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I decided to fall down the DeFi rabbit hole this week, and so far I'm pretty excited about its impact on the future of market structure.
Below are my thoughts on a fascinating DeFi innovation - automated market makers:
Below are my thoughts on a fascinating DeFi innovation - automated market makers:
To understand DeFi market structure we first need context. Where are we now?
Today, *centralized* exchanges & market makers control custody, liquidity, and management of a market's order book matching buyers & sellers.
Today, *centralized* exchanges & market makers control custody, liquidity, and management of a market's order book matching buyers & sellers.
When we trade, we trust that these central parties will do their job - to provide us liquidity, safeguard our assets, and ensure we can access our money when we need to.
If you don't trust the centralized market owners, you don't participate.
If you don't trust the centralized market owners, you don't participate.
In exchange for this service, we traders pay transaction costs in the form of commissions, market data fees, clearing fees, and sometimes wide bid/ask spreads.
The central system profits mightily off these fees & controls most of its pricing.
The central system profits mightily off these fees & controls most of its pricing.
Sometimes centralized market structure breaks down.
The DTCC can slow down clearing of GameStop stock. Market makers can blow up when they implement buggy code. Exchanges can raise margin requirements & turn away customers.
The DTCC can slow down clearing of GameStop stock. Market makers can blow up when they implement buggy code. Exchanges can raise margin requirements & turn away customers.
In contrast, decentralized market structure performs similar tasks in a radically different way.
Instead of a central party controlling order matching & custody, THE BLOCKCHAIN controls it. Smart contracts allow traders to transfer ownership without giving up control.
Instead of a central party controlling order matching & custody, THE BLOCKCHAIN controls it. Smart contracts allow traders to transfer ownership without giving up control.
When you hear the word "Smart Contract", think souped up crypto code.
NFTs exist because of smart contracts - souped up crypto code can link ownership of something to a coin & allows that coin to be traded freely. Like a Michael Jordan GIF or an autographed tweet.
NFTs exist because of smart contracts - souped up crypto code can link ownership of something to a coin & allows that coin to be traded freely. Like a Michael Jordan GIF or an autographed tweet.
Here's where automated market makers come in.
AMMs are smart contracts that allow the formation of liquidity pools (LPs). Anyone can contribute coins to this LP and become their own market maker, and traders can access liquidity the LPs provide in return for a small fee.
AMMs are smart contracts that allow the formation of liquidity pools (LPs). Anyone can contribute coins to this LP and become their own market maker, and traders can access liquidity the LPs provide in return for a small fee.
AMMs are a radical concept - I think of it as YouTube for liquidity.
YouTube democratized video content - ANYONE can upload a video & be seen by the world.
AMMs democratize liquidity provision - ANYONE can contribute to an LP and grease the wheels of market structure.
YouTube democratized video content - ANYONE can upload a video & be seen by the world.
AMMs democratize liquidity provision - ANYONE can contribute to an LP and grease the wheels of market structure.
The #1 decentralized exchange using an AMM protocol is Uniswap - if you haven't heard of Uniswap yet, this is your much needed intro.
Uniswap's volume rivals Coinbase, and it's all executed using decentralized AMMs. Uniswap's LPs are growing exponentially:
Uniswap's volume rivals Coinbase, and it's all executed using decentralized AMMs. Uniswap's LPs are growing exponentially:
AMM development is still very much in early stages but is already seeing massive levels of adoption, in spite of high gas fees & minimal non-crypto use cases. Adoption is only expected to grow as the concept is improved.
I found this presentation by @karl_dot_tech very helpful in understanding the nuts & bolts of AMMs - I recommend checking it out:
I'm spending this week digging into Uniswap & understanding its impact on market structure of the future.
I'll be writing about DeFi & AMMs in an upcoming newsletter post - subscribe below so you don't miss it: https://frontmonth.substack.com/
I'll be writing about DeFi & AMMs in an upcoming newsletter post - subscribe below so you don't miss it: https://frontmonth.substack.com/
