From Holding to Living: How to Actually Use Bitcoin and USDT in the Real World
A sovereign series....
You’ve stacked your sats. You’ve secured your USDT. But now what?
In a world that increasingly demands sovereignty and flexibility, it’s time to stop thinking of Bitcoin and Tether as just assets to hold and start thinking of them as tools to live on.
This article is for those ready to take the next step: from passive crypto holders to active crypto users. Whether you’re a freelancer getting paid in USDT, a nomad ditching or at least diversifying your banks, or someone navigating financial chaos in your home country, this is your playbook.
Let’s talk about how to actually spend, send, and survive on the two most essential assets in crypto.
Who Lives on Crypto Today?
Remote freelancers in Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia use USDT to get paid reliably without suffering through bank fees or unreliable local currencies
Digital nomads living across borders, using crypto cards and apps to live bank-free
Small business owners accepting BTC or USDT as payment to protect margins from hyperinflation
Every day, citizens in Argentina, Turkey, Nigeria, and Lebanon store savings in Tether because local banks just can’t be trusted.
People are using crypto to get by, run businesses, and escape broken systems. It’s not hypothetical. It’s happening.
Spend It: Crypto Debit Cards
Let’s start with day-to-day spending.
Many companies now issue crypto debit cards that let you spend your BTC or USDT (or other crypto of choice) at any merchant that accepts Visa or Mastercard. These include:
Binance Card: Spend USDT, BUSD, or BTC anywhere Visa is accepted. 8% cashback in BNB
Crypto.com Visa Card: Offers rebates, lounge access, and supports USDT & BTC
BitPay Card: U.S.-based, supports USDT and BTC, with instant reloads
Wirex and Nexo cards: Europe-friendly, rewards-focused options
I’m just mentioning these products because they are out there and are the most authoritative. Personally, I do not like Wirex because I have had very bad experiences with customer support. Might have changed since then. Most of these cards convert your crypto to fiat at the time of the transaction, meaning the merchant gets paid in local currency while you live on-chain.
Pay Bills, Rent, and More
If your landlord or utility company isn’t crypto-native (yet), you still have options.
Bitrefill: Buy gift cards for Airbnb, Amazon, Uber, groceries, even phone top-ups with BTC or USDT. Available in dozens of countries
Coinsbee: Another option for prepaid cards, subscriptions, and mobile credits
Spritz Finance (U.S.): Connect crypto wallets to pay credit cards, mortgages, and utility bills
Pouch.ph (Philippines): For paying local bills with BTC via the Lightning Network
These platforms bridge the gap between your crypto and your daily life.
Get Paid in Bitcoin or Tether
For freelancers and online workers, getting paid in crypto is a no-brainer.
USDT is the most common method for international payments….stable, fast, and borderless.
Bitcoin via Lightning is gaining traction for small payments and microtasks
Platforms like:
Bitwage: Accept BTC or USDT for global payroll
Request Finance: Invoice in USDT or BTC, paid in a self-custodial way
Deel: Supports crypto payouts to remote workers and contractors and allows for more creative ways of payments
For small projects, even P2P apps like Telegram or Keet (built on Holepunch/Tether tech) are being used to settle invoices
Move Money Across Borders
Traditional cross-border banking is a mess of fees, delays, and red tape. Crypto does what the banks still can't;
P2P transfers: Send USDT instantly on TRON, Ethereum, Solana, or even Lightning BTC
Remittances: Instead of sending money through Western Union with fees, just send USDT to a self-custodial wallet like TronLink or Trust Wallet
Exchange to local fiat: Use Binance P2P or LocalBitcoins (if available) to cash out when needed. There are (even) more creative ways for the more creative
In places with strict capital controls, this is the way to move money.
Stay Agile, Stay Private
Privacy matters. And while most mainstream options aren't built with it in mind, it's worth noting that of all the privacy-focused projects, Monero remains the most (or only) resilient (option). If the regulatory climate tightens, allocating some funds to Monero could be a smart hedge.
A full deep dive into Monero is probably worth its own article; but for now, just know it's the go-to for anyone serious about transacting discreetly in a tightening financial landscape.
And if you must use a KYC exchange, move funds out quickly after your swap. Assuming your self custodial set up is immaculate.
Real-World Case: Maria, a Copywriter in Buenos Aires
Maria gets paid in USDT by U.S. clients. Her local bank charges 50% to convert USD to pesos.
Instead, she:
Holds USDT in Trust Wallet
Spends via Binance Card
Pays rent by converting small amounts to pesos on Binance P2P
Buys groceries with prepaid Carrefour cards from Bitrefill
Occasionally visits a cueva, Argentina's informal black-market currency exchange, to get a better rate for pesos in cash when needed
She saves at least 35% monthly and doesn’t worry about local inflation. That’s crypto in action. VLLC!
Bitcoin gives you sovereignty. Tether gives you usability. The two aren’t mutually exclusive. You can stack sats while living on USDT. You can save long-term while navigating day-to-day expenses. Living on crypto isn’t a fringe experiment anymore.
Stack it. Spend it. Live it.
I love stablecoins, Tether in particular, and I will be writing about the ongoing and ever-increasing future stablecoin war. Stay tuned for insights, drama, and analysis as it all unfolds.
P.S. In case you didn’t realize, I am not Patrick Hansen