Latest news with #CitizenX
Associated Press
23-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
CitizenX Partners with El Salvador to Offer Freedom Passports for Bitcoin
Swiss tech-company announces its official partnership with the Government of El Salvador to expand the World's Fastest Bitcoin-Powered Citizenship Program ZUG, CH / ACCESS Newswire / May 23, 2025 / CitizenX announces its official partnership with the Government of El Salvador as a licensed processor for the groundbreaking Adopting El Salvador Program - the world's fastest citizenship initiative, offering a fast track to the Salvadoran passport in under 6 weeks in exchange of a $1m donation in Bitcoin or USDt. This pioneering partnership builds on El Salvador's bold vision as the first nation to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender, creating a seamless pathway for new citizens to join the country's economic renaissance through a Bitcoin-native citizenship program. 'We've been watching El Salvador's remarkable journey toward becoming a freedom haven with great enthusiasm,' said Katie Ananina, CMO of CitizenX. 'President Bukele is for freedom, and is inviting entrepreneurs and investors to join El Salvador - an offer they'd be well-advised to take up.' The Freedom Passport program represents a new approach to sovereign financing, allowing El Salvador to connect directly with new citizens who believe in the country's future. Rather than simply maximizing revenue, the program's $1 million capital requirement positions El Salvador as a destination for committed individuals and families who want to participate in the nation's long-term success. Through the CitizenX secure and private platform, applicants can navigate the process with unprecedented efficiency. The program features: Required documentation includes standard identification (passport, driver's license), proof of address, birth certificate, police clearance certificate, and proof of funds and more. 'The Freedom Passport attracts entrepreneurs and investors who believe in and want to be part of the long-term success of the nation, and are willing to put their capital where their mouth is.' said Alex Recouso, CEO of CitizenX. 'IMO El Salvador kick-started a movement where countries can finance themselves directly from citizens, using Bitcoin.' The partnership combines El Salvador's visionary approach to citizenship with CitizenX expertise in Bitcoin citizenship solutions, creating an unparalleled opportunity for high-net-worth individuals and families seeking both practical benefits and meaningful participation in a growing nation. For more information about the Freedom Passport program and application details, visit About CitizenX CitizenX is the leading provider of citizenship solutions, connecting high-net-worth individuals with innovative citizenship programs worldwide. With a focus on privacy and security, CitizenX combines Swiss engineering and 24/7 Concierge service to help you diversify your passport portfolio and secure a safe future for you and your loved ones. About El Salvador's Freedom Visa Program El Salvador's Freedom Visa Program represents the world's first Bitcoin passport initiative. The program conducts thorough due diligence practices, leverages Tether's technology and infrastructure for efficient payment processes while attracting investors committed to El Salvador's long-term prosperity. Media Contact Organization: CitizenX Contact Person Name: Katie Ananina Website: Email: [email protected] Contact Number: +141417111366 Address: c/o MJP Partners AG Bahnhofstrasse 20 City: Zug State: Zug Country: Switzerland SOURCE: CitizenX press release
Business Insider
22-04-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
CitizenX Acquires Plan B Passport; Katie "The Russian" Joins Passports-for-Sale Powerhouse
As more Americans are getting second passports, citing risk of instability, the most trusted citizenship platform is acquiring Plan B Passport in a strategic move to help high-net-worth individuals and families buy an escape plan. ZUG, CH / ACCESS Newswire / April 22, 2025 / CitizenX, the Swiss-based technology firm, announced today the acquisition of Plan B Passport, a trailblazing firm specialized in helping American HNWIs and families navigate the investment migration space. Katie "The Russian" Ananina, Plan B's founder, is set to join CitizenX as CMO, bringing along her over 50,000 followers on (formerly Twitter) and experienced team renowned for bold, client-centric solutions. Plan B Passport's core ethos-"Limit your dependency on any one particular state by obtaining a second passport"-resonates seamlessly with CitizenX's commitment to helping clients diversify their passport portfolios with privacy-focused technologies and Concierge services. Together, they offer over 25 citizenship and residency programs around the world; from Caribbean citizenship by investment programs, to European Golden Visas, and beyond-giving clients unparalleled control over their money, choices, and destiny. "I started Plan B passport to help my friends on Twitter get their Plan B passports," said Ananina."Now, with the scale and technology behind CitizenX, we're the loudest, most trusted voice in this game and will bring it far beyond my Twitter following. Our clients get more options, faster service, and the same rebel spirit, amplified." CitizenX gains Plan B's expert team-digital marketers, world-class operators, and citizenship specialists-elevating CitizenX into a new category of citizenship solutions, backed by Plan B's ancestry-based citizenship programs and exciting, soon-to-be-revealed options. "Katie and Plan B bring a fearless energy we admire," said Alex Recouso, CEO of CitizenX."Their dominance on the world of bits and industry expertise supercharge our vision. Together, we're creating new ways for countries to fundraise directly from citizens and, more importantly, helping more people secure their freedom." For more information, please visit About CitizenX: CitizenX is the only secure and private citizenship platform, combining Swiss engineering and 24/7 Concierge service to help you diversify your passport portfolio with over 25+ citizenship programs worldwide. About Plan B Passport: Founded by Katie Ananina, Plan B Passport empowered hundreds to limit state dependency through Citizenship by Investment strategies. Media Contact Organization: CitizenX Contact Person Name: Katie Ananina Website: Email: hello@ Contact Number: +141417111366 Address: c/o MJP Partners AG Bahnhofstrasse 20 City: Zug State: Zug Country: Switzerland View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
CitizenX Acquires Plan B Passport; Katie "The Russian" Joins Passports-for-Sale Powerhouse
As more Americans are getting second passports, citing risk of instability, the most trusted citizenship platform is acquiring Plan B Passport in a strategic move to help high-net-worth individuals and families buy an escape plan. ZUG, CH / / April 22, 2025 / CitizenX, the Swiss-based technology firm, announced today the acquisition of Plan B Passport, a trailblazing firm specialized in helping American HNWIs and families navigate the investment migration space. Katie "The Russian" Ananina, Plan B's founder, is set to join CitizenX as CMO, bringing along her over 50,000 followers on (formerly Twitter) and experienced team renowned for bold, client-centric solutions. Plan B Passport's core ethos-"Limit your dependency on any one particular state by obtaining a second passport"-resonates seamlessly with CitizenX's commitment to helping clients diversify their passport portfolios with privacy-focused technologies and Concierge services. Together, they offer over 25 citizenship and residency programs around the world; from Caribbean citizenship by investment programs, to European Golden Visas, and beyond-giving clients unparalleled control over their money, choices, and destiny. "I started Plan B passport to help my friends on Twitter get their Plan B passports," said Ananina. "Now, with the scale and technology behind CitizenX, we're the loudest, most trusted voice in this game and will bring it far beyond my Twitter following. Our clients get more options, faster service, and the same rebel spirit, amplified." CitizenX gains Plan B's expert team-digital marketers, world-class operators, and citizenship specialists-elevating CitizenX into a new category of citizenship solutions, backed by Plan B's ancestry-based citizenship programs and exciting, soon-to-be-revealed options. "Katie and Plan B bring a fearless energy we admire," said Alex Recouso, CEO of CitizenX. "Their dominance on the world of bits and industry expertise supercharge our vision. Together, we're creating new ways for countries to fundraise directly from citizens and, more importantly, helping more people secure their freedom." For more information, please visit About CitizenX: CitizenX is the only secure and private citizenship platform, combining Swiss engineering and 24/7 Concierge service to help you diversify your passport portfolio with over 25+ citizenship programs worldwide. About Plan B Passport: Founded by Katie Ananina, Plan B Passport empowered hundreds to limit state dependency through Citizenship by Investment strategies. Media Contact Organization: CitizenXContact Person Name: Katie AnaninaWebsite: hello@ Number: +141417111366Address: c/o MJP Partners AG Bahnhofstrasse 20City: ZugState: ZugCountry: Switzerland SOURCE: CitizenX View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
Forbes
07-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Is Portugal The Best Golden Visa For Americans?
Alex Recouso is the Cofounder and CEO of CitizenX. In recent years, the Portuguese Golden Visa has emerged as one of the most talked-about residency by investment programs. For high-net-worth individuals seeking mobility and a potential Plan B, this European Golden Visa often appears at the top of recommendation lists. Portugal residency opens opportunities beyond European mobility. Residents gain access to Portugal's healthcare system, educational institutions and social services. However, for Americans specifically, this popular program may not deliver despite its reputation. The Portuguese Golden Visa requirements have changed significantly, eliminating real estate investments as a qualifying investment route. Now, applicants must choose from alternatives including €500,000 capital transfers to investment funds, AIMA-regulated fund investments supporting Portuguese businesses and permanent job creation, €500,000 private equity investments in Portuguese companies or venture capital funds, scientific research activities (€500,000), national cultural heritage or artistic production support (€250,000), among others. Investment requirements vary by pathway, with program criteria continuously changing as the Portuguese government adjusts regulations. Beyond the minimum investment requirement, potential Golden Visa investors should also be aware of: • Initial application fees. • Biometrics and residence card issuance fees. • Due diligence costs. • Renewal fees (every 2 years). Golden Visa holders' residency requirement is just 14 days every two years to maintain legal residency status (and 21 days for the subsequent three years). This flexibility attracts HNWIs and families who don't want to relocate full-time or change their country of residence from a taxation standpoint. This creates tax benefits for Americans by avoiding double taxation. Since U.S. citizens are subject to global taxation, becoming a tax resident in Portugal (by staying 183-plus days annually) would create additional obligations without necessarily eliminating U.S. tax liability. The Portuguese Golden Visa is a residency by investment program, not a direct path to citizenship. This distinction is crucial, as you're investing in a residence permit for investment activity (ARI)—not a Portuguese passport. This creates challenges for the main applicant and family members: While the permanent residency processing time does count toward the five-year residency requirement for naturalization eligibility, the total Golden Visa application process extends much further than the initial 5-year period until naturalization is possible. I've found this often results in a 6-7 year wait for a Portuguese passport—hardly an efficient Plan B for Americans seeking immediate optionality. The Portugal Golden Visa program is experiencing significant backlogs at the Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service (formerly known as SEF). The average processing time reached 38.3 months in Q4 2024. Obtaining Portuguese citizenship requires passing a language proficiency test at the A2 level. While not insurmountable, this represents an additional hurdle that other citizenship programs don't impose. The golden visa application process also requires a tax identification number (NIF), a Portuguese bank account, health insurance, a clean criminal record and a final biometrics appointment. Given these limitations, Americans should carefully evaluate whether the Portuguese Golden Visa aligns with their specific objectives: If your goal is to live in Portugal and enjoy its high quality of life in cities like Lisbon or Porto, other options such as the D7 visa can offer a more cost-effective solution. This visa requires no minimum investment but does have higher presence requirements. There are other options based on ancestral connections to European countries, such as the Sephardic Jews laws or citizenship by descent programs that provide access to European Union benefits and visa-free travel throughout the Schengen area without the investment requirements. Americans already enjoy visa-free travel to the Schengen Area for 90 days within any 180-day period. A Portuguese residency card offers incremental benefits in terms of longer stays but doesn't substantially enhance mobility. Residency without citizenship provides limited protection against political instability. You cannot renounce U.S. citizenship based on Portuguese residency alone, and the residence permit itself could potentially be revoked under extreme circumstances. Americans looking for genuine diversification might consider more geopolitically neutral options: Countries like St. Kitts and Nevis or St. Lucia offer citizenship through investment programs with processing times measured in months (not years), lower minimum investment amounts and no visit or minimum stay requirements. These are some of the world's strongest passports, with visa-free access to 140-plus countries, including the European Schengen Area. Vanuatu's citizenship program offers one of the fastest routes to a second passport. While offering fewer visa-free destinations than EU passports, Vanuatu provides geopolitical diversification away from Western alliances. Newer programs like El Salvador's Freedom Visa require a significant contribution of $1 million in Bitcoin or U.S. dollars but offer efficient processing and significant upside in a rapidly growing economy. Despite these limitations, the Portuguese Golden Visa may still be appropriate for some Americans, such as those seeking a long-term nomadic lifestyle throughout Europe, where the minimal physical presence requirement is advantageous. This may also be a good choice for investors planning on a multi-decade horizon, where the timeline to become EU citizens is less critical. For example, a client for whom the Portuguese Golden Visa was a great fit was a U.S. citizen who had previously invested in Caribbean citizenship as a plan B and wanted to further diversify with a third passport. The ideal citizenship strategy should consider both short-term needs and long-term risks. A truly robust passport portfolio involves diversifying investment opportunities across different geopolitical spheres. Before committing capital to any residency by investment program, Americans should carefully evaluate their objectives and time horizons. For Americans seeking citizenship elsewhere, the Portuguese Golden Visa's reputation might exceed its utility. While it does offer a path to European citizenship, the timeline, costs and practical limitations may outweigh the benefits for many U.S. citizens. The information provided here is not legal advice and does not purport to be a substitute for advice of counsel on any specific matter. For legal advice, you should consult with an attorney concerning your specific situation. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
