MarketsOpinion
|4 min ReadThe Death of Easy 100x Gains
Jax Morales
Senior Analyst
Published
Jan 16, 2026
Honestly, I’m not exactly sure when things changed. It might have been gradual, or maybe it all happened suddenly. Perhaps the Solana memecoin craze played a part, but I can't pinpoint the exact moment. What I do know is that somewhere along the way, the market became more aware, sharper, and—frankly—more efficient.
Not in an academic sense, but in the crypto Twitter (CT) sense—efficiency in the way retail refuses to be exit liquidity for others.
The Closing Information Gap
The information gap has closed significantly, thanks to better tools and information. A few years ago, you could launch the most predatory tokenomics and CT would still ape in without asking questions. The mantra back then was “ape now, ask questions later.” But today? The average CT user wants to check everything. A quick scroll on CryptoRank and you can see the project's tokenomics and unlock schedule. You immediately realize why a project is being shilled—there’s a massive unlock in 48 hours.
High FDV (Fully Diluted Valuation) launches? We've all seen how the prices crash post-TGE (Token Generation Event). Now, people know the pattern and exit quickly, understanding they’ll get burned if they hold for too long on something that's already priced in from day one.
Attention Shifts at Lightning Speed
The pace at which attention shifts is insane. You only need to open CT on any random day to see how fast people move from one project to another after a TGE. Bad launches are punished and forgotten almost immediately, and people move on to the next shiny thing. This rapid shift is probably not all positive because it creates a notion that TGE is the “final day” for a project.
Retail Is Becoming Smarter
Having an audience has shown me just how smart retail is becoming. I spend a lot of time listening on X (formerly Twitter), scrolling through comments to gauge people’s reactions. Beyond the information overload, the sophistication is clear. People aren't just tracking wallets anymore; they track influencers and KOLs. You’ll see things like, “Don’t buy what this guy shills, he’s a friend of XYZ.”
Retail has learned how to track wallets, tokenomics, influencers, and sense the grift from miles away. It’s incredible how much more informed and discerning the average retail investor has become.
The Downside of Efficiency?
Now, is there a downside to all this efficiency? Let’s explore.
Efficiency kills the upside. When everyone is informed, the ignorance premiums disappear. No one wants to hold for long anymore, fearing they'll be the exit liquidity. People don’t mind selling early—profit is profit. While that’s true, I can’t help but miss the days when the market was a bit more ignorant, and 100x plays were a dime a dozen.
Sure, efficiency makes it harder to find those 10x opportunities, but overall, it’s a good thing. It punishes bad actors. You can't just roll up with predatory tokenomics or shill trash and expect retail to be your exit liquidity anymore. People are calling out bad influencers and projects—just look at how certain figures have been roasted for their involvement in shady deals.
The Upside of Efficiency
The upside is real. Efficiency forces everyone to level up. The projects that will ultimately succeed are the ones that are building something real, something sustainable. Hyperliquid is a prime example of this shift.
I’m all for it. And I think it's here to stay. You either adapt to this new reality or get left behind. This applies to both projects and retail investors.
Have a fun week ahead!
Disclaimer: This document is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views expressed in this document are not, and should not be taken as, investment advice or recommendations. Recipients should do their own due diligence, taking into account their specific financial circumstances, investment objectives and risk tolerance, which are not considered here, before investing. This document is not an offer, or the solicitation of an offer, to buy or sell any of the assets mentioned.