The Wall Street Skinny
The Wall Street Skinny
Kristen and Jen
34. Trading, Jane Street and SBF: Michael Lewis’s “Going Infinite”
1 hour 14 minutes Posted Nov 11, 2023 at 1:00 pm.
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A job in Private Equity isn't the highest paying or even the hardest to get... it's actually a job at high frequency trading firms like Jane Street, highly secretive Wall Street firms you've never heard of.  So what actually takes place in those interviews and what do those traders even do? 

In Michael Lewis's new book, Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of Sam Bankman-Fried ("SBF"), Michael Lewis tells the absolutely crazy story of SBF,  crypto, building his crypto exchange FTX, building his own trading firm Alameda Research, Effective Altruism ("EA"), the scandal that took him down leaving him with up to a 110 prison sentence AS WELL AS a sneak peek into these super secretive firms starting from the interview process to some of the craziest trades ever, including one election trade in 2016 that led to a $300mm loss.

Michael Lewis is the author of other quintessential books anyone who wants to work on Wall Street must read including The Big Short, Liar's Poker and others. 

Resources mentioned in the episode:
1. Matt Levine's Bloomberg Essay: "The Only Crypto Story You Need"
https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2022-the-crypto-story/

2. Odd Lots Podcast: 
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/odd-lots/id1056200096

Sam Bankman-Fried and Matt Levine on How the Crypto Market Really Works
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sam-bankman-fried-and-matt-levine-on-how-the/id1056200096?i=1000531062191

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All investing involves risk. Brokerage services for US listed securities, options and bonds in a self-directed brokerage account are offered by Public Investing, member FINRA & SIPC. Not investment advice. Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank.Cryptocurrency trading services are offered by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1828849), which is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the NYSDFS. Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrency holdings are not protected by the FDIC or SIPC. Securities investments: Not FDIC Insured; No Bank Guarantee; May Lose Value. See public.com/#disclosures-main for more information.