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Podcast Episode

Why Even Quant Traders Need Discretion | QuantXBT

Insilico Terminal Podcast··21 September 2026·1h 1m

About this episode

QuantXBT joins Sokio to discuss building a crypto HFT business, finding his first BitMEX–Binance arbitrage, and why JavaScript wasn't the bottleneck people expected.  We cover shrinking edges, the move toward mid-frequency trading, exchange risk, collecting market data, and the role of discretion in automated systems. He also explains why forced trading creates opportunities and why being right about an asset isn't enough to make money trading it.00:00 Intro and Early Crypto Trading 05:55 Finding the First Arbitrage Edge 11:31 Running HFT in JavaScript 19:17 Finding Edge Across Exchanges 25:19 Consistent Returns and Hidden Risks 33:53 Research, Automation and In-House Data 38:14 Quant vs. Discretionary Trading 45:29 Volatility, Forced Trading and Finding Edge 51:33 Bitcoin Conviction and Why Altcoins Fail