Euro Exchange War: OKX Joins Coinbase in EU Expansion
Crypto exchanges are in a full-blown licensing arms race in Europe. The latest? OKX just secured a license in Germany, giving them access to all 27 EU member states under MiCA rules.
Yesterday, we talked about Coinbase getting approval in Luxembourg. Today, OKX enters Germany. This isn't just about territory—this is about survival. The market will be brutal, and not every exchange is going to make it.
Coinbase, being publicly traded, needs to justify expansion to shareholders. OKX doesn't. They can sit in the EU, grab a sliver of the pie, and bide their time. This asymmetry might give them the flexibility to outlast competitors forced to chase profitability quarter by quarter.
Ethereum’s “Glamsterdam” Upgrade: Faster Blocks Incoming
Ethereum devs are already teasing the next big upgrade—code-named “Glamsterdam”—coming in 2026. The goal? Cut block times in half and double throughput.
That’s good news for Layer 2s, which use Ethereum as a settlement layer. More base-layer throughput = more L2 performance. The crypto nerds get it. Everyone else will feel it as smoother apps, faster DeFi, and hopefully cheaper gas.
Unlocks, Listings, and Other Market Chatter
Big token unlocks this month: Blast, Venom, and ACX.
Binance is updating listings. Humanity Protocol is now trading.
None of that compares to Bitcoin popping back above $105K after rumors of an Iran-Israel ceasefire. Last week we were stuck around $100K. The second missiles stop flying? Number go up.
But let’s be honest—it's all geopolitical whiplash. Every time peace feels possible, the market breathes. Every time bombs drop, markets tank. It’s exhausting.
My Take: We Need Silence
Let me be clear: the economy is strong, the markets should be stronger, and investors are ready. But the geopolitical chaos is suppressing everything.
We’ve got capital waiting on the sidelines, itching to be deployed. But investors can’t go full ape when headlines scream "missile strike" every few days. Even if people aren't pulling money out, they're definitely not putting it in.
Give us three weeks of quiet—just three—and we’ll be off to the races. Capital will flood back into tech, crypto, stocks, everything. But if the chaos keeps coming, we’re going to start seeing real damage. Hiring freezes, smaller raises, postponed remodels, vacations scaled back. Death by a thousand cautious decisions.
Porsche Boxster vs Tesla Model Y: Lifestyle Matchup
So here I am, writing this while driving my 2004 Porsche Boxster S. Manual. Mid-engine. Flat six. About 260 horses. Second gear is joy incarnate.
I used to drive a Tesla Model Y Performance. Insane speed. 0-60 in 3.5 seconds. Great tech. Loved it. But here's the surprise—my 21-year-old Boxster is giving me 80% of the joy for 12% of the price.
In fact, I'd argue the Porsche fits my lifestyle better than the Tesla. It's more fun, more raw, and honestly more practical than you'd think. I’ve packed this thing for a multi-week trip. Full-size suitcase up front. Backpack and toiletries in the rear. Try that in a Miata or Z3.
The Tesla had better tech, better seats, and brutal straight-line speed. But the Porsche handles like it was built to make your soul smile. I'm looking at getting a newer one—maybe a 981 or 718 GTS. But even this old 986 handles like a dream, especially once I upgrade the suspension.
Long-Term Outlook: Up and to the Right
Markets, historically, go up and to the right. The S&P, the NASDAQ, even crypto. We’re beating inflation. Money market returns are 4%+, beating CPI. Bitcoin has held remarkably steady.
Short-term? I’m pissed. The markets should be ripping, and they're stuck sideways because of external noise. But long-term, I’m still bullish. We’re early.
I’m not buying a Bugatti. I’m not flying first class. I’m traveling with a gym bag, some Greek yogurt, and a 20-year-old Porsche. And I’m checking off the life boxes that matter.
The TEMU Mindset: 80% of the Dream for 10% of the Cost
What Is the TEMU Mindset?
I’m not talking about the app itself. I’m talking about the philosophy behind it: getting 80% of what you want for 10–20% of the cost.
Whether it’s travel, cars, lifestyle, or career—I'm not chasing Instagram versions of life. I’m building a real one, and I’m doing it smart. Not cheap. Smart.
And guess what? That 80% feels just as good—sometimes better—than the full-priced dream.
Used Porsche Joy Beats New Car Stress
Let’s use my car as the perfect example.
Would I love a new 911 Turbo S? Sure. But it’s $250K+. That’s a millionaire’s toy. What I’m driving instead is a $12K 2004 Porsche Boxster S. It cost 12% of a new one, but gives me 80% of the experience.
Mid-engine. Flat-six. Manual. Screams to 7,200 RPM. Trunk and frunk. And it turns heads.
I’m not worried about rock chips or resale value. I’m enjoying the damn car.
Your Life Goals Aren’t Off Limits—Just Redefined
Want to travel? Budget it. Stay at a Best Western. Shop Wegmans.
Want a lake house? Maybe it’s a $50K cabin in West Virginia, not a $4M estate in Tahoe.
Want to run for Congress? You don’t need to win to check it off the list.
The point is: You can get there. But if you define success only by luxury finishes and blue checkmarks, you’ll always feel behind.
Most People Don’t Do the Thing
They say “I wish I could…” and then they don’t.
They make excuses. “I’ve got kids.” “My job doesn’t allow it.” “Now’s not the time.”
But time keeps moving. And one day you look up and the thing you always talked about doing? Never happened.
That scares the hell out of me.
That’s why I’m on the road, eating Greek yogurt, and sleeping in $125 hotels—because I’d rather do the thing imperfectly than not at all.
Instagram Is a Lie, Experience Is the Truth
I’ve sat in first class. I didn’t pay for it, but I’ve been there. It’s nice.
Is it $10,000 nice? No.
I’ve driven new Teslas, new Porsches. I love them.
But I also love wrenching on a 20-year-old Boxster and knowing I got something raw and real.
Luxury is fleeting. But experience? That sticks with you.
My Rules for the TEMU Life
Never buy new cars — depreciation is brutal. Let someone else take that hit.
Travel cheap — eat well, sleep comfortably, don’t overpay.
Spend on experience, affordable can be an image — fun, comfort, and capability can = clout.
Measure joy, not flex — if it brings you real happiness, who cares if it’s bougie?
Elbow grease is a multiplier — wrench it, fix it, clean it, mod it, and it becomes yours.
My Fear: “I Wish I Had…”
What keeps me moving is a very simple fear:
I don’t want to be old, sitting on regrets, saying “I wish I had.”
I’ve seen too many people lock themselves into a life they never wanted—because of expectations, peer pressure, or just giving up on themselves.
I’m not going to be that guy.
Even if I fall short, I’ll fall forward.
You Can TEMU Anything
Want to:
See the world? Fly economy, not Emirates.
Own fun cars? Buy five-year-old Porsches, not brand-new Ferraris.
Work remotely? Build a business. Take the risk.
Be fit at 50? Start training at 30. Or today.
Have a beautiful home? Renovate, don’t rebuild. Build it slowly, room by room.
You can get close. You can get enough. And most of the time, “enough” is everything.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve ever caught yourself saying, “I wish I could,” stop.
Ask yourself:
What’s the 80% version of that goal?
How much does it really cost?
What could you give up for a month or two to get closer?
Because most people aren’t living their dream.
They’re living the version of it they settled for.
I’m trying to live mine. On my terms. With my rules.
Happy HODLing. And Happy Driving.
Matt
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