Crypto Mastery Journey
Diagrams | Matrices | Thinkers
Crypto is the ultimate buidl your own adventure game. Better to be a pirate and chart your own course than hide away in the navy.
What is the critical path to onboard newcomers to the best possible crypto experience?
Follow the Flow from Fun to Fundamentals to grow with the Unixification of the Phygital World
Progression
Follow the flow of progress.
- Understand the Territory
- Get Onboard
- Developing Your Skills
- Buidl Your Own Adventure
Understand the Territory
Blockchain Foundations What Are Blockchains Used For?
- Mapping the new financial landscape: how blockchain creates transparency and efficiency
- Understanding the core value propositions: immutability, decentralization, and programmability
- Exploring practical applications beyond simple value transfer
DeFi Horizons Understanding DeFi
- Moving from traditional finance to open financial systems
- How DeFi removes gatekeepers while creating new opportunities
- The shift from permission-based to permissionless participation
Asset Classification The different instruments in your toolkit
- Currencies and payment tokens
- Utility tokens and their practical applications
- Security tokens and investment vehicles
- Governance tokens and decision-making power
- NFTs and unique digital ownership
Stability in Volatile Waters Stablecoins Explained
- Finding safe harbours during market turbulence
- Understanding the different stability mechanisms:
- Fiat-backed stablecoins: simplicity with centralization risk
- Crypto-collateralized stablecoins: decentralized but complex
- Commodity-backed stablecoins: tangible backing
- Algorithmic stablecoins: innovative but potentially fragile
Bridging Digital and Physical Real-World Assets (RWAs)
- How blockchain connects to traditional assets
- The efficiency gains of tokenizing real-world value
- Current limitations and future potential
Automated Exchange Mechanisms Automated Market Makers (AMMs)
- How markets function without order books
- The mathematics behind constant product formulas
- Understanding liquidity depth and price impact
Jump Onboard
Your Digital Passport Creating Your First Wallet
- Choosing the right wallet for your needs
- Understanding the tradeoffs between convenience and security
- Setting up your first connection to the blockchain world
Protecting Your Access Securing Your Seed Phrase
- Why your seed phrase is your most valuable possession
- Effective backup strategies that balance security and accessibility
- Common mistakes to avoid and their consequences
First Expedition Making Your First Transaction
- Sending your first on-chain transaction
- Understanding confirmation times and finality
- Learning to read blockchain explorers to verify your actions
Taking Control Transitioning to Self-Custody
- The shift from custodial services to self-sovereignty
- Balancing responsibility with freedom
- Building confidence through incremental exposure
Develop Your Talents
Exchange Navigation Swapping on DEXs
- Using decentralized exchanges effectively
- Understanding price impact and slippage
- Recognizing and avoiding common pitfalls
Capital Efficiency Lending and Borrowing
- Putting idle assets to work through lending
- Leveraging your position through responsible borrowing
- Evaluating platform risks versus rewards
Pooled Resources Liquidity Pools
- Contributing to market efficiency through liquidity provision
- Understanding the economics of liquidity mining
- Managing the risk of impermanent loss
Run Your Own Ship
Business Model Transformation Business Model Innovation
- Reimagining traditional business structures with blockchain efficiency
- Creating value through disintermediation and transparency
- Identifying opportunities in existing friction points
Community and Customer Connection Customer Engagement Strategies
- Building stronger relationships through shared ownership
- Creating alignment between business success and user success
- Designing token systems that reward participation and loyalty
Operational Excellence Operational Efficiency
- Streamlining business processes with smart contracts
- Reducing costs through automation and disintermediation
- Creating auditable, transparent operations
Navigating Uncertainty Regulatory Considerations
- Understanding the evolving regulatory landscape
- Building compliance into your business model
- Preparing for future regulatory developments
Learning from Pioneers Case Studies
- Analyzing successful crypto-native businesses
- Extracting principles that transcend specific applications
- Adapting proven strategies to your unique context
The Reward
What makes it all worthwhile?
It it the bonds you make over income you take.
- Effort vs Reward
- Obstacles to Overcome
- Managing Risks
Effort vs Reward
Early Stages (High Effort, Foundation Building)
- Learning curve is steepest at the beginning
- Initial rewards may seem small compared to effort
- Focus on knowledge acquisition and small wins
Middle Journey (Balanced Effort, Growing Returns)
- Skills begin to compound and reinforce each other
- Participation becomes more intuitive and less stressful
- Network effects of knowledge begin to accelerate progress
Advanced Stages (Strategic Effort, Exponential Potential)
- Ability to identify high-leverage opportunities
- Capacity to combine multiple protocols for unique solutions
- Potential to create rather than just participate
Obstacles to Overcome
Technical Barriers
- Challenge: Unfamiliar interfaces and terminology
- Solution: Guided practice sessions with immediate application
Security Concerns
- Challenge: Fear of making costly mistakes
- Solution: Progressive risk exposure with appropriate safeguards
Information Overload
- Challenge: Rapidly evolving ecosystem with too much to learn
- Solution: Focus on fundamentals that transfer across protocols
Market Volatility
- Challenge: Emotional reactions to price movements
- Solution: Emphasis on value creation rather than speculation
Managing Risks
Security Risks
- Self-custody responsibilities
- Smart contract vulnerabilities
- Phishing and social engineering attacks
- Mitigation strategies for each risk category
Financial Risks
- Market volatility management
- Liquidity considerations
- Diversification principles
- Position sizing and risk allocation
Operational Risks
- Technological dependencies
- Protocol governance changes
- Regulatory uncertainty
- Contingency planning approaches
Progress Scorecard
Why not codify the ultimate crypto onboarding journey onchain? Then match people at their Zone of Proximal Development and Location with incentive/rewards.
| Opportunity | Effort | Experience | Capital | RoI Potential | Scalability | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speculating | ||||||
| Play-to-Earn Games | Medium | Low | Low | Low to Moderate | Low | Moderate (game sustainability risks) |
| Investing | High | Medium | Medium | High | ||
| Staking | Low | Low | Medium (varies by token) | Moderate to High (3-20% APY) | High (passive income) | Low to Moderate (market volatility, lock-up risks) |
| Crypto Lending | Medium | Medium | Medium | Moderate to High | High | Moderate (borrower default risks) |
| Airdrop Farming | Low | Low | Low ($1+) | Moderate ($100-$300+) | Low (manual effort) | Low (time-intensive) |
| Affiliate Programs | Low | Medium | None | Low to Moderate | Moderate | Low |
| Yield Farming | Medium | Medium to High | Medium to High | High (20-50% APY+) | Moderate to High (requires monitoring) | High (impermanent loss, smart contract risks) |
| DeFAI Portfolio Manager | ||||||
| DePIN Nodes | Medium | Medium | Medium ($500-$1K for hardware) | Moderate to High | Moderate | Moderate (network adoption risks) |
| DAO Governance | Medium | Medium | Low | Moderate | Low | Moderate (competitive proposals) |
| Bounties/Services | Medium | Medium | None | Moderate | Low | Moderate (PVP competition for tasks) |
| Mining | High | High | Very High ($3K-$10K+) | Moderate to High (electricity vs coin value) | Low (hardware-dependent) | High (energy costs, hardware depreciation) |
| Trading/Arbitrage | Very High | Very High | Medium to High | Unpredictable | Low | Very High (market volatility, competition) |
| Product Development | Very High | Very High | Low | Very High | Very High | Moderate to Low (depends on execution quality) |
| Sniping Memecoins | ||||||
| DAO Contributions | ||||||
| Bitcoin Value Prediction | ||||||
| Dune Data Analysis |
- Low-Cost Opportunities:
- Airdrops and referral programs are beginner-friendly and require minimal investment but have limited scalability and inconsistent returns.
- Staking offers steady passive income with low effort, especially on platforms like Ethereum or Solana.
- High Reward Potential:
- Yield farming and crypto lending can generate significant returns but require careful risk management due to market volatility and smart contract vulnerabilities.
- App development provides the highest scalability and reward potential for skilled developers, especially in underserved blockchain ecosystems like Solana.
- Capital-Intensive Options:
- Mining requires substantial upfront investment in hardware and cheap electricity access. It is best suited for those with technical expertise and resources.
- DePIN networks like HiveMapper or Helium involve moderate capital investment in hardware but can yield consistent returns if the network grows.
- Effort-Intensive Methods:
- Trading/arbitrage demands high skill, constant monitoring, and significant capital. It is highly competitive and risky.
- DAO proposals and bounties/services require tailored skills or creativity but can build reputation and lead to long-term opportunities.
- Scalability Leaders: App development stands out for its scalability potential. Building decentralized applications or tools for existing protocols can yield exponential rewards if widely adopted.
- Risks: Many opportunities carry risks such as market volatility (staking, yield farming), technical failures (mining, DePIN networks), or competition (bounties, DAO proposals). Proper due diligence is critical.