How to prepare for the arrival of CBDCs

Introduction

In this article, we will discuss CBDCs. But first, what exactly are CBDCs? According to this Wikipedia page, CBDCs, or Central Bank Digital Currencies, are digital currencies issued by a country's central bank. Essentially, they are a form of cryptocurrency managed by one or more governments through a central authority. In other words, CBDCs represent state-controlled money, once again.

These types of digital currencies are tied to national currencies such as the dollar, euro, yen or any other one, which means they function more as digital money than as traditional cryptocurrencies. Another key difference is that transactions are controlled and overseen by a central authority, rather than being validated by a decentralized network of users.

How CBDCs can be used against you

As is widely recognized, state-controlled money can serve as a means of population oversight. Since cash does not allow for complete monitoring of its use, it is gradually being replaced by electronic transactions, such as credit card payments. In many countries, legislation has been introduced to restrict the use of cash, by limiting the amount individuals are allowed to hold privately or by prohibiting large payments made in cash. In other words, you can't do what you want with your money.

Moreover, if individuals comply with these regulations and choose to store their cash in a bank, they may be required to provide justification when depositing or withdrawing large sums. In such cases, banks can question the origin or intended use of the funds, effectively placing restrictions on access. This reinforces the concern that individuals do not have full control over their own money.

The primary objective of governments in implementing CBDCs is to achieve total surveillance, full KYC compliance, and complete control over your financial activity.

So what can happen with CBDCs?

Essentially, since CBDCs are fully controlled by central banks, these institutions would have the power to manage them without restriction. They could devalue the currency, block transactions, impose arbitrary charges through financial regulations, control how much you can buy this or that, and monitor every transaction made using CBDCs. In contrast to the traditional financial system, where individuals typically relied on private banks to manage their funds, CBDCs remove private institutions from the equation, placing individuals in direct dependence on governments. The same governments which have often demonstrated an inability to manage public finances responsibly.

Furthermore, imagine a scenario in which a government decides to completely replace the national currency with a CBDC. What would the consequences be? Citizens would be compelled to adopt this highly controlled system in order to preserve their savings. Given that states exercise full control over their monetary systems, it is not unreasonable to consider this a plausible outcome, rather than a paranoid assumption.

Here is a really interesting article about national currencies.

The power of Monero

As you can likely conclude, CBDCs are not a viable option for those seeking to avoid state control and safeguard their financial privacy. In contrast, Monero (XMR) offers a more secure alternative.

First and foremost, Monero enables a circular economy free from taxation, allowing you to buy and sell goods and services without any external control or oversight. Any service or product is sold and bought for its value, and its value only.

To illustrate this, let's examine a well-established example: XMR Bazaar, and how it operates within this framework.

As you can see, there is a wide variety of goods and services available for purchase on the platform.

But, as it is a circular economy, you can also earn XMRs on this platform!

If you decide to earn XMRs, you need to know that it is almost free of charges. If your work is valued at 1 XMR, you will receive something really close to 1 XMR. The network fees are so small that on larger transactions it is almost invisible.

When performing a transaction with Monero, the state does not receive anything. The state doesn't even know that this transaction exists. It operates as a fully parallel economy, where the users themselves create the rules. You are the sole authority over your own finances.

To prepare for the arrival of CBDCs in your country and maintain your financial freedom, you must participate in the Monero circular economy as much as possible. It is crucial to exit their system before they gain more control and further diminish your freedom.

How to participate

First, I'd like to share this blogpost that explains in detail why you should buy and sell goods and services directly using Monero. Shifting your mindset from thinking in fiat to thinking in Monero will help you become more actively involved in this economy.

Here's what you can do to contribute to the Monero circular economy:

1) Providing liquidity for swaps

By offering to buy or sell XMR for fiat on Retoswap, you can begin actively participating in this economy. Be cautious with your actions. The goal is not to lose money. Buy at a low price and sell slightly above the market rate.

Here's a tutorial that provides all the steps you need to follow in order to do this correctly and securely.

Retoswap offers a simple interface that makes transactions easy to carry out. It is fully integrated with the Tor network, ensuring your privacy is maintained.

If you want to buy XMRs, after having created an account, you'll have to follow these steps:

Once done, follow Retoswap guidance:

Retoswap requires you to fund your wallet before placing any buying or selling offer:

Once done, you will be all set up to place your first buying offer!

If you decide to sell XMRs, you will face similar pages. Here is a summary of it:

As you can see, placing offers on Retoswap is quite easy. It is fully designed to make your life easier while entering the Monero circular economy!

2) Providing liquidity on XMR Bazaar

As mentioned earlier, XMR Bazaar offers numerous opportunities to spend or earn Monero. Some services are specifically designed to provide anonymity as a service. Below, I'd like to share a few examples of these services.

The first seller offers to purchase items from Amazon on your behalf, without charging any fees, effectively acting as a proxy. This allows the seller to convert fiat into Monero, while giving you a way to anonymously buy products from a state-controlled platform.

This seller offers to purchase anything for you from websites that accept PayPal as a payment method. Once again, this helps the seller convert fiat into Monero, while allowing the buyer to remain anonymous.

Here again, a seller offers to make purchases on your behalf, this time limited to Steam. The benefits for both the seller and the buyer remain the same.

At this point, you may wonder why these individuals offer such services instead of simply buying XMR directly on Retoswap. There are two main reasons. First, the fiat leaving their accounts is used for purchases on well-known websites, which appear ordinary and unremarkable to authorities. Second, it serves as an effective way to introduce others to XMR transactions, helping to expand and strengthen the Monero circular economy.

In fact, some organizations, including the one I'm proudly part of, offer services on the platform. These groups operate anonymously and are fully committed to protecting the privacy of their customers. (Yes, this is a straightforward promotion!)

Beyond the promotional aspect, this also highlights that anyone can buy or sell goods or services on the platform as an individual. Simply create an anonymous account, post an offer, and you're ready to go.

Comparison to the actual sick system

To illustrate the benefits of participating in the Monero circular economy, let's consider a real-life scenario. For this example, imagine you are based in France.

With years of experience and knowledge gained through both your professional and personal life, you've grown tired of working under others and decide to start your own business as a graphic designer. You name your new company "I'm the Best Designer in the World."

In order to avoid any problems with the French government (Hello financial lawfare), you decide to register your company as it is required by the law.

Let's simulate what happens if your French company earns €1.000 in revenue from a client. We'll assume you operate as a small company (e.g. SASU or EURL) under the standard corporate tax system, and that you're paying yourself a salary (You need to survive).

1) Revenue

Client pays you €1.000

2) VAT (TVA)

If your service is subject to VAT (20%), you collect:

€1.000 + €200 = €1.200 (Yeah, if your work is valued to €1.000, you will ask more to the client in order to pay the VAT)

You send the €200 VAT to the French tax authorities

So your net company revenue = €1.000

3) Operating Costs

For simplicity, we assume no costs (pure service income). However, keep in mind that if you are producing something, you will need to take those costs into account (typically around 30% for a restaurant, for example).

4) Corporate Income Tax (IS)

15% on €1,000 (assuming you qualify for the reduced rate: 15% on the first €42.500, then 25%):

€150 in corporate tax

Net profit after tax: €850

5) Taking Money Out

Let's say you pay yourself the remaining €850 as gross salary.

Employer social contributions (approx. 42%):

~€255

Employee contributions (approx. 22%):

~€187 (deducted from your gross salary)

Net salary you receive:

€850 - €255 (employer) - €187 (employee) = €408

You keep ≈ 40.8% of the €1,000. €408 out of 1000€.

As you can see, even in the best-case scenario, nearly 60% goes to the state, meaning you end up earning less than they do. Given the severe consequences for non-compliance, one might question the distinction between state enforcement and other coercive systems. Both impose rules and penalties, and both maintain power through control.

You should also keep in mind that income taxes will be applied later on your salary, as France imposes annual taxation on personal earnings. In France, there's always another tax, always.

Now, let's explore the same scenario within the Monero circular economy. This time, you decide to create your own organization called "I'm the Best Designer in the World", but instead of registering it officially, you choose to offer your services anonymously through XMR Bazaar.

1) Revenue

Your Customer pays you 3 XMR. (around €1000 as of July 15, 2025)

2) Taking money out

Your net income is 3 XMR.

That's it. No taxes, no VAT, and none of the usual bureaucratic burdens. Just you, your customer, and the value of your work. In this example, your customer saves approximately 0.6 XMR (around €200 as of July 15, 2025), and you save about 1.77 XMR (approximately €592), simply by operating within the Monero circular economy.

As a client, paying in Monero means paying 100% of someone's worth in any voluntary transaction. And, since Monero is completely untraceable, states cannot seize it or even track it to attempt to confiscate it later. (Unlike it can occur with the Bitcoin)

Conclusion

I hope this blog post has helped you understand how to prepare for the introduction of CBDCs, and why they may pose significant risks to financial freedom.

Choosing to be paid in euros or any other fiat currency means accepting a system where a significant portion of your earnings is absorbed through taxation and regulation (Basically feeding the parasite). In contrast, opting to be paid in Monero allows you to retain the full value of your work, free from excessive financial burden.

And guess what? Accepting payment in CBDCs is essentially the same as accepting payment in fiat. It's all about government control and the excessive power they hold over your finances.

Taking part in the Monero circular economy means you're helping to ensure that the parallel economy remains free and ungoverned, while simultaneously starving the state's parasitic grip with every transaction. Your decision is a powerful weapon in the fight against state control.

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Crabmeat 2025-07-18
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