Bell Curve
January 31, 2025

DeepSeek’s Impact, the JellyJelly Launch, and Crypto Payments | Roundup

In this episode, Bell Curve delves into the transformative effects of DeepSeek’s AI advancements, the surprising launch of the Jelly meme coin, and the evolving landscape of crypto payments within traditional banking.

DeepSeek’s AI Model and Market Impact

  • “DeepSeek's ability to train models with fewer resources calls into question the high capital expectations previously held.”
  • “This indicates there are more efficient ways to train AI models, potentially democratizing access.”
  • “The revelation of DeepSeek caused a market panic, especially impacting Nvidia and broad AI-related stock valuations.”
  • DeepSeek, a Chinese open-source AI model, achieved competitive performance with significantly fewer training resources.
  • The market reacted with panic, leading to a notable sell-off in Nvidia and other AI-related stocks.
  • Demonstrates a shift towards more efficient AI training methods, lowering barriers to entry for new players.

Cryptocurrency Market Dynamics in Response to AI

  • “Crypto and AI together open new opportunities, especially for decentralized approaches to AI development.”
  • “The reduction in AI training costs makes experimentation in AI and crypto more viable and attractive for startups.”
  • “The synergy between AI advancements and crypto infrastructures could lead to innovative use cases and applications.”
  • Lower AI training costs enable the development of decentralized AI projects integrated with crypto.
  • Increased viability for startups to experiment at the intersection of AI and crypto.
  • Potential for innovative applications leveraging both AI advancements and blockchain technologies.

Launch of the Jelly Meme Coin

  • “Jelly, a new meme coin launched by Venmo’s founder, reached a $200 million market cap rapidly.”
  • “Jelly is an experiment in liquidity and value creation without inherent utility.”
  • “The emergence of Jelly underscores the ongoing experimentation with meme coins for publicity and liquidity.”
  • Jelly's rapid market cap growth highlights the speculative nature of meme coins.
  • Illustrates how established entrepreneurs are leveraging meme coins for publicity and liquidity.
  • Raises questions about the sustainability and utility of such tokens in the long term.

Crypto Venture Capital Trends and Fund Performance

  • “Crypto venture funds are experiencing significant dispersion, with top performers separating from underperformers.”
  • “The current market makes it harder to raise new venture funds, especially in crypto.”
  • “Fund managers are now focusing on top-performing strategies, leaving less room for new entrants.”
  • High dispersion among crypto venture funds emphasizes the importance of performance.
  • Challenges in raising new funds due to underperformance of past strong vintages.
  • Only top-performing funds continue to attract capital, creating barriers for new entrants.

Crypto Payments and Banking Integration

  • “Banks are now considering offering crypto-backed loans, leveraging their lower cost of capital.”
  • “Jerome Powell acknowledged that it's okay for banks to support crypto services publicly.”
  • “Institutional banks like JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs are preparing to integrate crypto into their services, such as loans against crypto assets.”
  • Traditional banks are increasingly integrating crypto services, signaling mainstream acceptance.
  • Positive regulatory signals under the current administration encourage more crypto-related banking products.
  • Crypto-backed loans could drive further adoption and stability within the crypto market through institutional involvement.

Key Takeaways:

  • Efficiency in AI Training: DeepSeek’s advancements demonstrate that AI models can be trained more cost-effectively, potentially democratizing access and fostering innovation.
  • Institutional Integration: Traditional banks are moving towards integrating crypto services, such as crypto-backed loans, which could enhance the stability and mainstream adoption of cryptocurrencies.
  • Speculative Opportunities: The rapid rise of meme coins like Jelly highlights both the speculative nature of certain crypto assets and the ongoing experimentation within the space, presenting both opportunities and risks for investors.

For further insights and detailed discussions, watch the full podcast: Link