Hey, I’m Michal. I run Empirica, a crypto market-making company. Twenty years of building trading software including two cycles in crypto, taught me a lot. Here, I share data-driven insights on markets, lessons from building a company, and books that have shaped my thinking. Subscribe to my newsletter if you want to join me on this journey. Cheers.
The Binance Effect: A 7-Year Analysis For Token Founders
In crypto, some things are taken for granted. One is the belief that getting listed on Binance is a major positive milestone in a token’s journey. The logic seems straightforward: the biggest exchange means access to more investors, which should translate into higher market capitalization — the Binance Effect. Based on this assumption, token projects are ready to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in listing fees.
But do we really understand how the listing on Binance affects token value? Does prestige translate to token capitalization? We analyzed every listing since the exchange’s inception in 2017 to answer this question with data rather than assumptions.
Can the Crypto Industry Overcome Its Wash Trading Addiction?
Wash trading isn’t just a peripheral problem in crypto markets; it’s become the norm. This practice, where tokens are bought and sold by the same entity to create an illusion of market activity, has evolved from a niche tactic to a standard business model for many companies in the crypto space: tokens, market makers, and exchanges. Read the article to learn more.
Do Your Thing. Do It for Decades.
I’ve always been intrigued by people who believe in conspiracy theories. Interestingly, it rarely stops at just one theory. These folks often surprise you with a whole set of incredible beliefs. Over time, I noticed a pattern.
This pattern becomes clear when we ask: why don’t these people see how bizarre their views are? The answer is simple – they acquired these beliefs gradually.
Why Programmers Hate Meetings?
Beneath the surface of the tech sector, a hidden struggle persists. On one side, we have a culture of frequent meetings, a core element of agile methodologies. On the other, there is a need for deep focus. Caught in the crossfire are the creators – programmers, designers, analysts – who need long periods of uninterrupted concentration to do their best work.