Nordic Countries Lead Cashless Revolution


Posted originally on May 19, 2025 by Martin Armstrong 

cashless society electronic money

Nordic nations have been leading the cashless society revolution. Masked as a manner of efficiency, digital transactions are not demanded by governments globally as they seek to rake in all money off the grid for taxation purposes.

Sweden is nearly a cashless society, with less than 2% of transactions occurring in physical currency as of 2020. Some estimates believe cash transactions have risen to 10% as of 2025, but it is becoming less commonplace. Swish transfer, launched in 2012, is a mobile payment system that enables users to transfer money in real-time. Accounts are linked to bank accounts, and transactions are authorized by Mobile BankID. As of February 2025, Swish had over 9 million users with 8.9 million private accounts and 318,000 business accounts. Only 10.5 million people currently live in Sweden.

The governor of Risbank declared in 2017 that “half of Swedish traders believe they will stop accepting cash by 2025” and Swish would be used for “Transaction that used to be mostly cash based.” In 2010, around 40% of transactions occurred in cash compared to 2-10% today.

Norway is also close to becoming cashless. Similar to Swish, Norway uses a program called Vipps that is owned by DNB Bank. Around 90% of Norwegian bank customers are using this program. Vipps began accepting crypto last year as well.

The National Bank of Denmark reported that cash was used in only 11% of transactions in 2024. Finland has seen a drastic drop in cash transactions, accounting for under 20% of payments.

Customers across Nordic nations report having a high level of trust in their banking institutions and government. Polls and reports vary, but the aforementioned nations typically have a higher level of confidence in their national government compared to other OECD nations. The 2024 OECD poll found 48% of Norwegians had high or moderately high trust in their national government, exceeding the OECD average of 39%. Yet, that figure has declined 16% since 2021. Around 77% of Finns reported having a high level of trust in their government, and 43% of Swedes felt similarly.

Using a credit card or mobile pay option has become the new normal everywhere. Cash transactions are becoming increasingly rare. Cash is still legal tender, and governments have not banished physical currencies—yet. It will be easier for governments to mandate CBDC as the majority of citizens have already gone digital.

Comey – 8647


Posted May 19, 2025 by Martin Armstrong 
8647

It is astounding to see public figures expose their agendas on social media. Former FBI Director James Comey was publicly humiliated during Donald Trump’s first term when he was dismissed from the bureau for mishandling the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s email server. Comey launched a fraudulent investigation into Trump, becoming a main player in the “Russian collusion” hoax that sought to blame Russia for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential defeat. Comey is once again making headlines for attacking Donald Trump, but this time, his message was a direct threat.

Comey James FBI Portrait

“Cool shell formation on my beach walk…,” Comey posted on Instagram, with an image featuring seashells forming “86 47.” The number 86 is commonly used as slang for “kill” or “to eliminate,” and Trump is of course the 47th president. The post received immediate backlash and was deleted with a follow-up post. “I posted earlier a picture of some shells I saw today on a beach walk, which I assumed were a political message,” the subsequent post from Comey said. “I didn’t realize some folks associate those numbers with violence. It never occurred to me but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down.”

Comey was the Director of the FBI—he knew what that ominous message meant and posted it online for a reason. Authorities are now concerned that his message was a subliminal call to action “to eliminate” the president.

Oddly enough, Comey’s post was exactly 8,647 days since the largest terrorist attack on US soil–9/11.

Soros Calls for Assassination of Trump

Donald Trump told reporters that he believed the social media post was a direct call for an assassination attempt. “He knew exactly what that meant. A child knows what that meant … That meant ‘assassination,’” Trump said in an interview with Bret Baier on Friday.

Tulsi Gabbard, serving as Director of National Intelligence, believes that Comey should be imprisoned because “there are individuals who take him very seriously.” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called the matter “deeply concerning” and is urging an investigation.

“We are in communication with the Secret Service and Director Curran,” Patel said. “Primary jurisdiction is with SS on these matters and we, the FBI, will provide all necessary support.” This is a serious matter, as there have already been numerous attempts on the president’s life. Comey has direct ties to the dark establishment.

The hashtag “#8647” is trending online. The far left is hoping this becomes a political movement as they continue to protest against Trump and his administration violently.

James Comey stated that he did not intend any violence with his Instagram post featuring the number “8647” and took it down after realizing some interpreted it as a threat against President Trump. He emphasized his opposition to violence and clarified that he was unaware of the potential implications of the message.

Japan Taxing if You Do Not Have Kids


Posted originally on May 18, 2025 by Martin Armstrong 

Decline in Birthrate





European War is Inevitable


Posted originally on May 18, 2025 by Martin Armstrong 

2025_05_15_08_21_20_Russia_seeks_to_remove_root_causes_of_conflict_not_ceasefire_Lavrov_on_Ista

QUESTION: Well, here we are at the 15th, right on schedule. Your model turns up, and it looks like no deal. Would you care to comment?

Uri

2022 Intl War Index

ANSWER: Putin said their purpose would be “to remove the root causes of the conflict and move towards creating a long-term, durable peace in a historical perspective”. Zelenskyy said he was prepared to attend, but only if Putin also showed up, because “everything in Russia depends” on the Russian leader as if that is not the case in Ukraine. Trump also was not attending.

AE War Index Q Combined 5 15 25

Zelensky is a Neo-Nazi and he takes orders from the EU and NATO. He wants every Russian dead. What would he do if Russia left the Donbas? He has outlawed them from speaking Russian, denied them any right to vote, outlawed Orthodox Christianity, and outlawed them from even celebrating Christmas. The Ukrainian people have a choice. Either to die for the Neocons, or rise up and overthrow Zelensky. Contacts in Romania realize the EU is trying to orchestrate them into war with Russia. The strategy here is to send the Eastern Europeans in to kill as many Russians as possible, and then Macron can invade Russia like Napoleon.

Our model peaked intraday in the last quarter of 2024, with the third quarter of 2024 as the highest quarterly closing. The correction was to be into the first Quarter, and then the second quarter was a Directional Change. We will now head into the third quarter of 2025, which should reflect the failure of any peace deal because any ceasefire is only to regroup and rearm Ukraine. There is no resolution to this, and the EU will NEVER allow Ukraine to have peace.

Zelenskyy Johnson

There was a peace deal. Putin withdrew his tanks around Kiev, and Boris Johnson flew to Ukraine and instructed Zelensky not to sign any peace deal. More than one million Ukrainians are now dead. My sources in the US military confirm that all the claims that Russia has lost 1 million are fake news. This is all to push for war. Europe does NOT want peace. They are broke, and without war, the people will be storming their parliaments with pitchforks to hang these politicians on the street, for everything they were promised will vanish in a sovereign default. They NEED a distraction, and that is war with Russia, the same as Carney ran against Trump in Canada and avoided all domestic economic damage carried out by the Liberal Party.

It is NOT a question of IF but only WHEN

That’s our Computer – not my personal opinion.

Why the Canadian Govt and Big Pharma are Waging War on an Ostridge Farm


Posted originally on May 18, 2025 by Martin Armstrong 

Canada’s Ostrich Cull Scandal: Are Big Pharma and Globalist Interests Pulling the Strings?
When I first heard about the ostrich farm in Edgewood, British Columbia, facing a forced cull of 400 ostriches, something immediately felt off. Sure, authorities claim they’re responding to an avian flu outbreak—but the deeper I dig into this, the more it smells of something else entirely. Let’s get right into it, because this isn’t just about bird flu—this is about science, censorship, profits, and powerful global interests that seem determined to control the narrative and crush alternatives.

The Edgewood Ostrich Outrage: How We Got Here

Picture a remote, idyllic farm in British Columbia’s Kootenay region, home to about 400 ostriches on 65 acres. On December 31, 2024, two ostriches tragically die of H5N1 avian flu, reportedly brought by wild migratory birds. This leads to a swift quarantine by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)—but that’s just the beginning.

Incredibly, after the initial outbreak, only about 40 birds (roughly 10% of the flock, mainly younger ostriches) succumb to the virus. Within just days, something remarkable occurs: the flock stabilizes, and the remaining 90% of the birds are thriving. Farm owner Karen Espersen observes that these ostriches seem to develop immunity, something clearly special and scientifically fascinating.

Yet despite the farm’s desperate pleas for additional testing and careful scientific study, the CFIA orders all ostriches culled—every last healthy bird—to supposedly “prevent the spread.” The family fights back, but on May 13, 2025, the Canadian Federal Court sides with the CFIA, leaving no room for appeal. The ostriches, despite clear evidence of recovery and possible immunity, are condemned to death.

Why the rush to destroy animals that might be holding keys to groundbreaking treatments? Why no interest in studying them further?

Ostrich Eggs and Antibodies: A Game-Changing Threat to Big Pharma?
Here’s where it gets interesting. Ostriches aren’t just giant flightless birds—they are potent biological factories. Their eggs contain powerful antibodies that have already demonstrated incredible therapeutic potential. Each ostrich egg can yield as many antibodies as 100 chicken eggs or 800 rabbits. That’s not just impressive, it’s potentially disruptive to the pharmaceutical industry.

Dr. Yasuhiro Tsukamoto (nicknamed “Dr. Ostrich”), a prominent Japanese veterinary immunologist, has been leading pioneering research using ostrich antibodies. His work, in collaboration with the Edgewood farm, produced breakthrough products during the COVID-19 crisis, including masks and nasal sprays coated with ostrich antibodies that neutralize viruses effectively. Hospitals in Japan even ran successful clinical trials using ostrich antibody nasal sprays for virus prevention.

Now, apply this logic to avian flu—a virus global health authorities (including the WHO and World Economic Forum) are increasingly hyping as “the next COVID,” predicting global outbreaks and calling for new mass vaccination programs. If ostrich antibodies could provide effective natural immunity or treatment against bird flu, that could render new vaccines—particularly expensive, patented mRNA vaccines—unnecessary or less profitable.

It’s not a stretch to see why pharmaceutical giants might perceive ostrich antibodies as a direct threat: cheap, natural, effective, and impossible to monopolize like lab-engineered vaccines.

The Pharma Connection: Is Big Money Silencing Alternative Solutions?
As I researched deeper, disturbing questions arose. According to the ostrich farm owners, CFIA officials bizarrely grilled them about their proprietary antibody research during quarantine meetings—unusual questioning, to say the least, for an agency supposedly just concerned with containment. Why was a regulatory agency suddenly so interested in proprietary intellectual property?

From my perspective, this screams of corporate influence—exactly the type of “public-private partnership” favored by groups like the World Economic Forum, where regulatory agencies and pharmaceutical interests often blend seamlessly.

Indeed, ostrich antibodies represent precisely the kind of “inconvenient science” that Big Pharma—and powerful globalist institutions like the WHO and WEF—would rather not let flourish. After all, if a farmer in British Columbia could produce inexpensive antibody-based solutions to avian flu, COVID, or other pandemics, why would governments invest billions in patented mRNA technologies championed by the pharmaceutical establishment?

This dynamic mirrors precisely what we’ve seen throughout COVID: affordable, natural solutions systematically sidelined in favor of profitable, patent-protected vaccines and treatments. And let’s be honest—the upcoming bird flu “crisis” narrative feels suspiciously similar to the lead-up to the COVID pandemic: a hyped-up global threat, new vaccines in the pipeline, and massive profits at stake.

A Pattern of Suppression: “Trust the Science”…or Else?
Critically, the CFIA’s rigid refusal to even consider alternative solutions or studies of these potentially immune birds exposes a deeper pattern of institutional inflexibility—or intentional suppression. Despite the farm’s strict quarantine, remote location, and documented immunity of surviving birds, authorities refused any meaningful investigation or testing, stubbornly adhering to blanket policies that conveniently shut down independent science.

Even respected veterinarians like Dr. Scott Weese from the University of Guelph have pointed out the irrationality: “We’re not eradicating H5N1 by culling these ostriches,” he said plainly. Premier David Eby of British Columbia even questioned why there’s no “case-by-case” flexibility, expressing frustration at the CFIA’s blanket policy.

Yet the authorities wouldn’t budge an inch. The message is clear: “Trust our science, no questions allowed.”

Public Outrage and the Fight for Truth
The outrage from the farm, community, and global observers has been intense. Activists and animal advocates descended on Edgewood, physically trying to block the cull and livestreaming desperate pleas for help. Even Robert F. Kennedy Jr., known for challenging the COVID vaccine narrative, weighed in, calling the planned ostrich cull “horrifying.”

The farm’s supporters—and I count myself among them—see this cull as part of a larger pattern: global health authorities and big-money pharmaceutical interests systematically suppressing any inexpensive, natural, and non-patentable solutions. The ostrich antibodies represent exactly the kind of disruptive innovation that global elites, aligned with pharma profits and pandemic narratives, want silenced.

Coincidence or Conspiracy? The Bigger Picture Emerges
Is it mere coincidence that, just as ostrich antibodies were demonstrating real promise as inexpensive, natural antiviral solutions, Canadian authorities swiftly moved to destroy the birds producing them?

While no court case or official inquiry directly proves Big Pharma influence on CFIA’s decision, context matters greatly. The aggressive stance of global health organizations promoting the avian flu as “the next big threat,” coupled with heavy investment in mRNA vaccine technology, makes ostrich-derived natural immunity research deeply inconvenient. Powerful financial interests would clearly benefit from removing such competition.

Even Canadian MLAs and animal-rights advocates are questioning whether something darker lies behind this incident. It may not be outright conspiracy—though that can’t be ruled out—but rather the structural, systemic alignment between big-money pharmaceutical interests, compliant government agencies, and international globalist institutions promoting centralized pandemic responses.

Looking Ahead: Fighting for Transparency and Real Science
This ostrich farm incident isn’t just another animal culling. It’s a symptom of a broader struggle—science versus profit, freedom versus control, transparency versus censorship.

We have an opportunity to push back, demanding full transparency from government and health authorities. We must insist on fair, unbiased scientific inquiry into promising alternatives, no matter how disruptive they may be to established financial or political interests.

Imagine if Canadian authorities had paused to thoroughly investigate these ostriches’ apparent immunity. Imagine a world where inexpensive, effective ostrich antibodies became a mainstream, natural alternative to costly pharmaceutical vaccines. Unfortunately, this scenario directly threatens too many entrenched interests to be allowed to develop without resistance.

We can’t allow powerful actors to squash independent innovation under the guise of “public health.” The Edgewood ostrich cull should be a wake-up call: it’s about far more than birds—it’s about the future of medical freedom, scientific transparency, and resisting the weaponization of fear-based pandemic narratives for profit and control.

Let’s keep our eyes wide open—and keep digging.

Petrodollar Conspiracy


Posted originally on May 17, 2025 by Martin Armstrong 

Petrodollar 10

QUESTION: Some claim that the entire strength of the dollar is oil, which backed it after the gold standard fell. I know you said that was a convenient theory, and some now claim Trump’s trip to Saudi Arabia is Petrodollar 2.0. You managed money for OPEC and were even in an OPEC meeting, so who better to address this issue than you? I was at your 1985 conference in Princeton, and there were all the Arab nations attending in their white robes, while the Hasidic Jews were attending from the NY garment industry in their black garb. That was an eye-opening conference. So my question is, does oil have any basis for supporting the dollar, or is this another conspiracy theory, like gold going up with inflation?

Yours truly

SM

BTW, Anyone who refuses to interview you is part of the Deep State propaganda.

Conf 1985

REPLY: Sam, it’s good to hear from you. You bring up old memories. We have grown old together. If I recall, you were there with your father. I remember when he died. To start with, the percentage of world trade attributed to oil and petroleum products is approximately 8-10% based on the 2022 data. Merchandise Trade in 2022 globally totaled around $25 trillion (WTO data). Of that, crude oil and refined petroleum product exports worldwide were estimated to be between $2.2 and 2.5 trillion (depending on price fluctuations and trade volumes). This includes contributions from OPEC, which are only 40% of crude exports, and non-OPEC exporters like the U.S., Russia, and Canada.

Newsweek_Feb_10_1975_Petrodollar r

Therefore, if we take the $2.5 trillion and filter out OPEC, this comes to $1 trillion. Now let’s look at just Saudi Arabia, with Nixon’s secret deal (memo) made in 1974 was a negotiation not to support the dollar, but to deal with the Oil Embargo of 1973. Saudi Arabia’s annual oil sales can be measured in both volume (barrels) and monetary value (revenue), which fluctuates based on production levels, OPEC+ agreements, and global oil prices. Even if we look at the numbers from 1974, OpPEC was only about  13% ($112 billion) of world merchandise trade ($846 billion). This significant share was a direct result of the 1973 oil crisis, during which OPEC member countries imposed an embargo and drastically increased oil prices, leading to a quadrupling of oil revenues.

Petro dollar 2

Saudi Arabia typically exports 6.5–7.5 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil and petroleum products. In 2023, Saudi Arabia’s oil revenue was estimated at $211 billion (based on ~7 million bpd and ~$80/barrel). This means that Saudi Arabia’s total petro sales amount to .0084% of world trade. The Petrodollar 2,0 is sophistry and just another conspiracy theory. If they priced all the oil in yuan, it would not alter the world economy.

Petrodollar

Given the number of emails pouring in on this subject and people claiming Trump’s trip is Petrodollar 2.0 or whatever, I will lay out the truth. This appears to come from the perpetual dollar bears who never look outside the United States and constantly forecast the demise of the dollar since the 1970s. Why anyone listens to them shows that the old saying fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me! They have been wrong for more than 50 years. They never look at the facts and have ZERO understanding of international investment flows.

Yes, we were all dealing with OPEC money in Geneva during the Wild ’80s. That is where all the OPEC money was being managed. Even the Saudi oil minister had a house in Gstaad, Switzerland.  That’s where I learned to ski, besides attending exciting parties. Yes, I even participated in OPEC meetings by phone. They would put me on the speaker box. So, I think I know more from the inside out rather than cooking up theories from the outside. This is all tied into this de-dollarization theory as well. I will try to put this together ASAP.

Interview: Have the World Economic Forum Elites Been Defeated?


Posted originally on May 17, 2025 by Martin Armstrong 

How to Save a Life – 2032


Posted originally on May 17, 2025 by Martin Armstrong 

I always liked this song. Some people see the world for what it is, and others are consumed by propaganda. Many of us have lost a friend to politics, war, or it was just their time. They may be unable to see, so they will never understand this song.

Book: Conversations with the Master Forecaster


Posted originally on May 16, 2025 by Martin Armstrong 

KerryLutzBook

Conversations with the Master Forecaster

This book is unlike anything you’ve read before. It’s not another theory — it’s a documented track record of how Martin saw what no one else did:

✅ Sovereign debt implosions
✅ War cycles and geopolitical shifts
✅ The coming collapse of trust in governments
✅ The timeline to 2032 — and what it means for you

Written by longtime interviewer Kerry Lutz, this book is based on over a decade of never-before-published insights, straight from Martin’s most powerful moments on air.

Whether you’re an investor, thinker, or someone simply seeking truth in an age of lies, this is your handbook for what’s next.

Now available on Amazon:
Click here to get the book
(Paperback, Hardcover, Kindle & Audiobook editions available)

Thank you for supporting the real truth in a world of curated nonsense.

More information:

A visionary economist. A controversial thinker. A man whose ideas challenge the status quo.

In The World According to Martin Armstrong, discover the extraordinary insights of a financial forecaster who predicted some of the most significant economic events of our time. Armstrong’s unique understanding of historical cycles, global finance, and political power offers a fresh perspective on the forces shaping our world.

From the intricate dance of sovereign debt to the rise and fall of empires, this book explores Armstrong’s groundbreaking Economic Confidence Model and its implications for the past, present, and future. Whether you’re a seasoned investor, a history buff, or someone seeking to make sense of today’s complex world, this book will challenge and inspire you.

Prepare to see the world through a new lens that connects the dots between history, economics, and human behavior in ways you’ve never imagined.

Biden Directed Funds to Afghanistan over 9/11 Victims


Posted May 16, 2025 by Martin Armstrong 

Taliban

The Taliban has been promoting the Afghan currency by auctioning off dollars. How is a known terrorist group obtaining USD? The United Nations has sent billions to the Taliban in recent years to support its central bank, with much of those funds being approved and sent by the United States. Worse, the Biden Administration confiscated $3.5 billion in funding from a fund designated for 9/11 survivors to pay the Taliban.

The Taliban has also auctioned off the billions in weapons that the United States left behind after the former commander in chief ordered an immediate withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021. It is estimated that $7 billion in equipment was left behind, yet Biden blames Afghan authorities for allowing the Taliban to take over.

As for the funds stolen from the 9/11 fund, it originated when families who lost loved ones to the 9/11 attacks sued Al Qaeda, Iran, and the Taliban. No one expected any party to pay, but since Afghanistan had $7 billion in assets within the US, the court permitted it to be seized. This money was initially intended to support the families of 9/11 victims.

911

The government was quick to seize and redistribute Russian assets, but the last administration was hesitant to seize assets from known enemies. The US government began freezing Russian assets in February 2022, which is also when Biden decided to unfreeze $7 billion in assets from Afghanistan. Biden signed an executive order that determined the $7 billion would be placed in a trust fund—half would be sent to families of victims, while the other half would be used for humanitarian aid for Afghans.

A day later, the Biden Administration decided that the 9/11 families did not deserve the payout and sent it back into the court system. He did, however, ensure that the other $3.5 billion was sent to Afghanistan. Former Secretary of State Blinken, a notorious neocon, feigned concern for the families while saying that the victims “should have a full opportunity to set forth their arguments in court.” He later announced that seizing funds from the central bank would harm US interests in the Middle East.

Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn ruled against the 9/11 families. Netburn ruled that the Afghanistan bank (Da Afghanistan Bank, DAB) had “sovereign immunity” as the nation was not sanctioned; only the Taliban, who happened to be ruling the nation, were sanctioned. Biden declined to declare Afghanistan a state sponsor of terrorism, providing them with immunity.

“Absent action by us, these funds were likely to be tied up in courts for years, while the action we have taken stands the best chance of more quickly freeing up a large portion for humanitarian support,” a White House official said after “activists” complained that it was unjust to seize funds. Former Treasury Secretary Yellen approved of sending aid to Afghanistan through the United Nations.

The investigation into USAID found billions funneled to terrorist organizations like the Taliban through the UN and NGOs. Biden was the only president to decline an invitation to the annual 9/11 memorial. Biden’s incompetence left 10,000 Americans behind. Few know that he authorized frozen funds to be redistributed back to Afghanistan while it was under the control of a terrorist organization.

I met with the Afghan government on neutral ground in Thailand many years ago. I was invited to give lectures there, but just never found the time to make that trip. As I have said before, most governments have heard of Socrates. After all, it has been putting out economic and geopolitical forecasts since 1977. From my discussions with them in Thailand, what I can say is that the Taliban are largely self-funded, yet have been warmly protected by Pakistan, which is the ONLY nuclear nation in that region. Pakistan has supported the Taliban, not for religious agreement, but because of their enemy, the Afghans, who were friends with Pakistan’s enemy, India. In that sense, there is a deep-seated religious conflict that goes back to the creation of Pakistan in 1947. China supports Pakistan and has announced it will continue to support Pakistan during its battle with India.

The peak in our model on the region took place in 2019 when any hope of some sort of peace treaty with the Taliban collapsed. Military operations between Afghan and US government forces and the Taliban then intensified in 2019, resulting in more than 8,000 civilian casualties. That was precisely on target, being 72 years from 1947, which was the real period of the rise in militant Islam. A standard 2-year reaction was in play, which has brought us to this point in 2021. But this is the start of a 13-year cycle of rising tensions, which will also peak in 2032.

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