Tag: zero sum game

Cover artwork (cover.png) for the article titled The Shadow Engine of Markets: Understanding Derivatives, Perpetuals, Futures, and Options.

The Shadow Engine of Markets: Understanding Derivatives, Perpetuals, Futures, and Options

Derivatives are not mere side bets. They are the shadow engine of markets — the hidden machinery of futures, perps, options, and ETFs that reshapes liquidity, andlifies risk, and choreographs price itself. To read markets well is to see beyond candles and charts, and to listen for the gears turning beneath them.

12 min read
Cover artwork (cover.png) for the article titled The Invisible Balance: Understanding Pareto Efficiency, Markets, and the Zero-Sum Game.

The Invisible Balance: Understanding Pareto Efficiency, Markets, and the Zero-Sum Game

In markets, the 80/20 rule is more than a cliché—it’s the operating system. Pareto efficiency ensures that once an edge becomes visible, it disappears. The zero-sum nature of trading means every gain is another’s loss. To survive, it’s not enough to know the truth—you must anticipate what others will believe next, and act before they do.

9 min read
Cover artwork (cover.png) for the article titled Why Most Must Lose: The Market and the Pareto Trap.

Why Most Must Lose: The Market and the Pareto Trap

Most traders enter the market chasing fairness and opportunity—but beneath the surface lies a harsh statistical truth: the structure itself demands imbalance. This blog post explores how the Pareto Principle shapes market outcomes, revealing why consistent winners are few, and why most must inevitably lose.

6 min read
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