Musings on Technology
A personal collection of notes, reflections, and essays on technology, finance, and building — written over the years as I made sense of the ideas shaping our industry.
China Bans Crypto Again — And This Time It Sticks
China has escalated its crackdown on cryptocurrency mining and trading. This time the enforcement is real — miners are shutting down, exchanges are exiting, and the hash rate is collapsing. The short-term impact is severe. The long-term impact may be positive.
Bitcoin at $64,000 and the Danger of Euphoria
Bitcoin hit a new all-time high of $64,000. The institutional thesis is playing out. But euphoria is creeping in — leveraged positions are at record highs, altcoin speculation is rampant, and the market is beginning to feel like late 2017. History suggests caution.
Coinbase Goes Public — Crypto Meets Wall Street
Coinbase's direct listing on NASDAQ at a $86 billion valuation is a landmark moment. The largest US crypto exchange is now a public company, subject to SEC reporting, institutional scrutiny, and the discipline of public markets. Crypto has arrived on Wall Street.
The Alt-L1 Thesis: Solana, Avalanche, and the Multichain Future
Alternative Layer 1 blockchains are gaining real traction — not just in token price, but in users, developers, and TVL. The question is whether they represent a permanent multichain future or a temporary refuge from Ethereum's fee crisis.
Layer 2 Rollups Are Ethereum's Real Scaling Answer
Optimistic rollups and ZK-rollups are going live on Ethereum. They offer 10-100x throughput improvements while inheriting Ethereum's security. After years of scaling debates, the practical answer is here — and it is not a new Layer 1.
I Got Access to OpenAI's Private Beta — Everything Is About to Change
Last week I received an email invitation to OpenAI's private beta. After spending hours in the Playground with GPT-3, I am convinced that this technology will be as transformative as the internet itself. The implications for finance, software, and every knowledge-intensive industry are staggering.
The NFT Explosion: Digital Scarcity Goes Mainstream
Beeple sold a digital artwork for $69 million at Christie's. NBA Top Shot is doing millions in daily volume. The NFT market has exploded from niche experiment to mainstream phenomenon in weeks. The technology is real. The valuations are another question entirely.
Tesla Buys Bitcoin — The Overton Window Shifts
Tesla disclosed a $1.5 billion Bitcoin purchase in its SEC filing. When the world's most valuable automaker — led by the world's richest person — allocates to Bitcoin, the conversation about corporate treasury management changes permanently.
Bitcoin Breaks $40,000 — The Institutional Wave Is Real
Bitcoin surged past $40,000 in the first week of 2021. The rally is being driven by institutional buyers — Grayscale, MicroStrategy, and a growing list of corporate and fund allocators. The institutional wave that was predicted for years is now undeniably here.