CTO
CTO Realty Growth, Inc.
stock NYSE

Me and a brother. The story is that he got stuck in a hotel in China for work right at the start of COVID and lost a ton trading options (he has been very successful trading options at other times in his life). We started down the path of diving into algo trading. Spent about 4 years off on on trying different things, dabbling in pinescript, etc. We are both PhDs in engineering. I am a prof and he is the CTO of a small-ish materials startup.
He has far more trading experience and I have far more software experience. It has been a good partnership. Started live paper trading in Mar 2025, live real money trading in July 2025, and our current strategy has been largely untouched since Jan 2026, with one big-ish change in late April 2026.
From Jan to mid-March we were +15% and then had two catastrophic days that knocked us back to +4%. We fixed that understandable problem and did an April 21 restart and were up 13% before this latest two catastrophic trades dropped us back to +5%. So on the year we are still +9%, but it feels like we have left a TON on the table.

**Source:** [https://x.com/solana/status/2070780301123649762](https://x.com/solana/status/2070780301123649762)
https://preview.redd.it/ti134r4ltu9h1.png?width=680&format=png&auto=webp&s=6ccfc09ecd396693a945abecb3122a779de5c418
**Read:**
* CoinDesk: [ TradFi Fund Manager Baillie Gifford Introduces Solana, Ethereum Tokenized Fund with BNY](https://www.coindesk.com/business/2026/06/22/tradfi-fund-manager-baillie-gifford-introduces-solana-ethereum-tokenized-fund-with-bny)
* Sandmark: [Allfunds Brings Tokenized Funds to Solana](https://www.sandmark.com/news/top-news/allfunds-brings-tokenized-funds-solana)
* TheStreet: [MoneyGram joins Solana as validator to help run blockchain payment rails](https://www.thestreet.com/crypto/markets/moneygram-joins-solana-as-validator-to-help-run-blockchain-payment-rails)
* Fortune: [Index Ventures, Union Square Ventures back trading app Fomo at $550 million valuation ](https://fortune.com/2026/06/22/fomo-series-b-fundraise-index-ventures-union-square-ventures/)
* The Defiant: [ Baillie Gifford Launches UK-Regulated Tokenized Bond Fund on Solana and Ethereum with BNY](https://thedefiant.io/converge/tradfi-and-fintech/baillie-gifford-bagey-tokenized-bond-fund-solana-ethereum-bny)
* TheBlock: [South Korea's Toss Bank to test blockchain-based financial infrastructure on Solana ](https://www.theblock.co/post/405505/toss-solana-partnership)
* Stocktwits: [Why Backpack Tokenized Micron On Solana Before Earnings](https://stocktwits.com/news-articles/markets/cryptocurrency/why-backpack-tokenized-micron-on-solana-before-earnings/cZKMRO2R79b)
* TheStreet: [Micron shares come to Solana just in time for earnings ](https://www.thestreet.com/crypto/markets/micron-shares-come-to-solana-just-in-time-for-earnings)
* CoinDesk: [ MoneyGram Joins Solana as Validator Amid Stablecoin Payment Push](https://www.coindesk.com/business/2026/06/22/moneygram-joins-solana-as-validator-amid-stablecoin-payment-push)
* [Bitcoin.com](https://bitcoin.com/) News: [ Leading South Korean Bank Toss Taps Solana to Test Cross-Border Remittances for 15 Million Customers](https://news.bitcoin.com/toss-bank-solana-foundation-remittances-stablecoin/)
* BeInCrypto: [South Korea’s KG Group Picks Solana to Roll Out a Digital Asset Payments Push](https://beincrypto.com/south-korea-kg-group-solana-digital-asset-payments-network/)
* CryptoBriefing: [Kazakhstan's stock exchange launches Solana ETF for regulated SOL exposure in Central Asia](https://cryptobriefing.com/kazakhstan-kase-solana-etf-launch/)
* Solana Compass: [ Tokenized Assets Flip Memecoins in Solana Spot Volume as Daily Equity Trading Hits $644M All-Time High](https://solanacompass.com/news/tokenized-assets-flip-memecoins-in-solana-spot-volume-as-daily-equity-trading-hits-644m-all-time-high)
* Crypto Briefing: [ Solana's RWA Ecosystem Surpasses $3B in Total Value as Tokenized Assets Gain Momentum](https://cryptobriefing.com/solana-rwa-ecosystem-surpasses-3-billion/)
* CryptoSlate: [ Solana Hits $1B in Weekly Tokenized Stock Trading as Demand for Hard-to-Access Equities Surges](https://cryptoslate.com/solana-hits-1b-in-weekly-tokenized-stock-trading-as-demand-for-hard-to-access-equities-surge/)
* YahooFinance: [Wall Street, Solana, and Anthropic Bet on Micron—Then Earnings Crushed Expectations](https://finance.yahoo.com/technology/ai/articles/micron-smashes-estimates-says-ai-200836799.html)
* CryptoBriefing: [Sunrise launches tokenized SanDisk stock $SNDK on Solana](https://cryptobriefing.com/sunrise-tokenized-sandisk-sndk-solana/)
* SolanaFloor: [26 Solana Frontier Winners Revealed After Crypto’s Biggest Hackathon Ever](https://solanafloor.com/news/26-solana-frontier-winners-revealed)
**Watch:**
* Maya Caddle, Payments Lead, Solana Foundation on [Stabledash](https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1jxXggnYRRoJZ)
* Mert Mumtaz, CEO of Helius, on [MarketBubble](https://x.com/blknoiz06/status/2070244057398620257?s=46)
* Seraphim on Solana Floor’s [The Big Picture](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLKBGL0PelU&t=5s)
**Listen:**
* Malcolm Clarke from Western Union on Maya Caddle’s Mint Condition: [ Western Union's Bet on On-Chain Settlement](https://solana.com/podcasts/mint-condition/episodes/19387716-western-union-s-bet-on-on-chain-settlement)
* Ore on [Genfinity](https://x.com/Genfinity/status/2070177552769937595?s=20)
* Collector Crypt on [Genfinity](https://x.com/Genfinity/status/2069450711344046173)
* David Lachmish, co-founder of IKA & Encrypt, on [Solana is Global with Alex Scott](https://solana.com/podcasts/solana-is-global-with-alex-scott/episodes/revolutionizing-blockchain-with-advanced-cryptography-ika-encrypt-unveiled-e3l6335)
* Brian Aznar, CTO of Republic, on [The Stack with Ilan Gitter](https://solana.com/podcasts/the-stack-with-ilan-gitter/episodes/unlocking-private-markets-and-tokenization-with-brian-aznar-of-republic-e3l7nqb)
* Henry McPhie, Co-Founder & CEO of Streamex, on [The Index](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrG02uN1hf0)

[GlobalFoundries CTO on Why the Company Abandoned the “Bleeding Edge” - IEEE Spectrum](https://spectrum.ieee.org/globalfoundries-cto-on-why-the-company-abandoned-the-bleeding-edge)
>***IEEE Spectrum*****:** What are you going to do with the two EUV machines you installed?
>**Gary Patton:** We’ll be working with [ASML](https://spectrum.ieee.org/tag/asml) to figure out the best use of them. A likely or possible outcome is that we end up selling those tools.
The China headline doesn't seem well sourced, just accusations about ASML routing one to China through GFS that ASML denies.
[Micron is the last memory maker to join the EUV party — company aims for EUV DRAM mass production in 2025 | Tom's Hardware](https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/dram/micron-pushes-dram-tech-with-euv-lithography-aims-for-mass-production-in-2025)
>Micron has finally added advanced EUV lithography to its DRAM production nodes as its newest process node enters pilot production. Unlike its competitors, Micron was in no hurry to use EUV lithography to make DRAM, so it is the last in the industry to adopt the most advanced technology available. This year, Micron began pilot production of DRAM memory on its 1γ (1-gamma) fabrication process, which will [enter high volume manufacturing (HVM) next year](https://www.tomshardware.com/news/micron-delays-euv-ram-to-2025-lays-off-10-of-workforce). 
>Today, Micron's memory chip production uses process technologies that rely exclusively on DUV lithography.
Basically DUV is sufficient for current memory tech.

To give you a genuine answer without just saying "scams"—it mostly comes down to block mechanics and volume management. Since there are no taxes, devs have to make money on supply control and fees.
Here is how they actually do it:
First, they use bundled transactions (with Jito). In the exact same block where they create the token and add liquidity, they bundle 5 to 10 sniper orders from their own fresh wallets. Because it's bundled, no public bot can frontrun them. They basically acquire 15-30% of the total supply at the absolute absolute bottom. Then they just slowly take profits on those hidden wallets as retail starts buying.
Second, volume bots. They run scripts that constantly buy/sell micro-amounts between their own wallets to stay on the "Trending" pages of Raydium or Pump.fun. This creates the FOMO needed to drive organic volume.
Lastly, if they don’t burn the LP (Liquidity Pool) tokens, they just collect the trading fees. On a coin with a few millions in daily volume, even a 0.25% fee on every swap adds up to a ton of passive money very quickly.
If they dump everything early and leave, then it’s usually a Community Take Over (CTO) group that buys the bottom, hypes it on X, and makes money on the leg up.

Me and a brother. The story is that he got stuck in a hotel in China for work right at the start of COVID and lost a ton trading options (he has been very successful trading options at other times in his life). We started down the path of diving into algo trading. Spent about 4 years off on on trying different things, dabbling in pinescript, etc. We are both PhDs in engineering. I am a prof and he is the CTO of a small-ish materials startup.
He has far more trading experience and I have far more software experience. It has been a good partnership. Started live paper trading in Mar 2025, live real money trading in July 2025, and our current strategy has been largely untouched since Jan 2026, with one big-ish change in late April 2026.
From Jan to mid-March we were +15% and then had two catastrophic days that knocked us back to +4%. We fixed that understandable problem and did an April 21 restart and were up 13% before this latest two catastrophic trades dropped us back to +5%. So on the year we are still +9%, but it feels like we have left a TON on the table.

**Source:** [https://x.com/solana/status/2070780301123649762](https://x.com/solana/status/2070780301123649762)
https://preview.redd.it/ti134r4ltu9h1.png?width=680&format=png&auto=webp&s=6ccfc09ecd396693a945abecb3122a779de5c418
**Read:**
* CoinDesk: [ TradFi Fund Manager Baillie Gifford Introduces Solana, Ethereum Tokenized Fund with BNY](https://www.coindesk.com/business/2026/06/22/tradfi-fund-manager-baillie-gifford-introduces-solana-ethereum-tokenized-fund-with-bny)
* Sandmark: [Allfunds Brings Tokenized Funds to Solana](https://www.sandmark.com/news/top-news/allfunds-brings-tokenized-funds-solana)
* TheStreet: [MoneyGram joins Solana as validator to help run blockchain payment rails](https://www.thestreet.com/crypto/markets/moneygram-joins-solana-as-validator-to-help-run-blockchain-payment-rails)
* Fortune: [Index Ventures, Union Square Ventures back trading app Fomo at $550 million valuation ](https://fortune.com/2026/06/22/fomo-series-b-fundraise-index-ventures-union-square-ventures/)
* The Defiant: [ Baillie Gifford Launches UK-Regulated Tokenized Bond Fund on Solana and Ethereum with BNY](https://thedefiant.io/converge/tradfi-and-fintech/baillie-gifford-bagey-tokenized-bond-fund-solana-ethereum-bny)
* TheBlock: [South Korea's Toss Bank to test blockchain-based financial infrastructure on Solana ](https://www.theblock.co/post/405505/toss-solana-partnership)
* Stocktwits: [Why Backpack Tokenized Micron On Solana Before Earnings](https://stocktwits.com/news-articles/markets/cryptocurrency/why-backpack-tokenized-micron-on-solana-before-earnings/cZKMRO2R79b)
* TheStreet: [Micron shares come to Solana just in time for earnings ](https://www.thestreet.com/crypto/markets/micron-shares-come-to-solana-just-in-time-for-earnings)
* CoinDesk: [ MoneyGram Joins Solana as Validator Amid Stablecoin Payment Push](https://www.coindesk.com/business/2026/06/22/moneygram-joins-solana-as-validator-amid-stablecoin-payment-push)
* [Bitcoin.com](https://bitcoin.com/) News: [ Leading South Korean Bank Toss Taps Solana to Test Cross-Border Remittances for 15 Million Customers](https://news.bitcoin.com/toss-bank-solana-foundation-remittances-stablecoin/)
* BeInCrypto: [South Korea’s KG Group Picks Solana to Roll Out a Digital Asset Payments Push](https://beincrypto.com/south-korea-kg-group-solana-digital-asset-payments-network/)
* CryptoBriefing: [Kazakhstan's stock exchange launches Solana ETF for regulated SOL exposure in Central Asia](https://cryptobriefing.com/kazakhstan-kase-solana-etf-launch/)
* Solana Compass: [ Tokenized Assets Flip Memecoins in Solana Spot Volume as Daily Equity Trading Hits $644M All-Time High](https://solanacompass.com/news/tokenized-assets-flip-memecoins-in-solana-spot-volume-as-daily-equity-trading-hits-644m-all-time-high)
* Crypto Briefing: [ Solana's RWA Ecosystem Surpasses $3B in Total Value as Tokenized Assets Gain Momentum](https://cryptobriefing.com/solana-rwa-ecosystem-surpasses-3-billion/)
* CryptoSlate: [ Solana Hits $1B in Weekly Tokenized Stock Trading as Demand for Hard-to-Access Equities Surges](https://cryptoslate.com/solana-hits-1b-in-weekly-tokenized-stock-trading-as-demand-for-hard-to-access-equities-surge/)
* YahooFinance: [Wall Street, Solana, and Anthropic Bet on Micron—Then Earnings Crushed Expectations](https://finance.yahoo.com/technology/ai/articles/micron-smashes-estimates-says-ai-200836799.html)
* CryptoBriefing: [Sunrise launches tokenized SanDisk stock $SNDK on Solana](https://cryptobriefing.com/sunrise-tokenized-sandisk-sndk-solana/)
* SolanaFloor: [26 Solana Frontier Winners Revealed After Crypto’s Biggest Hackathon Ever](https://solanafloor.com/news/26-solana-frontier-winners-revealed)
**Watch:**
* Maya Caddle, Payments Lead, Solana Foundation on [Stabledash](https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1jxXggnYRRoJZ)
* Mert Mumtaz, CEO of Helius, on [MarketBubble](https://x.com/blknoiz06/status/2070244057398620257?s=46)
* Seraphim on Solana Floor’s [The Big Picture](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLKBGL0PelU&t=5s)
**Listen:**
* Malcolm Clarke from Western Union on Maya Caddle’s Mint Condition: [ Western Union's Bet on On-Chain Settlement](https://solana.com/podcasts/mint-condition/episodes/19387716-western-union-s-bet-on-on-chain-settlement)
* Ore on [Genfinity](https://x.com/Genfinity/status/2070177552769937595?s=20)
* Collector Crypt on [Genfinity](https://x.com/Genfinity/status/2069450711344046173)
* David Lachmish, co-founder of IKA & Encrypt, on [Solana is Global with Alex Scott](https://solana.com/podcasts/solana-is-global-with-alex-scott/episodes/revolutionizing-blockchain-with-advanced-cryptography-ika-encrypt-unveiled-e3l6335)
* Brian Aznar, CTO of Republic, on [The Stack with Ilan Gitter](https://solana.com/podcasts/the-stack-with-ilan-gitter/episodes/unlocking-private-markets-and-tokenization-with-brian-aznar-of-republic-e3l7nqb)
* Henry McPhie, Co-Founder & CEO of Streamex, on [The Index](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrG02uN1hf0)

[GlobalFoundries CTO on Why the Company Abandoned the “Bleeding Edge” - IEEE Spectrum](https://spectrum.ieee.org/globalfoundries-cto-on-why-the-company-abandoned-the-bleeding-edge)
>***IEEE Spectrum*****:** What are you going to do with the two EUV machines you installed?
>**Gary Patton:** We’ll be working with [ASML](https://spectrum.ieee.org/tag/asml) to figure out the best use of them. A likely or possible outcome is that we end up selling those tools.
The China headline doesn't seem well sourced, just accusations about ASML routing one to China through GFS that ASML denies.
[Micron is the last memory maker to join the EUV party — company aims for EUV DRAM mass production in 2025 | Tom's Hardware](https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/dram/micron-pushes-dram-tech-with-euv-lithography-aims-for-mass-production-in-2025)
>Micron has finally added advanced EUV lithography to its DRAM production nodes as its newest process node enters pilot production. Unlike its competitors, Micron was in no hurry to use EUV lithography to make DRAM, so it is the last in the industry to adopt the most advanced technology available. This year, Micron began pilot production of DRAM memory on its 1γ (1-gamma) fabrication process, which will [enter high volume manufacturing (HVM) next year](https://www.tomshardware.com/news/micron-delays-euv-ram-to-2025-lays-off-10-of-workforce). 
>Today, Micron's memory chip production uses process technologies that rely exclusively on DUV lithography.
Basically DUV is sufficient for current memory tech.

To give you a genuine answer without just saying "scams"—it mostly comes down to block mechanics and volume management. Since there are no taxes, devs have to make money on supply control and fees.
Here is how they actually do it:
First, they use bundled transactions (with Jito). In the exact same block where they create the token and add liquidity, they bundle 5 to 10 sniper orders from their own fresh wallets. Because it's bundled, no public bot can frontrun them. They basically acquire 15-30% of the total supply at the absolute absolute bottom. Then they just slowly take profits on those hidden wallets as retail starts buying.
Second, volume bots. They run scripts that constantly buy/sell micro-amounts between their own wallets to stay on the "Trending" pages of Raydium or Pump.fun. This creates the FOMO needed to drive organic volume.
Lastly, if they don’t burn the LP (Liquidity Pool) tokens, they just collect the trading fees. On a coin with a few millions in daily volume, even a 0.25% fee on every swap adds up to a ton of passive money very quickly.
If they dump everything early and leave, then it’s usually a Community Take Over (CTO) group that buys the bottom, hypes it on X, and makes money on the leg up.