If the Basel Meetup were a band, it would’ve evolved from previously playing in half full small clubs to playing a sold out show in a medium sized concert venue yesterday. 
Thanks for coming everybody, was cool to hang out!
PS and big thank you to the lead singer organiser @NicoFireDoc !
Warm thanks to everyone who made yesterday’s 4th Basel 
FIRE-Meetup at KLARA 13 AG such an unforgettable experience! With a record-breaking 19 participants representing 11 different nationalities 
we absolutely smashed the attendance record! (Maybe even the one from my days organizing the Bern FIRE-Meetups ) … we even had to pull extra chairs and tables to accommodate the growing crowd—proof that FIRE is alive and thriving in Basel!
From the very moment the first of you arrived, the atmosphere was already warm and lively. It was great to reconnect with familiar faces (some I hadn’t seen in over a year!) and welcome so many newcomers—some traveling from Bern, Biel but also from as far as London, and even Toulouse in the south of France!
After a warm welcome and introductions, we split into two flexible groups to facilitate deeper discussions: one table focused on real estate while the other delved into stocks and ETFs, with our “tax experts” helping out on either side. As always, participants were encouraged to move around, mingle, and dive into a wide range of topics, all while enjoying some delicious food from the nearby food stands (the shrimp spring rolls with peanut sauce from Non Là were a hit! 
).
From the lucky fews who FIRE’d already, to young professionals just starting out on their FIRE-Journey; we had various professions ranging from big pharma executives, software engineers,medical doctor and data analysts to professional hockeyplayer and asset managers!
The topics discussed too, were as diverse as ever:
…All in all, whether it was hearing about the poignant testimony of one canton-crossing attendee whose overexposure to the Nasdaq 100 made Monday’s market “dip” particularly sobering, investing in niche assets, revealing the hidden secret of swiss money using AR, or hearing about hockey players turned landlords, the evening was full of entertaining surprises!
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the vibrant discussions, especially those who traveled long distances to join us. 
(Special shoutout to the attendee from Toulouse who sought tips on organizing his own FIRE meetups back home—proving that the spirit of financial independence is contagious!)
Until next time, stay on FIRE … but stay cool!
Cheers,
Nick
Hey Nico, it was wonderful once again!
Thanks for organizing and see you next time…
Hi there! Just came across this and would love to join the next! Look forward to another such meet-up
Hi everyone,
this is Mihai from Bern and I just noticed the Fire Meetup in Bern and from there was told about the one in Basel and how engaging it can be.
Would also like to learn more and take part in the next event (provided I’m around, my job sends me on customer visits outside the country at times).
Will keep monitoring the posts here and if later I get lucky with the WhatsApp group then all the better.
Thank you!
Hey everyone,
You guys know the drill by now, here’s the Doodle for the 
th Basel FIRE-Meetup.
Please fill all the dates that can work for you
Cheers
Nick
Aand we’re booked! See you all on Wednesday, April 9th, 2025 at 6:00 PM in KLARA 13 AG, for the 
th Basel FIRE-Meetup, our spot will be slightly more in the back as last time 
Cheers
Nick
Hello, I’am new here, and just saw the post. Can I also join you on Wednesday?
Do you mainly speak English or German (my English is not very good 
)?
Hey Muespi, of course you can join! 
We mainly speak english, but when we form smaller discussion groups you’re free to switch to german if your interlocutors are also german-speakers
See you guys tomorrow @6pm!
Remember: we’ll be in the “Séparée” part of Klara this time.
As always, don’t forget to bring your appetite !
A big thank you 
to everyone who showed up for the 5th Edition of the Basel FIRE-Meetup last night !
Despite several last-minute cancellations, we ended up being a solid 12 attendees — with a lively mix of newcomers and returning faces, and once again a nice international blend! 
Instead of our usual spot, we were placed in the slightly elevated room next to the “Séparée”… which turned out to be quieter and more intimate than expected — a good surprise! Thanks to Daphne from NY for suggesting the idea on the whatsapp group!
After the usual round of introductions, the conversations quickly found their firey flow. As always, we covered a broad range of topics — from personal journeys and career shifts, to FIRE-plan recalibrations in light of today’s market uncertainties and geopolitical messes. There was a lot of discussion around cantonal tax differences, real estate strategies (CH, France, HK, UK), and the many creative ways to make use of geo-arbitrage. Also some fun exchanges comparing the FIRE mindset in Europe vs. New York and the US in general.. among many, many more topics! The quite well-known Roman Welzk temporarily took Matthias Richter’s spot as our “VIP” guest of the event and shared his own journey from humble beginnings in Brandenburg to successful investor and close to reaching his FIRE-Number.
New faces brought fresh perspectives, and there was a nice balance between asking questions and sharing experience. The energy stayed high throughout, and the table setup allowed for good movement and spontaneous side chats
Thanks to all of you who came out — and to those who traveled in from faar beyond Basel. Looking forward to seeing you again next time!
Stay on FIRE … but stay cool.
Cheers,
Nick
I’m looking forward to the next meet-up!
What was the conclusion on the differences between US and Europe?
It’s been a fews days now but iirc it was basically that there’s the usual stereotype that Americans are high earners but also big spenders (living paycheck to paycheck, racking up credit card debt, chasing status through consumption, more or less consciously trapped in a cycle of credit-driven consumerism and short-term thinking and especially not thinking too far ahead financially…). But Daphne from NYC had a more nuanced take and said that many of her peers in New York are actually quite financially literate , well-versed in the stock market, their 401ks, Roth IRAs etc , and various investment vehicles. The point that was made was that there are really multiple Americas: highly educated metropolitan hubs like New York, Boston and the like, which can be somewhat of a bubble, and the rest of the country, where the above stereotype might still hold more true.
On the flip side, on our side of the pond, despite having a reputation for being more long-term and security-minded, Europeans might not be as financially proactive (also for cultural reasons) and tend to rely heavily on state pension systems and don’t always feel the need to engage deeply with personal finance or investing in the same way many ( mostly educated,sure) Americans do.
It makes sense as the US offer great retirement products too. You have the 401k and Roth which are tax-advantaged and also give you good market exposure.
In Switzerland we have very poor Pillar 2 options (typically with only 1-2% growth) and 3a options were also poor until the arrival of VIAC.
The good thing is that we have no capital gains, so less need for the tax-advantaged options.
