Crypto IQ Curve: Who Are the Real Lambs—Fools, Mediocre, or Geniuses?
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Crypto IQ Curve: Who Are the Real Lambs—Fools, Mediocre, or Geniuses?
In the cryptocurrency world, the greatest insult one can receive is being called intellectually mediocre.
Navigating Web3 tides with focused insightsAuthor: Andrey Didovskiy
Translation: Golem, Odaily Planet Daily
Intelligence is a broad, relative, and highly subjective variable that humanity has yet to fully quantify. Generally, if an organism is "alive" and "autonomous," we classify it as intelligent life. This abstract ambiguity is especially evident in the world of crypto.
From degens writing white papers on the potential value of Fartcoin, to governments exploring strategic Bitcoin reserves, to academics developing complex but useless technologies— the cryptocurrency industry is a vast, paradoxical, magical Pandora's box.
In this crazy world, there are few winners and many losers. The only simple criterion separating them is a single, straightforward measure of intelligence: portfolio performance.
If you want to win the crypto game, you must avoid mediocrity at all costs. You must be either a Sith Lord with IQ 200 or a degenerate ape with IQ 20. If you fall anywhere in between, you're doomed.
In crypto, the greatest insult one can receive is being labeled “average intelligence”— not to mention the emotional and financial pain that comes with it.
What Is the Crypto IQ Curve?
Basing on the principle of the "bell curve," the Crypto IQ Curve is a meme used to describe the distribution of intelligence among market participants.
Crypto IQ Curve
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A tiny minority sit at both ends of the curve (the winners);
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A tiny minority sit at both ends of the curve (the winners).
This reflects the inherently cutthroat, zero-sum nature of financial games.
On the left end of the curve are the "degenerates" with single-cell brains and almost no self-awareness— IQ 20 gamblers in the crypto space. On the right are the "superminds" with near-supernatural mastery of mathematics and socio-psychological dynamics— IQ 200 geniuses. Standing in the middle are hardworking, emotionally dependent ordinary people.
Let’s analyze these groups further:
Left Side of the Curve: IQ 20–70
Thinking like a single-celled organism
These bold individuals fear no risk; they operate on the bleeding edge of crypto, constantly experimenting, failing, and learning— always driven by raw energy. Often highly paranoid, sometimes even autistic, they excel at creating memes and mutually "CX supporting" each other.
While their fanatical dedication blurs the line between "degeneracy" and gambling, this same energy enables them to become diamond-handed early adopters of new trends. Those on the left side of the curve are typically emotionally detached, possessing a natural intuition for understanding human psychology.
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Asset types involved: Primarily meme coins, but open to all categories
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Examples: GOAT, SHIB, SOL, PEPE
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Investment philosophy: Less is more, Catcoin Gudcoin, HODL, WAGMI (We’re All Gonna Make It)
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Return range: -99% ← → +10,000% (either zero out or achieve freedom)
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Do they ultimately profit? Sometimes
Middle of the Curve: IQ 70–120
The group treated as exit liquidity
Those in the middle heavily rely on technical analysis and charting tools. They are meticulous thinkers, yet often trapped in false narratives and unwilling to experiment. They never dare to be first, yet always believe they won’t be last. These emotionally sensitive investors—top buyers and bottom sellers—are known in crypto by many names: bagholders, retail, paper hands, index token holders, and so on.
Their existence is vital to the industry— without them, there would be no profits.
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Asset types involved: Mostly scams and slow-growth assets
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Examples: EOS, BTC, HEX
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Investment philosophy: Buy high, sell low, panic, blame market manipulation
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Return range: -99% ← → +100% (either zero out or make a small gain)
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Do they ultimately profit? Almost never
Right Side of the Curve: IQ 120+
Alpha individuals
These are frontier thinkers— even creators of narratives— who predict and control trends.
Joining this group requires deep expertise in cryptography, economics, finance, sociology, psychology, computer science, statistics, and other knowledge-intensive disciplines. Those on the right side possess profound self-awareness, are obsessed with human psychology, and exhibit immense patience. They remain unshaken under social pressure, unafraid of losses or admitting mistakes— open-minded and highly adaptable.
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Asset types involved: Primarily meme coins, but open to all categories
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Examples: SOL, GOAT, PEPE, OM
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Investment philosophy: HODL, BUIDL, DCA, no leverage
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Return range: -99% ← → +10,000% (either zero out or achieve freedom)
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Do they ultimately profit? Always
Intellectual Levels Across Countries
The following data provides insight into average intelligence levels across different countries in the real world:
(Data varies by source, so the figures below represent the most consistent and persistent information found across multiple publicly available sources.)
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Global average IQ is approximately 94 (ranging from 70–110)
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U.S. average IQ is approximately 97 (varies by state from 95–103)
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China's average IQ is approximately 104 (Hong Kong: 106)
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Russia's average IQ is approximately 96 (ranked in the top four among countries with annual income under $10,000)
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India's average IQ is approximately 77 (possibly influenced by cultural and demographic factors)
(Treat this data with caution. It's certain that census methodologies used to collect and aggregate such information carry inherent biases. If you feel personally affected by these numbers, congratulations—you’re likely someone sitting in the middle of the curve. Don’t take offense, but do become aware.)
Which Type Do You Want to Be?
Choose the far left or the far right? (No political pun intended), you can choose your preference. Due to human arrogance, many believe they belong on the far right, while some don't care at all (as is common among left-side investors). But the truth is, the vast majority end up in the middle.
"The man who chases two rabbits catches neither." Whichever side you choose, remember— mediocrity is the only wrong answer.
Where Do You Actually Stand?
While asset type alone is a strong indicator, accurately quantifying one’s position on the Crypto IQ Curve requires considering multiple factors: emotional and mental states during decision-making, logical reasoning (or lack thereof), ability to process social feedback, and final outcomes. Ultimately, stay objective, be honest with yourself, understand your risk tolerance, and act accordingly.
Step outside your comfort zone—that’s where seeds grow. May peace, love, and absolute abundance come to everyone (no matter where you currently stand on the curve).
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