From Web2 to Web3
After obtaining my master's degree in Hong Kong, I joined a leading domestic internet giant as a product manager. User research, product UI/UX, and communication with developers became the main melody of my life. At that time, the dividends of the Web2 industry had almost disappeared. I was thinking about future technological growth points and where the next technology that could change our lives would be. My good friend, Jolly, who later turned out to be a benefactor in my life, was an investment manager at a VC. During an afternoon tea, she mentioned that she was looking at Web3 projects. Due to my sensitivity as a Web2 product manager (along with my love for exploring new things), I entered the Web3 rabbit hole after registering on Binance and using the Metamask wallet for the first time.
Crazy $BNB
$BNB is an asset that every Binance user cannot avoid. Binance was the first exchange I registered with and is the one I currently use the most. I am not a fan of gambling, so leveraged trading and high-multiple contracts on Binance do not attract me; however, I do enjoy the business of casinos. After carefully reviewing all the information about $BNB, I found that $BNB is just the best investment, right? To this day, $BNB still occupies a considerable proportion of my holdings. Those who hold it know that every time Launchpool is launched, it feels amazing, and it has always been praised as the “golden shovel.”
However, a big tree attracts the wind. Since 2021, regulatory authorities in multiple countries have raised allegations against Binance's operations in their jurisdictions. I have been a long-time user of Binance, and from many details, it is evident that Binance is a user-centric centralized exchange that excels in user experience, product design/interactivity, financial and trading product innovation, and most importantly, empowering $BNB holders, making it the best among all CEXs. However, investment is something that requires absolute calmness. My benefactor friend Jolly once joked that you shouldn't fall in love with any investment asset; you must be as cold-blooded as a scumbag in investing. Although $BNB has given me the best returns since I entered the financial Web3 rabbit hole (even better than my pancake holdings), I am still considering what better assets could help me avoid short-term risks.
The next golden shovel: $CKB
On June 5, 2023, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed 13 charges against Binance and Zhao Changpeng (Thank God, CZ has already returned to Dubai this month; seeing this man feels very reassuring). I reluctantly sold 1/3 of my $BNB holdings, looking for the next golden shovel like $BNB.
In the summer of 2023, it was the era when the BTC ecosystem was about to experience a massive explosion of species, and the whole track was as hot as the midday summer sun. My benefactor friend gave me another wealth code: $CKB .
In line with the principle of 'don’t invest without understanding,' all my investments must be thoroughly prepared before investing. Only when I understand what kind of coin I hold, the project's business model, token economics, chip structure, etc., will I invest my real money. Thus, I brought out the enthusiasm I had when I first entered Web3 and conducted in-depth research on this BTC ecosystem, especially Nervos Network ($CKB).
There is an abundance of research content about Nervos Network ($CKB) and its ecosystem projects, so I won't repeat it here (interested friends can DM me or post in the comments). Here, a simple comparison between $CKB and Bitcoin can show the value of $CKB:
There are still many advantages of the $CKB model, which I won't list one by one here. Just from the perspective of $CKB's value capture mechanism, isn't this a golden shovel that can forever collect rent like core real estate in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen?! After studying it obsessively for two weeks, in July 2023, I purchased $CKB at a price of $0.002-$0.003. My understanding of its business model, technological barriers, token economics/token capture mechanism allowed me to confidently hold $CKB at the bottom. There was also a funny story in between; to better understand the $CKB development team, I watched interviews with its founder Jan and co-founder Cipher online and even booked a flight to attend a conference in Hong Kong just to have a few words about the future plans of $CKB with Cipher.
$CKB became the first tenfold coin
After buying $CKB in July, its price lingered at the bottom for a long time. Starting from the beginning of this year, with the explosive growth of the Nervos ecosystem, the price of $CKB rose alongside it, breaking $0.023 in March (2024) and $0.031 in April! The $CKB I heavily invested in became the first tenfold coin in my crypto investments, taking 7 months!
A tenfold return may not seem worth mentioning in the myth of getting rich quickly in the coin circle, but doing sufficient research and investing with certainty still brought me a great sense of achievement. This investment (which is quite good) has provided me with some insights, which I share with everyone:
1. Emphasize fundamentals. As mentioned earlier, 'don’t invest without understanding,' before investing, we must first understand what? I will go through the project's white paper, Twitter, Discord, and relevant research reports. I must at least understand its business model, technological barriers, token economics, chip structure, and other fundamental information before considering it for my investment observation list.
2. Pay attention to new technologies and new trends. Although Nervos is a team that started its business in 2017 and issued tokens in 2019, the project cannot be considered 'new'; however, its explosion occurred within a new trend: the BTC ecosystem building that started in early 2023. The birth of new technologies will bring about changes in the supply-demand relationship, while new trends will lead to new applications of existing (barrier-protected) technologies. All emerging trends are worth paying attention to.
3. Believe in the power of time. From lurking on $CKB to achieving tenfold returns, I spent a total of 7 months. If you have done enough research, you must trust your judgment and vision, leaving the rest to time, allowing the power of time to bring returns to your investment.
4. Open your mind and open information sources. Internally, the Web3 industry is one that constantly destroys old thinking and shapes new thinking. Being in the crypto industry, you must be open-minded and not be constrained by any old thinking patterns. Externally, you must open information sources, just as my wealth code comes from daily communication. Sometimes, this exchange of opening information gives you an opportunity for a wealth myth (the premise is still the first point, emphasizing fundamental research).
While seriously coding, Bitcoin had already hit at least 5 new highs in one week. Web3 is so interesting; being in it feels like a thrilling and rewarding adventure. The path of the rabbit hole still lies ahead, The World is your oyster, how are you going to open it?
#CKB助力比特币生态
