Altcoin alpha research: test the process, not just the backtest
A research workflow for controlling data leakage, selection bias, unrealistic execution, and the temptation to confuse a fitted chart with a durable edge.
Follow a research question
Alpha research research
An edge needs more than a compelling chart.
Alpha research starts with an explanation of why a return could exist and the risks associated with earning it. These articles connect a concrete carry structure with methods for testing a broader trading hypothesis.
Preserve the trial history, use point-in-time data, and include realistic costs. Distinguish a quoted spread from net economics and a backtest from actual operations. A strategy that does not survive those checks has supplied useful information, even when the appropriate research decision is not to proceed.
Together, these guides provide a route from the basic question to a more detailed analysis. Follow the related topic links inside each article for the wider context, and keep hypothetical calculations separate from live prices, contract terms, and individual investment decisions.
2 connected guides
Cash-and-carry in crypto: the risks behind a market-neutral label
Follow a hypothetical spot-and-futures trade from entry to expiry, separating a quoted basis from net return, financing needs, and execution risk.
Start with the risk.
The strategy comes next.
Build your understanding, one useful question at a time.