Research desk
Blog
Market structure, product notes, and trading intelligence from the Stacked Markets desk.
Market tape
Lead story
How smart contracts work in financial markets: Ethereum, Arbitrum, and on-chain trading explained
Jun 3, 2026By Stacked Markets
Smart contracts replace intermediaries with self-executing code. Here's how Ethereum, Arbitrum, and on-chain protocols like Hyperliquid use them to run financial markets - and what that means for your trades.
Read articleTop stories
Stacked Markets vs Bybit: what custody risk actually costs you
Jun 2, 2026By Stacked Markets
Bybit had proof of reserves, cold wallets, and USD 1.5B stolen in a single attack. Here's exactly what custodial risk costs active traders - and what genuinely removes it.
Top stories
Proof of reserves vs self-custody: what 'not your keys' really means for traders
May 31, 2026By Stacked Markets
Proof of reserves snapshots looked fine at FTX. Bybit lost USD 1.5B in a single attack PoR couldn't detect. Here's what the math actually checks - and what it doesn't.
Top stories
Hardware wallets for active traders: what they actually protect (and what they don't)
May 31, 2026By Stacked Markets
Hardware wallets aren't just for HODLers. Active perp traders need one too - just not for signing every order. Here's exactly where they belong in an on-chain trading stack.
Latest stories
Briefing
- 01
How smart contracts work in financial markets: Ethereum, Arbitrum, and on-chain trading explained
Jun 3, 2026By Stacked Markets
Smart contracts replace intermediaries with self-executing code. Here's how Ethereum, Arbitrum, and on-chain protocols like Hyperliquid use them to run financial markets - and what that means for your trades.
- 02
Stacked Markets vs Bybit: what custody risk actually costs you
Jun 2, 2026By Stacked Markets
Bybit had proof of reserves, cold wallets, and USD 1.5B stolen in a single attack. Here's exactly what custodial risk costs active traders - and what genuinely removes it.
- 03
Proof of reserves vs self-custody: what 'not your keys' really means for traders
May 31, 2026By Stacked Markets
Proof of reserves snapshots looked fine at FTX. Bybit lost USD 1.5B in a single attack PoR couldn't detect. Here's what the math actually checks - and what it doesn't.
- 04
Hardware wallets for active traders: what they actually protect (and what they don't)
May 31, 2026By Stacked Markets
Hardware wallets aren't just for HODLers. Active perp traders need one too - just not for signing every order. Here's exactly where they belong in an on-chain trading stack.
- 05
How to Avoid Crypto Phishing Scams Targeting DEX Traders
May 31, 2026By Stacked Markets
Phishing and private key compromise now account for more DeFi losses than smart contract bugs. Here's every active attack vector targeting DEX traders in 2026 - and the nine rules that stop them.
- 06
Smart contract risk in DeFi trading: how to evaluate it before you deposit
May 31, 2026By Stacked Markets
Over USD 1B lost in DeFi in the first four months of 2026. Here's the eight-point framework active traders should run before depositing - and what no checklist can fully protect you from.
- 07
Seed phrase security: the non-custodial trader's most important habit
May 31, 2026By Stacked Markets
Non-custodial architecture protects you from exchange failure. It provides zero protection against seed phrase compromise. Here's the habit system that actually keeps your wallet safe.
- 08
How to store crypto safely while still being able to trade actively
May 31, 2026By Stacked Markets
Cold storage and active trading aren't opposites. Here's how to split your portfolio across three buckets - cold vault, hot wallet, and Hyperliquid margin - so you keep custody without losing speed.
- 09
What happens to your funds if a DEX gets hacked? On-chain risk explained
May 31, 2026By Stacked Markets
USD 1B+ left DeFi in the first four months of 2026. Whether your funds are at risk depends on where they live. A breakdown of every attack scenario and what it actually means for your capital.
- 10
Hyperliquid vs centralized exchanges: key differences in 2026
May 30, 2026
Hyperliquid holds 70% of all on-chain perpetual futures volume and now ranks alongside Binance and Bybit globally. This guide breaks down the real differences between Hyperliquid and centralized exchanges across custody, fees, KYC, execution, and regulatory risk — so you can decide which model fits how you trade.
- 11
How to Build a Market Intelligence Dashboard in 2026
May 30, 2026By Stacked Markets
A market intelligence dashboard centralises price action, order flow, funding rates, and macro signals into one workspace. This guide covers the exact data sources, tools, and layout principles active traders use to build one in 2026 — from equities to on-chain derivatives.
- 12
How to Read Options Flow Data Like a Pro in 2026
May 30, 2026By Stacked Markets
Options flow data reveals where large traders are positioning before price moves. This guide covers how to read unusual options activity, sweep orders, dark pool prints, and put/call ratios — the exact signals professional traders use to interpret institutional intent in 2026.