Empire
January 31, 2025

Why DeepSeek Disrupted Markets & How Tokens Are The New GTM | Roundup

In this episode, Empire dives deep into the transformative impact of DeepSeek’s AI breakthroughs on the market and explores the emerging trend of tokenization as the new go-to-market strategy for businesses.

DeepSeek’s Market Disruption

  • "Nvidia sold off 17% and lost 500 or 600 billion in a single worst stock loss in history."
  • "DeepSeek's main achievement was engineering efficiency, achieving performance close to US models from six to ten months ago but at a much lower cost."
  • "This DeepSeek moment compressed the timeline for the market to start seeing the benefits of AI investments."
  • DeepSeek’s efficient AI models drastically reduced the need for expensive GPU infrastructure, triggering a massive sell-off in Nvidia’s stock.
  • The AI firm achieved comparable performance to leading US models but with significantly lower costs, highlighting a shift towards more cost-effective AI solutions.
  • This event accelerated the pressure on companies to demonstrate profitability from their AI investments sooner than expected.

Tokenization as a New GTM Strategy

  • "Everyone has been very receptive and they understand the mission, the vision, and the structure."
  • "Tech Founders like Web2 are using crypto as their go-to-market strategy."
  • "Dog coins lead to cat coins lead to celebrity coins lead to AI agent coins lead to Trump coin lead to actual companies launching tokens."
  • Traditional companies, including private equity firms, are increasingly adopting tokenization to differentiate themselves and tap into new liquidity pools.
  • Token launches are becoming a strategic tool for fundraising and customer engagement, mirroring trends seen in the rise of various meme and celebrity coins.
  • The integration of tokens into business models is seen as a way to leverage crypto’s liquidity and user base, potentially reshaping traditional market approaches.

Regulatory Shifts and Crypto Integration

  • "Banks are perfectly able to serve crypto customers. The Fed is not against crypto innovation."
  • "Greater regulatory apparatus around crypto would be helpful."
  • "Operation Choke Point is evolving towards integration rather than obstruction."
  • The Fed has signaled openness to banks serving crypto customers, easing previous regulatory pressures and fostering a more favorable environment for crypto innovation.
  • Enhanced regulatory frameworks are being discussed to better integrate crypto into the financial system, potentially increasing market stability.
  • This shift indicates a move towards embracing crypto rather than opposing it, encouraging more traditional financial institutions to incorporate crypto services.

Personal Investment Strategies Amid Market Shifts

  • "I sold all my meme coins, rotated back into more defensive assets like Solana, and moved into Stables."
  • "Using Phoenix notes to generate income by betting the stock doesn't drop below a certain threshold."
  • "Portfolio compartmentalization and diversification beyond high-risk crypto assets are key."
  • Investors are actively adjusting their crypto portfolios by shifting from high-risk assets like meme coins to more stable and income-generating instruments.
  • Strategies such as Phoenix notes offer ways to generate income while managing downside risks, highlighting the need for versatile investment approaches in volatile markets.
  • Emphasizing portfolio diversification provides investors with greater resilience against sudden market downturns.

Key Takeaways:

  • DeepSeek’s AI Efficiency: Demonstrates the potential for significant cost reductions in AI development, challenging existing hardware-dependent business models.
  • Tokenization as GTM: Traditional companies are rapidly adopting tokenization, which could redefine fundraising and customer engagement strategies.
  • Regulatory Clarity: Increased regulatory acceptance of crypto will likely accelerate its integration into mainstream financial services, creating new opportunities and reducing uncertainties for investors.

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