Crypto / Economics / Finance
Cluster: Blockchain & Cryptocurrency: a wiki on all things crypto
Shelling Out: The Origins of Money : foundational context for everyone.
Why Decentralization Matters: why the world needs decentralized systems
Crowds, Power, and Bitcoin: the need for crowd mentality in consensus, and the weakness of POS
The Meaning of Decentralization: making decentralization concrete, contrasting to other tangential building blocks like distributed systems
The Long Game in Crypto: Why Decentralization Matters: an argument for where decentralization cannot be compromised.
Why Decentralization Matters: A Response: a thoughtful, pragmatic response to a strong decentralization thesis (see above)
Quantifying Decentralization: Identifies the components of a decentralized system and introduces a novel way to quantify each.
Crypto Tokens: A Breakthrough in Open Network Design: a thoughtful look at the impact in consumer tech.
Smart Contracts: Building Blocks for Digital Markets: some of the earliest work on smart contracts
The Idea of Smart Contracts: more early work on smart contracts.
Past, Present, Future: cryptonetworks and cooperatives
State Channels for Dummies: five part series on state channels
On Radical Markets: Vitalik’s take on the book Radical Markets (also featured in the book section)
Some Simple Economics of the Blockchain: a thoughtful and clear articulation of the unique economic properties of a crypto-economy
Liberation Through Radical Decentralization: thoughtful piece on the upending of established systems.
Cryptocurrency 101: long read but touches on all the basics.
Making Sense of Web 3: a succinct overview of the components and impact of Web 3.0
Understanding Web 3 — A User Controlled Internet: a good primer on Web 3.0
The Web3 Stack: a good visual on the Web 3.0 ecosystem
Making Sense of Ethereum’s Layer 2 Scaling Solutions: systematic view of the layer 2 design space
Understanding Blockchain Fundamentals, Part 1: Byzantine Fault Tolerance: quick primer on the game theory that underpins Nakamoto Consensus.
Understanding Blockchain Fundamentals, Part 2: Proof of Work & Proof of Stake: unpacking PoW and PoS
Understanding Blockchain Fundamentals, Part 3: Delegated Proof of Stake: unpacking more pragmatic consensus mechanisms.
Framework for Securities Regulation of Cryptocurrencies: a good view of the legal components that need to be considered, as well as a practical recommendation.
Fat Protocols: a seminal post about the value accretion in crypto networks
Blockchain Moats: a thoughtful piece on how open protocols create defensibility
Fat protocols are not an investment thesis: a response to the market taking Fat Protocols and broadly applying it, without internalizing it.
Aggregation Theory, Thin Protocols, and Recentralization: Augur Edition: an argument for thin protocols
On Medium-of-Exchange Token Valuations: economic vulnerabilities for the assets sitting on top of base level protocols.
New models for utility tokens: unpacking the design for distribution in different token economies
On Labels: A Critical Look at Blockchain Discourse: a sober view of the tribalism in the blockchain ecosystem
Thoughts on tokens: applications of tokens in existing paradigms.
100 Trillion: a strong thesis on why crypto can (and may) dominate the global financial system
Crypto Commons: crypto’s role in democratizing innovation and the shared value creation.
Blockchains and the Opportunity of the Commons: how blockchains and crypto-networks are unlocking the opportunity for everyone to create and capture value
Introduction to Blockchain through Cryptoeconomics — Part 1: Bitcoin: the economics that underpin crypto networks
Introduction to Blockchain through Cryptoeconomics, Part 2: Proof of Work and Nakamoto Consensus: how tokens incentivize the base level of networks
Economics back into Cryptoeconomics: a thoughtful dissection of the key economic pillars in token economies
Making Sense of Cryptoeconomics: a good overview on the economic drivers in crypto
The Network Effects of Store of Value: how scaling networks is the precursor to where value will accrue
Token Network Effects: how shared incentives in token economies create leverage for network effects
Notes on Blockchain Governance: base level considerations for the governance structures in crypto ecosystems
Governance, Part 2: Plutocracy Is Still Bad: identifying risk vectors in governance structures
Blockchain Governance: Programming Our Future: thoughts on how to program scalable governance in to decentralized systems
Cryptoasset Valuations: a thesis on valuing tokens
How Does Ethereum Work, Anyways?: unpacking Ethereum
Fundamental Challenges with Public Blockchains: identifying the roadblocks and tradeoffs inherent in network design
Scalability Tradeoffs: Why “The Ethereum Killer” Hasn’t Arrived Yet: a summary of the tradeoffs in decentralized networks
Good artists copy. Great artists steal.: open source creates innovation but also breads new forms of competition. Why tradeoffs is where we are competing.
Decentralized Identity Trilemma: a succinct overview of the tradeoffs in self sovereign identity
UniqueID: Decentralized Proof-of-Unique-Human: a deep look at a novel implementation of decentralized identity
Minimum viable decentralization: some thoughts on what is the requisite level of decentralization, and where that can be achieved/compromised
What is Money Transmission and Why Does it Matter?: important reading for anyone building in or around token networks
The Bank Secrecy Act, Cryptocurrencies, and New Tokens: What is Known and What Remains Ambiguous: how existing regulation may apply to future innovation
A Note on Metcalfe’s Law, Externalities and Ecosystem Splits: things to consider as networks scale
Why Decentralized Exchange Protocols Matter: an important take on the importance of DEXs
A Primer on Mining 2.0: a good summary of the form and function of mining
Edward Snowden Explains Blockchain: a good dialogue to give a foundational overview of blockchain
Fabric VC: State of the token market – 2017: good overview of what happened in 2017 (worth reading at any time as 2017 is the year everything took off)
Fabric VC: State of the token market – 2018: a follow-up to 2017, things are *starting* to mature.
Startups
Invisible Asymptotes: how the biggest winners face systemic challenges
Status as a Service: an excellent thesis on status as currency
Divine Disconnect: Disruption’s Antidote: good supplement to the above
Better Meetings: simple, intuitive notes on meetings
Suhail Doshi: raising money
What’s the FIRST thing you need to do before fund raising? — “Measure Twice, Cut Once”: how to approach a fundraise
Building VC Relationships: how to cultivate the right relationships with the right investors
How to Improve Your Odds of Getting to Yes with a VC — “Land and Expand”: how to leverage momentum in the fundraising stage
There are no Shortcuts: Why Showing up In Person is Everything: how to keep tension in the fundraising process
Why Confidence is So Important in Fund Raising: there’s more to a fundraise than data and demos
How Much Should You Raise in Your VC Round? And What is a VC Looking at in Your Model?: how to get the numbers right and know what you’re talking about
How to Talk About Valuation When a VC Asks: important notes on how to approach any discussion on valuation
Investor Update Emails: the best way to keep investors in the loop without inundating them
Memos: An index of impactful internal memos from historic brands
The Heartbeat: the importance of consistent momentum in any company
Bad Advice: there’s more bad advice than good advice, it’s important to know which is which
What Are Network Effects: a simple summary of network effects
The Network Effects Bible: a very actionable set of principles for evaluating businesses with network effect
The Network Effects Manual: 13 network effects and how to leverage them
Two Powerful Mental Models: Network Effects and Critical Mass: how we should be thinking about applying network effects
Three Types of Platform Businesses: a taxonomy of the platform business models
Platform-Mediated Networks: Definitions and Core Concepts: how platforms and distribution impact the scale of a network
How to Win as a Second Mover: older post but always relevant
Personal Growth
Feeling Good: Justin’s Program: simple guide to living well
Why Everyone Should Write: thoughtful insights on the process of writing
How to be Successful: its not a silver bullet (as the title suggests) but its pretty darn good
Productivity: super useful playbook on productivity from Sam Altman
Guide to Personal Productivity: Marc Andreessen sharing wisdom
How to Plan Your Ideal Year: a simple guide to personal goal setting.
Personal Dashboard: a simple productivity tool
Tanner Philp 