups, etc), I have a game plan. Whether this game plan is good or bad is yet to be determined, but if it works out, then I will freely post on how I did it step by step. Either way, it should be an entertaining story. I will update this post every six months from my original post to give feedback on reaching a million in net worth. See you again on Febuary 7, 2016.Update 4/8/2016: So I'm two months behind on updating but thanks to a the encouragement of a commenter I am back! For brevity, I will start with a item-list of culmination of my research so far and a item-list of updates of my life, my first failure to that goal, and thoughts around it.First defining the goal:Before I begin, we need to define the goal. It's not plausible to go from zero (or 250k/yr) to a million A YEAR to start. So my goal is to have "a million in the bank". By bank, I really mean in liquid assets. My longer term goal is to be able to make 20% interest on that growing mil a year = $200k/yr is passive income. This is not entirely unrealistic as research shows the current average annual return from 1926 (the year of the S&P’s inception) through 2011 is +12%. If you could have a million in the right index/diverse mutual funds or the right housing markets you can do it.Research findings:- The two biggest ways to aim higher for me are to either invest in the housing market with my existing funds (aka rental properties, while keeping my job) or starting my own company and getting into the right space at the right time.Attempt 1: Investing in properties- I decided to go with the prior idea- A little over a year ago I moved out of my tiny cramped studio in the city and into the suburbs. I bought a newer construction house for $575k and today its worth almost $700k. That's $125k (+21%) increased in value for just living there for a little over a year.- The two most amazing benefits of buying a home are: 1) You only need 20% down to buy a house, yet all the appreciation you gain in the value of your house is 100% yours. 2) You get a mortgage-interest deduction on your home loan. I received an astounding $20k back in taxes the year after I bought my house. It is the single biggest tax benefit the IRS provides.- The problem is I got lucky: the housing market is just super hot where I am. I could buy additional houses but they would be at a premium, I doubt properties near me are going to be increasing again by +20% per year.- There is still ways to still make money here by buying further outside the city and making money by renting out for more than your mortgage (very easy to do a year ago when values were less) and then selling in a few years — but it isn't without its risk and its a lot of long-term setup and manage tenants. After buying the house a year ago, I managed to saved up $60k at this point but need at least $100k to buy something decent.- End findings: If you have a few $100k to invest, the real estate market is a good decision. As Mark Twain said: "Buy land, they're not making it anymore." The issue is I don't have enough of it currently. (If you don't currently own your home however, I think this is a great first goal to save for.) I read A LOT of real estate investing books and the single best one was: The Wall Street Journal: Complete Real-Estate Investing Guidebook.Attempt 2: Starting a new company in the right moment (in progress)- I had to quit my job. The problem is outside of company stock (with generally a 4 year vesting cliff) you realistically will not be making more than a 250k salary. Those stock options might net you millions in a few year in the right situation but its really a gamble. On top of that you will be working 40 hours a week for someone else limiting your time and energy to make more money elsewhere.My startup that paid me my big salary got acquired almost 6 months ago by a larger company. Unfortunately it wasn't for very much. It made our stock worthless but on the flip side this bigger, more stable company offered me my same salary. It's essentially a life-long dead-end job that pays well but no place to move upward and a very stale, corporate environment.In those 6 months at Big Co I reflected a lot about my next steps. I thought about my failures trying to start my first company alone and how I luckily timed things right with the HTML5 technology wave that I surfed on to start my successful consultancy. Everything is about timing not just hard work. People always say "oh he or she got LUCKY" but there's things you can do to make yourself luckier. Then a few months ago a new technology hit the web browser and reached full supports across all devices, mobiles and desktops. I put in a months notice and my last day is next Friday. I'm going to start my second company. I will take my $60k savings originally saved to buy a rental property to bootstrap my next startup for the next 6 months, and this time I'm bringing cofounders. We'll either shoot for becoming profitable by the end of 6 months or raise money with a finished prototype so we can go bigger. See you on August 7, 2016 for updates.

Countries Where Bitcoin is Legal and not LegalThe peer-to-peer digital currency Bitcoin made its debut in 2009 and with it ushered in a new era of cryptocurrency. While tax authorities, enforcement agencies and regulators worldwide are still debating best practices, one pertinent question: is Bitcoin legal or illegal? The answer – it depends on the location and activity of the user.Bitcoins are not issued, endorsed, or regulated by any central bank. Instead, they are created through a computer-generated process known as mining. In addition to being a cryptocurrency unrelated to any government, Bitcoin is a peer-to-peer payment system since it does not exist in a physical form. As such, it offers a convenient way to conduct cross-border transactions with no exchange rate fees. It also allows users to remain anonymous.Consumers have greater ability to purchase goods and services with Bitcoin directly at online retailers, pull cash out of Bitcoin ATMs and use Bitcoin at some brick-and-mortar stores. The currency is being traded on exchanges, and virtual currency-related ventures and ICOs draw interest from across the investment spectrum. While Bitcoin appears at glance to be a well-established virtual currency system, there are still no uniform international laws that regulate Bitcoin.Countries that Say Yes to BitcoinBitcoin can be used anonymously to conduct transactions between any account holders, anywhere and anytime across the globe, which makes it attractive to criminals and terror organizations. They may use Bitcoin to buy or sell illegal goods like drugs or weapons. Most countries have not clearly determined the legality of Bitcoin, preferring instead to take a wait-and-see approach. Some countries have indirectly assented to the legal use of Bitcoin by enacting some regulatory oversight. However, Bitcoin is never legally acceptable as a substitute for a country’s legal tender.The United StatesThe United States has taken a generally positive stance toward Bitcoin, though several government agencies work to prevent or reduce Bitcoin use for illegal transactions. Prominent businesses like Dish Network (DISH), the Microsoft Store, sandwich retailer Subway and Bedding, Furniture, Electronics, Jewelry, Clothing & more (OSTK) welcome payment in Bitcoin. The digital currency has also made its way to the U.S. derivatives markets, which speaks about its increasingly legitimate presence.The U.S. Department of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has been issuing guidance on Bitcoin since 2013. The Treasury has defined Bitcoin not as currency, but as a money services business (MSB). This places it under the Bank Secrecy Act which requires exchanges and payment processors to adhere to certain responsibilities like reporting, registration, and record keeping. In addition, Bitcoin is categorized as property for taxation purposes by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).CanadaLike its southern neighbor the United States, Canada maintains a generally Bitcoin-friendly stance while also ensuring the cryptocurrency is not used for money laundering. Bitcoin is viewed as a commodity by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). This means that Bitcoin transactions are viewed as barter transactions, and the income generated is considered as business income. The taxation also depends whether the individual has a buying-selling business or is only concerned with investing.Canada considers Bitcoin exchanges to be money service businesses. This brings them under the purview of the anti-money laundering (AML) laws. Bitcoin exchanges need to register with Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), report any suspicious transactions, abide by the compliance plans, and even keep certain records. In addition, some major Canadian banks have banned the use of their credit or debit cards for Bitcoin transactions.AustraliaAustralia considers Bitcoin a currency like any other and allows entities to trade, mine, or buy it.The European UnionThough the European Union (EU) has followed developments in cryptocurrency, it has not issued any official decision on legality, acceptance or regulation. In the absence of central guidance, individual EU countries have developed their own Bitcoin stances.In Finland, the Central Board of Taxes (CBT) has given Bitcoin a value-added tax exempt status by classifying it as a financial service. Bitcoin is treated as a commodity in Finland and not as a currency. The Federal Public Service Finance of Belgium has also made Bitcoin exempt from value added tax (VAT). In Cyprus, Bitcoin are not controlled or regulated either. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the United Kingdom (U.K.) has a pro-Bitcoin stance and wants the regulatory environment to be supportive of the digital currency. Bitcoin is under certain tax regulations in the U.K. The National Revenue Agency (NRA) of Bulgaria has also brought Bitcoin under its existing taw laws. Germany is open to Bitcoin; it is considered legal but taxed differently depending upon whether the authorities are dealing with exchanges, miners, enterprises or users.Ukraine - LegalThe use of bitcoins is not regulated in Ukraine. Mining is legal type of entrepreneurship.Belarus - LegalThe Decree On the Development of Digital Economy — the decree of Alexander Lukashenko, the President of the Republic of Belarus, which includes measures to liberalize the conditions for conducting business in the sphere of high technologies.The provisions of the decree "On the Development of Digital Economy" create of a legal basis for the circulation of digital currencies and tokens based on blockchain technology, so that resident companies of the High-Tech Park can provide the services of stock markets and exchange offices with cryptocurrencies and attract financing through the ICO. For legal entities, the Decree confers the rights to create and place their own tokens, carry out transactions through stock markets and exchange operators; to individuals the Decree gives the right to engage in mining, to own tokens, to acquire and change them for Belarusian rubles, foreign currency and electronic money, and to bequeath them. Up to 1 Jan In 2023, the Decree excludes revenue and profits from operations with tokens from the taxable base. In relation to individuals, the acquisition and sale of tokens is not considered entrepreneurial activity, and the tokens themselves and income from transactions with them are not subject to declaration. The peculiarity of the introduced regulation is that all operations will have to be carried out through the resident companies of the High Technology Park.In addition, the decree includes:Extension of the validity period of the special legal regime of the High-Tech Park until January 1, 2049, and expansion of the list of activities of resident companies. Under the new rules, developers of blockchain-based solutions, developers of machine learning systems based on artificial neural networks, companies from the medical and biotechnological industries, developers of unmanned vehicles, as well as software developers and publishers can become residents. The list of promising areas is unlimited and can be expanded by the decision of the High-Tech Park supervisory board.Preservation of existing benefits for resident companies in the High-Tech Park, including the cancellation of the profit tax (instead of which a contribution of 1% of the gross revenues proceeding to the administration of the park is applied), reduced to 9% of the personal income tax rate for employees, and the right to contribute to the Social Protection Fund according to the national average figures, and not the actual salaries.Exemption of foreign companies providing marketing, advertising, consulting and other services to the residents of the High-Tech Park from paying value-added tax, as well as paying income tax, which allows to promote IT products of Belarusian companies in foreign markets. To encourage investments, the Decree also exempts foreign companies from the tax on income from the alienation of shares, stakes in the authorized capital and shares in the property of residents of the High-Tech Park (under condition of continuous possession of at least 365 days).Introduction of individual English law institutions for residents of the High-Tech Park, which will make it possible to conclude option contracts, convertible loan agreements, non-competition agreements with employees, agreements with responsibility for enticing employees, irrevocable powers of attorney and other documents common in international practice. This measure is aimed at simplifying the structuring of transactions with foreign capital.Simplification of the regime of currency transactions for residents of the High-Tech Park, including the introduction of a notification procedure for currency transactions, the cancellation of the mandatory written form of foreign trade transactions, the introduction of confirmation of the conducted operations by primary documents drawn up unilaterally. Also, the decree removes restrictions on resident companies for transactions with electronic money and allows opening accounts in foreign banks and credit and financial organizations without obtaining permission from the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus.Simplification of the procedure for recruiting qualified foreign specialists by resident companies of the High-Tech Park, including the abolition of the recruitment permit, the simplified procedure for obtaining a work permit, and the visa-free regime for the founders and employees of resident companies with a term of continuous stay of up to 180 days.Japan - LegalOn 7 March 2014, the Japanese government, in response to a series of questions asked in the National Diet, made a cabinet decision on the legal treatment of bitcoins in the form of answers to the questions. The decision did not see bitcoin as currency nor bond under the current Banking Act and Financial Instruments and Exchange Law, prohibiting banks and securities companies from dealing in bitcoins. The decision also acknowledges that there are no laws to unconditionally prohibit individuals or legal entities from receiving bitcoins in exchange for goods or services. Taxes may be applicable to bitcoins.Do you think of how to make fast profits with your cryptos..? It’s so possible atcenturycoingroup.us because at Century Coin Group USA , you will be able to make double of your bitcoin investment within just seven days..South Korea it is LegalMinors and all foreigners are prohibited from trading cryptocurrencies. Adult South Koreans may trade on registered exchanges using real name accounts at a bank where the exchange also has an account. Both the bank and the exchange are responsible for verifying the customer's identity and enforcing other anti-money-laundering provisions.As of April 2017, cryptocurrency exchange businesses operating in Japan have been regulated by the Payment Services Act. Cryptocurrency exchange businesses have to be registered, keep records, take security measures, and take measures to protect customers. Financial Services Agency (FSA) was established in 2014 for the purpose of establishing a registration platform for cryptocurrency exchange businesses. the law on cryptocurrency transactions must comply with the anti-money laundering law; and measures to protect users investors. The Payment Services Act defines “cryptocurrency” as a property value. The Act also states that cryptocurrency is limited to property values that are stored electronically on electronic devices, not a legal tender.Taiwan - Legal /Banking banFinancial institutions are not allowed to facilitate bitcoin transactions. Regulators have warned the public that bitcoin does not have legal protection, "as the currency is not issued by any monetary authority and is therefore not entitled to legal claims or guarantee of conversion".Financial institutions have been warned by regulators that necessary regulatory actions may be taken if they use bitcoin. TaiwanOn 31 December 2013, Financial Supervisory Commission (Republic of China) (FSC) and CBC issued a joint statement which warns against the use of bitcoins. It is stated that bitcoins remains highly volatile, highly speculative, and is not entitled to legal claims or guarantee of conversion.On 5 January 2014, FSC chairman Tseng Ming-chung stated that FSC will not allow the installation of bitcoin ATM in Taiwan because bitcoin is not a currency and it should not be accepted by individuals and banks as payment.South Africa - LegalIn December 2014 the Reserve Bank of South Africa issued a position paper on virtual currencies whereby it declared that virtual currency had ‘no legal status or regulatory framework’. The South African Revenue Service classified bitcoin as an intangible asset.Namibia-LegalIn September 2017 the Bank of Namibia issued a position paper on virtual currencies entitled[20] wherein it declared cryptocurrency exchanges are not allowed and cryptocurrency cannot be accepted as payment for goods and services.Zimbabwe - LegalThe Reserve Bank Of Zimbabwe is sceptical about bitcoin and has not officially permitted its use. On 5 April 2017 however, BitMari, a Pan-African Blockchain platform got licensed, through its banking partner, AgriBank, to operate in the country.Nigeria - LegalAs of 17 January 2017, The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has passed a circular to inform all Nigerian banks that bank transactions in bitcoin and other virtual currencies have been banned in Nigeria.However, during the year, the CBN (through its Deputy Director on Banking and Payments System, Musa Itopa-Jimoh) clarified the circular and its stance on bitcoin, citing that a lot of people misinterpret the central bank’s recent warning. It noted that "Central bank cannot control or regulate bitcoin. Central bank cannot control or regulate blockchain. Just the same way no one is going to control or regulate the Internet. We don’t own it".Later on, a committee was set up by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) to look into the possibility of the country adopting the technology driving bitcoin and other digital currencies – blockchain. The committee has submitted its report but "several sub-committees are still working on the issue" according to the Director, Banking & Payments System Department at CBN, Mr. ‘Dipo Fatokun.Israel- Yes- LegalAs of 2017, the Israel Tax Authorities issued a statement saying that bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies would not fall under the legal definition of currency, and neither of that of a financial security, but of a taxable asset.[55] Each time a bitcoin is sold, the seller would have to pay a capital gains tax of 25%. Miners, traders of bitcoins would be treated as businesses and would have to pay corporate income tax as well as charge a 17% VATSaudi Arabia - Legal - Banking banFinancial institutions are warned from using bitcoin. The Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA) has warned from using bitcoin as it is high risk and its dealers will not be guaranteed any protection or rights.Jordan-Legal- Banking banThe government of Jordan has issued a warning discouraging the use of bitcoin and other similar systems.The Central Bank of Jordan prohibits banks, currency exchanges, financial companies, and payment service companies from dealing in bitcoins or other digital currencies. While it warned the public of risks of bitcoins, and that they are not legal tender, bitcoins are still accepted by small businesses and merchants.Lebanon-LegalThe government of Lebanon has issued a warning discouraging the use of bitcoin and other similar systems.Turkey-LegalBitcoin is not regulated as it is not considered to be electronic money according to the law.Iran-Legal-Banking banFinancial institutions are not allowed by central bank to facilitate bitcoin transactions. In April 2018, Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran issued a statement banning the country’s banks and financial institutions from dealing with cryptocurrencies, citing money laundering and terrorism financing risks.Bangladesh - Legal/Banking banFinancial institutions are not allowed to facilitate bitcoin transactions. In September 2014, Bangladesh Bank said that "anybody caught using the virtual currency could be jailed under the country's strict anti-money laundering laws".India -Legal /Banking banFinance minister Arun Jaitley, in his budget speech on 1 February 2018, stated that the government will do everything to discontinue the use of bitcoin and other virtual currencies in India for criminal uses. He reiterated that India does not recognise them as legal tender and will instead encourage blockchain technology in payment systems."The government does not recognise cryptocurrency as legal tender or coin and will take all measures to eliminate the use of these cryptoassets in financing illegitimate activities or as part of the payments system," Jaitley said.In early 2018 India's central bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced a ban on the sale or purchase of cryptocurrency for entities regulated by RBI.In 2019, a petition has been filed[by whom?] with the Supreme Court of India challenging the legality of cryptocurrencies and seeking a direction or order restraining their transaction.Countries That Say No to BitcoinWhile Bitcoin is welcomed in many parts of the world, a few countries are wary because of its volatility, decentralized nature, perceived threat to current monetary systems and links to illicit activities like drug trafficking and money laundering. Some nations have outright banned the digital currency while others have tried to cut off any support from the banking and financial system essential for its trading and use.List of some of the Countries Bitcoin-Cryptos are illegalChina - IllegalBitcoin is essentially banned in China. All banks and other financial institutions like payment processors are prohibited from transacting or dealing in Bitcoin. Cryptocurrency exchanges are banned. The government has cracked down on miners. (Related reading How Bitcoin Can Change The World)Russia - RegulatedBitcoin is not regulated in Russia, though its use as payment for goods or services is illegal. As of November 2016 declared, bitcoins are "not illegal" according to the Federal Tax Service of Russia.[50] Deputy Finance Minister of the Russian Federation Alexei Moiseev said in September 2017 it's "probably illegal" to accept cryptocurrencies payments.[51] However bitcoin market sites are blocked and in court decisions stated that bitcoin is a currency surrogate which is outlawed on the territory of Russian Federation.Vietnam - IllegalVietnam’s government and its state bank maintain that Bitcoin is a not a legitimate payment method, though it is not regulated as an investment.Bolivia, Columbia and Ecuador not legalEl Banco Central de Bolivia has banned the use of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Columbia does not allow Bitcoin use or investment. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies were banned in Ecuador by a majority vote in the national assembly.Algeria it is illegalAccording to the "Journal Officiel" (28 December 2017)The purchase, sale, use, and holding of so-called virtual currency is prohibited. Virtual currency is that used by internet users via the web. It is characterized by the absence of physical support such as coins, notes, payments by cheque or credit card. Any breach of this provision is punishable in accordance with the laws and regulations in force.Egypt it is illegal"Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta, the primary Islamic legislator in Egypt, has issued a religious decree classifying commercial transactions in bitcoin as haram (prohibited under Islamic law).Morocco it is illegalOn 20 November 2017 the exchange office issued a public statement in which it declared, "The Office des Changes wishes to inform the general public that the transactions via virtual currencies constitute an infringement of the exchange regulations, liable to penalties and fines provided for by [existing laws] in force."The following day, the monetary authorities also reacted in a statement issued jointly by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Bank Al-Maghrib and the Moroccan Capital Market Authority (AMMC), warning against risks associated with bitcoin, which may be used "for illicit or criminal purposes, including money laundering and terrorist financing"On 19 December 2017, Abdellatif Jouahri, governor of Bank Al-Maghrib, said at a press conference held in Rabat during the last quarterly meeting of the Bank Al-Maghrib's Board of 2017 that bitcoin is not a currency but a "financial asset". He also warned of its dangers and called for a framework to be put in place for consumer protectionUnited Arab Emirates - Contradictory informationAbsolute ban. According to the Library of Congress "Under article D.7.3 of the Regulatory Framework for Stored Values and an Electronic Payment System, issued by the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates in January 2017, all transactions in “virtual currencies” (encompassing cryptocurrencies in Arabic) are prohibited."Nevertheless, on 13 February 2018 Dubai gold trader Regal RA DMCC became the first company in the Middle East to get a license to trade cryptocurrencies, the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre said.[53] DMCC's website emphasizes the "cold storage" of cryptocurrencies and states "DMCC’s Crypto-commodities license is for Proprietary Trading in Crypto-commodities only. No initial coin offerings are permitted and no establishment of an exchange is permitted under this license."Nepal it is IllegalAbsolute ban. On 13 August 2017 Nepal Rastra Bank declared bitcoin as illegal.Pakistan it is IllegalAs of 7 April 2018, State Bank of Pakistan [SBP] has announced that bitcoin and other virtual currencies/tokens/ coins are banned in Pakistan. This news was followed right after India's restriction of converting bitcoin and cryptocurrencies into fiat currency. For organizations and institutions it is banned by State Bank of Pakistan. Bank will not get involved if there is any dispute. They will not facilitate any transaction for it.The bank has issued an official notice on its website and has also posted the news on its official Twitter account.The Bottom LineAlthough Bitcoin is now almost 10 years old, many countries still do not have explicit systems that restrict, regulate or ban the cryptocurrency. The decentralized and anonymous nature of Bitcoin has challenged many governments on how to allow legal use while preventing criminal transactions. Many countries are still analyzing ways to regulate the the cryptocurrency. Overall, Bitcoin remains in a legal gray area for much of the world.Thank you!

A lot of the below answers are very good, the problem is they are Middle Class solutions. Poverty is made up of at least 11 dimensions, only 1 being financial. the others are social, education, racial, sexuality, health, mental, emotional, language, hidden societal rules of class advancement, generational attitudes-influence.Which is why poverty isn't solved with get a job or a better job that's a MC solution. Poverty is a whole culture, mindset and morals/values that only make sense in poverty. Poverty thinks it is all of reality but is only 15% of the US population, so poor people can only see reality with a lens open 15%.What I have done with students is over time, 3-5 years taught/mentored them out of poverty. Honestly it doesn't always work , what you're feeling is the gravity pull of poverty.First, accept that your family/parents tactics are right for survival but not prosperity. You have to accept them without judgment.Because you're going to have to leave them in first thought and then form.It will feel like a form of social and psychic suicide but to get yourself and then maybe them out, you must refuse their way of thinking.Much of what they believe is limited, wrong or warped by poverty.How they believe people and the world are is limited, wrong or warped by poverty.Therefore what you believe is limited, wrong and warped.You need a mentor.Several in fact. Make a chart for ones for school, work, life skills. Teachers, older people who are, and this is important, NOT like you.Your friends must be the managers at work, not your coworkers.Your friends at school must be the teachers and administrators not other students. For work skills go to your local unemployment office/work force. Take the resume writing class. The job search class. The basic/advanced computer classes. Find what you can for free.Here's your first contradictory thought. Find an internship. You need deep exposure to non-poverty environments. The concept of working but not receiving direct money is anathema to the poor but everyone in MC has a period of time that they did so. We normally don’t recognize it directly. And we gain exponentially more than money.Undergrad, I TAed for 2 professors. There were no undergrad TAs in the SUNY system. I wandered to the work study office and asked could the professors sign off on hours for me under the department rather than my working in the library or shredding papers in the office. They said sure and i became not only a titled TA but a paid one. I would've done it for free and had been for months until I made the connection. $1500 a semester wasn't much but after a couple of years my work study was increased as if I were a grad student until I was getting $3500 like a grad student.More importantly I got 2 and then 2 more professors who trained me to write and teach in multiple discipline areas, plus recommendations ---they actually told me to write them myself, with the prestige of the title I was invited onto high university committees, the school VP whom I'd met twice remembered my name and a year later, though he'd left Buffalo, just based on a plea phone call from me, gave a stellar recommendation to my first post graduate job making $46k a year.Plus I had teaching as a learned skill which a few years later I could turn into solid work experience for teaching jobs, a career switch after five years of corporate experience.All of that stemmed from my willingness to be an unpaid TA.No children. Until you're at least over 30-35.Every poor person, who stays poor makes this huge error. Many of my brightest students are now hampered by children and of maybe twenty, only 1 with a child will make it because he possesses an incredible work ethic.You can love. You can play around. No children.Survey poor people. Lots of children or lots of siblings.Example 1:Children are wonderful but legally each one is 17% of your income in child support until they are 21, or 20$k plus a year and maybe college.——two coworkers, one in his forties, just finished child support of 21 year old,——another was a grandfather before he finished paying off from two marriages,——-a third makes $150k but owes $25k in back child support even though he sends in regular money but by owing arrears it keeps increasing, he doesn't file taxes so they wont take it but conversely he ends up paying 73 %, in fed, state , local, sales taxes because he doesn't have MC or higher financial management skills (he owes the IRS $10k) he may make a lot but he's still in financial poverty, because he grew up affected by the other forms of poverty, for work he’s a construction laborer, basically the site garbage/maintenance man, he is however intelligent and could be a foreman or higher but has social poverty---bad manners/habits. in total taxes so his $150k he cant offset the taxes....and hes got a second child, not married to the mother on the way. Ironically, White earning a high salary he and his girlfriend live in poverty so he deals drugs on the side.Statistically speaking if you're below 25, you have a lifespan of 80-100 years with health maintenance. You can wait. It is the biggest kryptonite.If you're gay, an STD like HIV is the equivalent of a child.You now have a lifelong project to manage that impacts your life. The cost of 27 years of HIV management is $600k, which is why so many positive people without healthcare move to Chicago, San Francisco, NYC and Atlanta for HIV welfare called HASA.Stay healthy, no children.I regularly take male students to CVS and Duane Reade where I directly buy them condoms. Always buy your condoms. Free government condoms break, particularly for men of color because of girth differences in penises.My parents chose to only have one child; when my mother got pregnant in college with my father because her sister had three children, her brother had three and her other sister seven children. My parents realized that they would repeat their parents poverty, lower class instability if they had more.My mother chose my father because he was in school and even though they broke up after I was born they married ten years later and if they hadn't of divorced my mother was considering having more children but with the caveat that it be by the same responsible father as all of my cousins have various parents so cohesive parenting was impossible.No children. Your people will fight this because in poverty one, children are possessions that affirm adult self worth. Highest rank for a woman is mother and a boy becomes a"man" because he has children.This is warped thinking from the Agrarian age when we were on farms and children were free labor and the farm could help sustain us as a brood.Relationships?Date, yes. But this will be harsh, do not date other poor people. They will reinforce what you're trying to unlearn. It's vicious, its harsh.My mother gave me this advice: Fuck up, never fuck down.Other students who are from MC homes or are MC themselves. If supremely possible, someone five to ten years older. Older spouses will help you grow faster.Stay a free agent or get married with the above criteria in a year of dating. Set a standard for a relationship. Marriage is one of the biggest criteria for avoiding poverty.Doubles income, lowers stress. Your intended must have a comparable plan and education to yours. Its the 21st century and you both must work, no kids, educate for awhile. I have a coworker, 35, married two kids. He's a poverty wrap in spite of a supervisor trying to mentor him. No advanced schooling, wife doesn't work, children before 30 so their income is supplemented by Welfare, food stamps, etc.. They are literally from generational poverty so their parents can't teach them MC or higher skills and standards.Use Welfare or Unemployment benefits how they are intended.If you hit tight spots, food stamps for food, especially when you are a student. I was working five jobs as an undergraduate, because my mother took away my trust fund for not going to the university of her choosing---MC and Affluence come with other challenges, like control.I got sick and the only way I was allowed to return was if I didn't work. (I still worked two jobs, TA and Mobil gas station overnight.) But I found out from a fellow student, that students could get full benefits from Welfare. Rent and food and minuscule cash, Buffalo rates, about $600 a month but I stayed in school and working. If you have to work under the table---bus boy, waiter, coffee shop, bartender but never ever stop working in some fashion.UnemploymentI waited three-five months after I got laid off before I took money by living off of savings, day trading and registering in grad school, then I took benefits and it was like pay to go to school.I continued working by volunteering to teach classes at Columbia and four months later they hired me full time, the previous job I volunteered to teach classes to get my students into their program while a youth coordinator but when a program coordinator position came up, I was several people’s pick, including the Exec Director of GMHC, she got to know me at volunteer events and kept extending offers.I got the youth coordinator position while working as at a charter school down the block and volunteer teaching at the 2nd non-profit. The youth coordinator suddenly quit, a week after I was laid off,I was about to take a paralegal job at hedge fund but the other Exec Dir had noticed my volunteer work and said if I left A give him a shot at me, which is how I got to B and then I was scooped up by C, technically three layoffs but I was out of work, on vacation about three days over those seven years because I was paid sometimes for a new job while ending the old. I accepted C, the day before B laid me off.Volunteering and interning creates your network.Get a pack of Avery business card blank sheets, print your name, phone number, professional email and computer skills, sales skills, work skills on the backside. Your email should bluntly be your name and Gmail. Nothing cute. Separate your professional life. Two Facebook's. One is just to link with coworkers, jobs, supervisors. Nothing else. Two LinkedIn accounts. I've had the same professional email and cell number for 16 years.You must control your social media and have cards/resumes to hand out to people.As of 14 my mother had me working on and updating and always carrying both a paper and digital resume, also one in a draft email in your professional account.At 14 years old my resume said my name, address, email, number,Charles Fried Chicken where I worked delivery andPathmark supermarket where I was a cashier,and then Wendy'sUnder skills: computer (Commodore 128/PC ability), typing, filing, copy machine operation.By the time I was 16. I have shown up to every interview in a shirt, tie and suit.If you have to buy a suit, black or dark grey at Goodwill.I generally take male students to KG or Men's Warehouse and get them two suits. No tapered cuffs, basic white or blue shirts, red or black ties, no sagging, no garish jewelry. Poverty is projecting identity in fashion, Middle Class is fitting in. Yes, it can seem boring and bland but it is easier to start tight and be told you can go casual, as has happened to me.But the other way around I was 17, applying for a bike messenger job with my resume, suit and tie for an after school job. I got it. It looked like it would be grueling.I wandered to the 34th street mall here in Manhattan. A&S , like Macy's, was there. I wandered in.A schoolmate worked there, she told me to hurry to H&R downstairs they were hiring for cashiers for the holidays. I went, filled out application turned in with resume. Thirty minutes later Jim Johnson this huge red headed White man brings me into his office.He's the VP. I'm 17. He says I'd be perfect for a Sales Associate position in the Boys Department. I think its too much, I plead for basic cashier job at a whopping $7 an hour. He says no, SAs get $7 plus 8% commission once you're out of the red on your overall sales quota part time of $2000 a week.I barely understood what he said. I beg for the cashier job. For an hour Mr. Johnson works on convincing me.Finally he explains that the candidate before me, ten years older, came in wearing a Bart Simpson t shirt and jeans and here I was in a suit and tie for a bike messenger job with a fully typed resume. He would put me thru two weeks of paid intensive training and I'd be great because I showed up for a low job as a little professional. I figured two weeks full-time was four weeks part time and at least four weeks on the sales floor before they found me out and fired me. Eight weeks pay. I took the job.I was pulling in $1000 a week part time a month later because I religiously used their sales techniques.Take every class and training offered, pointedly sales and computersI Worked for A&S, I've worked at Lord &Taylor, Belks, WalMart, MCI during high school & college and post graduate---high sales training is invaluable to get you out of your shell, comfortable with higher classes, confident. Sales jobs also have flexible hoursWhile temping I would carry the MS office manual with me and look up and practice things. I became famous for tech knowledge and sought after for assignments. I then took each software-program at $99 a pop in training classes, plus PhotoShop, illustrator, quark, Java, JavaScript, html.Then, it seemed like hmm maybe useful one day, five years later, when I became the program coordinator it was to teach those programs to advanced certification because I had the certifications. $80,000 a year.Keep learning, keep taking classes.Lastly, Get Therapy.Your family is dysfunctional. Accept it. Growing up in poverty means warped ideas about gender, equality, sexuality, race.I have had two therapists for a year each:The first taught me how to dismantle dysfunctional coding. My parents weren't poor as adults but grew up on the edge of MC and adopted alcohol and drug addiction issues as much, 80% of my family, has. My parents though were able to get to solid MC and a point of Affluence, the next level after MC.The second therapist for a year, in my thirties, was to manage career. I then graduated from her to a life coach.The life coach was $1800 for 6 months and helped me refine and build a small business plus prepare to leave Job B above for Job C.Have book/audio Life Coaches: I have annually done both iterations of Tony Robbins Personal Power series---it works! (It costs about $99 to $200 but you can listen to it and apply it a hundred times over constantly redoing the 30 day programs, I have.)Join a business networking group—I Belong to a Professional Networking and Mentoring Group.Toastmasters to speak,learn write essays,letters,emails well.Please, excuse me, thank you.No violence.Table manners.Set a standard.Networking/Mentoring/Better Class of Professional Friends (and potential personal friends and dating pool): I belong to a networking and business development group, I am always seeking smarter people than me....and avoiding others.Eat/Dine/Treat Yourself Better-Set a Standard for YourselfOne of mine is restaurants must have linen tableclothsand tip 15% or more—-Always. Unless the service is abysmal. I reflect abysmal service by less than a 10% tip, you can say A LOT with a low or extremely high tip. I’ve tipped as much as $250 for services excellently done.The standards seem odd, high but the person you must become and the work you must do are the overall intention.The Brookings Institute , Ruby Payne, Annette Lareau and Freakonomics are excellent materials I use to teach students how to navigate out of poverty.#KylePhoenix#TheKylePhoenixShow