179: Going all in—the fixed income trader early to Bitcoin; Mike Komaransky

For many, this will likely be the first time hearing about Mike Komaransky, but those who know him already, know him as a Bitcoin OG—and deservedly so, as he began accumulating the cryptocurrency around 2010.

Though Mike has been a professional trader of fixed income derivatives since 2001, when he joined powerhouse trading firm DRW. Mike later became a partner at DRW, and in 2014 he launched its cryptocurrency trading business Cumberland—which grew to become one of the world’s largest market makers.

After leaving the company in 2017 and a hiatus from active trading, Mike has returned as the founder and head of Grapefruit Trading.

Over the course of our conversation, we chat about; Mike’s distinguished trading career, the strange ways that he bought Bitcoin in the past (when it was far less accessible), Cumberland’s participation in the auction of seized Bitcoin from the Silk Road bust, Mike’s disdain for technical analysis, and plenty more…

Mike Komaransky: Former partner of DRW Trading and head of Cumberland, founder of Grapefruit Trading and cryptocurrency investor.

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