Article contributed by Jacob Van
Follow him on Medium and Twitter
Are you looking to build a six-figure crypto portfolio through DeFi but not sure where to start?
This guide will provide you with every tool and resource you will need in order to be successful in the DeFi space.
Newsletters
What is better than receiving curated decentralized finance (DeFi) information and news straight to your inbox on a consistent basis?
I believe newsletters are the most underrated form of content in the crypto space.
Here are 5 DeFi newsletters that you should absolutely be subscribed to:
Delphi is an institutional-grade research firm dedicated to the emerging frontier of crypto and digital assets.
They offer a daily newsletter that breaks down their research and trending topics in the crypto space. The newsletter also covers NFTs and Bitcoin, but typically always includes DeFi content on a consistent basis.
2) Defiant News
The Defiant is a news source dedicated solely to covering all things DeFi. Their newsletter is a great news source to stay up to date on what is happening in the DeFi space.
BONUS: Check out The Defiant’s DeFi 101 page for dozens of guides on various DeFi topics.
Galaxy Digital is an investment-management firm that has expanded into the crypto space. Their newsletter is not published on a set schedule, but it tends to be incredibly in-depth.
Check out the Ready Layer One newsletter issue covering the Avalanche network.
Ansem (@blknoiz06 on Twitter) releases quarterly newsletter issues that are a must-read. Ansem is a crypto investor who was incredibly early into projects such as DeFi Kingdoms. He has a great feel for where crypto markets are headed and useful insights on current market conditions. Check out his Quarter 1 2022 newsletter issue.
Knower of Markets (@knowerofmarkets on Twitter) is an anon (anonymous) account on Twitter which has amassed a strong following partly due to their phenomenal deep dives on DeFi topics.
KoM’s newsletters are a bit more advanced. They may take time and multiple reads to fully digest, but it is certainly worth subscribing to.
Twitter is the daily pulse of crypto. DeFi moves incredibly fast, and if you want to stay up to date on the latest trends, you need to be on Twitter.
But that doesn’t mean you need to subject yourself to the black hole of crappy content that makes up 95% of Twitter.
Follow these accounts and ignore the rest:
- @route2fi
- @thedefiedge
- @Darrenlautf
- @JackNiewold
- @Smallcapscience
- @blocmatesdotcom
- @gametheorizing
- @hasufl
- @0xSisyphus
Honestly, that is just the tip of the iceberg. There are too many great accounts to list.
You should follow this Twitter List that includes all of the accounts above as well as 40+ of the best DeFi accounts.
In case you are not familiar, a Twitter list is a curated group of accounts. You can follow the list above then pin it to your timeline.
This will give you a dedicated Twitter timeline consisting solely of DeFi content.
BONUS: If you are willing to spare a few bucks a month, Twitter Blue is an outstanding product to further streamline your Twitter experience.
The current features are limited, but my two favorite features are the ability to customize the bottom navigation bar as well as the ability to create bookmark folders.
This is what my Twitter home screen looks like:
My home screen with Twitter Blue
Notice at the bottom, I have the “lists” and “bookmarks” navigation buttons on my home screen.
This means they are only one click away. It makes it much faster and easier to find my lists and bookmarks.
Organize your bookmarks with Twitter Blue
I am also able to better organize my bookmarks by creating different folders.
These features are by no means groundbreaking.
However, if you are a productivity nerd like myself, the $2.99/month price tag of Twitter Blue is well worth it.
YouTube
In order to become a certified DeFi degen (degenerate), you need to attend YouTube University.
Similar to Twitter, 90% of videos on YouTube are not worth your time.
Here are the DeFi YouTubers you need to watch:
1) Taiki Madea
If you could only watch one DeFi YouTube channel, this is the one. Taiki is an outstanding critical thinker and has coined the investment philosophy and term “Humble DeFi Farmer”.
Whether the crypto market is up or down, Taiki provides actionable steps to become a profitable yield farmer in DeFi.
2) Justin Bram
Justin is a no-nonsense creator who breaks down complex topics such as the Curve Wars into easy-to-understand videos.
If you are looking for a breakdown on any DeFi protocol or subject, Justin has probably made a video on the topic.
3) danku_r
If you are looking for profitable investment strategies in the Terra Luna ecosystem, this is the channel for you.
Danku has some insane strategies to boost LUNA and UST rewards that you absolutely need to check out.
Drake is incredibly knowledgeable on all things DeFi as well as entertaining to watch.
He churns out new videos at an incredible rate so there is plenty of content available on his channel.
5) Thor Crypto
Thor is the man if you are looking for the best yield-farming opportunities across multiple ecosystems.
His videos are straight to the point, and he provides great tutorials on how to farm these various opportunities.
BONUS: Jacob Van
Check out my videos if you would like breakdowns on various DeFi opportunities across multiple blockchains, as well as in-depth tutorials on how to get started.
Here is my latest video on the current state of Fantom.
Is Fantom going to 0? Future of FTM explained.
Podcasts
If you are on the move, podcasts are a great way to continue learning about DeFi.
Here are my favorites:
Tools & Resources
If you want to be a successful DeFi degen, you need the right tools in your toolbox.
You should be using these resources on a consistent basis when making investment decisions.
1) CoinGecko
CoinGecko provides current prices and marketcaps on thousands of cryptocurrencies.
As a bonus, CoinGecko has two great eBooks titled “How To DeFi” Beginner and Advanced if you would like another educational resource.
CoinGecko home page
2) DeBank
DeBank is a protocol and wallet tracker across 19 different blockchains. It is a great tool to follow what other wallets are investing in, as well as a great way to track what protocols you are currently using.
Things can get pretty complicated when yield farming across multiple chains, and DeBank compiles all of the data and history into one place.
Wallet tracking on DeBank
3) CoinDIX
This is a newer tool that has made my life 100x easier. CoinDIX tracks over 10,000 DeFi vaults across 58 protocols and 26 chains to provide you with the best returns all in one place.
Check out my in-depth breakdown on CoinDIX here.
CoinDIX home page
4) DeFi Llama
DefiLlama is the largest Total Value Locked (TVL) aggregator for DeFi. It tracks over 800 DeFi protocols from over 80 different blockchains.
TVL is an essential metric to understand when investing in DeFi, and DeFi Llama is the place to find TVL for entire blockchains, as well as TVL for specific protocols on each chain.
Blockchain TVL dashboard on DeFi Llama
5) Uniwhales
Uniwhales is a great tool to quickly determine how much liquidity is entering and leaving a blockchain. It also includes a breakdown of the number of daily transactions happening on a specific chain.
Fantom Bridge tracker on Uniwhales
6) Dexscreener
DEX Screener provides real-time DEX trends, analytics, and charts.
If you can’t find the information on a small-cap coin using CoinGecko, head over to DEX Screener to search.
DEX Screener dashboard
7) Nansen (Paid)
Nansen is arguably the most powerful resource on this list. It is a blockchain analytics platform that combines on-chain data with a massive and constantly growing database containing millions of wallet labels.
This is not a required tool for DeFi beginners and it is quite expensive, but if you are looking to take the next step in your DeFi research, Nansen is a great resource to utilize.
Smart Money dashboard on Nansen
Final thoughts
You now have over 1000+ hours of research material available to become a knowledgeable DeFi investor.
You also now have the tools to grow your portfolio into the six-figure range.
It takes time to become a successful DeFi investor. Don’t rush the process.
Be consistent and great things will happen.
Article contributed by Jacob Van
