The Slow Burn: How Table Selection Is Key To Compounding

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You’ve heard it before—a million times, maybe more. Einstein famously declared it the “8th Wonder of the World,” and Warren Buffet’s empire rests squarely on its shoulders. The concept is simple enough to roll off anyone’s tongue: the power of compounding.

But here’s the kicker—most people think they understand it, yet almost everyone underestimates what it really means. Why? Because in the beginning, it’s slow. Excruciatingly slow. Like watching grass grow. It’s easy to dismiss. But compounding isn’t about the now—it’s about the long game.

And here’s where most miss the point: It’s not just about letting time do the heavy lifting; it’s about where you let it do that lifting. It’s about table selection. Choose the wrong table, and even compounding’s power can’t save you. Choose the right one. You could rewrite your financial future.

Let’s run some numbers to show you how critical this decision is:

The S&P 500: A Reliable Workhorse

Say you put $10,000 into the S&P 500 ($SPY). With its Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of around 13%, in ten years, that money grows to $36,437—a tidy 264% return.

The NASDAQ: The Growth Stock King

Now, take that same $10,000 and park it in the NASDAQ ($QQQ). With a CAGR closer to 19%, your investment balloons to $65,871 in ten years—a staggering 558% return. Just 6% more CAGR, yet your returns are nearly double.

Still tracking? Good, because now the stakes get real.

Bitcoin: The Wild Horse

Let’s look at Bitcoin. Its historic CAGR sits at a jaw-dropping 83%. Same $10,000, same ten years, but the result? $4,212,218. Twenty years? $1.77 billion.

Yes, billion—with a “B.” Same starting amount, vastly different outcomes. The table you choose isn’t just a detail; it’s the entire game.

The Reality Check

Paul Tudor Jones said it best: “Bitcoin is the fastest horse in the race.” Do I expect Bitcoin’s CAGR to drop? Sure. But even if it does, the gap between it and more traditional assets remains monumental. If it doesn’t drop? Well, that’s just icing on the cake.

And it’s not just Bitcoin. The crypto space has evolved. It’s no longer just one coin leading the charge; it’s a dynamic ecosystem—Layer 1s, DeFi, meme coins, AI tokens, gaming, and tokenized assets. The opportunity is massive, but so is the complexity.

My Edge

Since October 2023, my Crypto Momentum System has multiplied my account 17x. No leverage. No sleepless nights glued to charts. It’s a swing trading system designed to ride the strongest trends—crypto’s fastest horses. And while the rest of the world debates the technology and fights over white papers, we’re focused on one thing: results.

The Wall Street Connection

Now, here’s the part that might surprise you: a significant chunk of the people trading my Crypto Momentum System aren’t tech-savvy basement dwellers or Twitter pundits with pixelated avatars. They’re professionals—investment bankers, hedge fund managers, algorithmic traders, and portfolio managers. Wall Street heavyweights.

Why? Because for them, crypto offers something traditional markets can’t: freedom.

In their regulated roles, these professionals are bound by strict compliance rules. Every stock trade must be reported. Swing trading equities is a luxury most don’t have—let alone day trading. But with crypto? Compliance departments don’t care. They can trade whenever they want, without red tape.

So, they’re not just dabbling in crypto—they’re dominating it. Evenings, weekends, holidays—while the rest of the market sleeps, they’re putting the Crypto Momentum System to work. It’s efficient, systematic, and doesn’t require watching screens all day. Perfect for professionals who don’t have the luxury of time but want results.

The Takeaway

This isn’t a market for everyone. But for those who can embrace the volatility, the opportunity is like no other. Every crypto bull market I’ve traded has started small—humble balances turned into life-changing outcomes. This cycle, the conditions are better than ever: Bitcoin ETFs, pro-crypto policy shifts, and a tidal wave of new money entering the space.

But bull markets don’t last forever. When the music stops, you don’t want to be left holding worthless altcoins. My system is designed to get us in early, stay in the strongest assets, and get out before the rug gets pulled.

So, what table are you sitting at? Because in this game, your seat determines your fate.

We’ve never offered a discount on this system before, but to celebrate my return to Macro Ops we are offering our 20% off. 

 Click Here To Learn More About The Crypto Momentum System

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Brandon Beylo

Value Investor

Brandon has been a professional investor focusing on value for over 13 years, spending his time in small to micro-cap companies, spin-offs, SPACs, and deep value liquidation situations. Over time, he’s developed a deeper understanding for what deep-value investing actually means, and refined his philosophy to include any business trading at a wild discount to what he thinks its worth in 3-5 years.

Brandon has a tenacious passion for investing, broad-based learning, and business. He previously worked for several leading investment firms before joining the team at Macro Ops. He lives by the famous Munger mantra of trying to get a little smarter each day.

AK

Investing & Personal Finance

AK is the founder of Macro Ops and the host of Fallible.

He started out in corporate economics for a Fortune 50 company before moving to a long/short equity investment firm.

With Macro Ops focused primarily on institutional clients, AK moved to servicing new investors just starting their journey. He takes the professional research and education produced at Macro Ops and breaks it down for beginners. The goal is to help clients find the best solution for their investing needs through effective education.

Tyler Kling

Volatility & Options Trader

Former trade desk manager at $100+ million family office where he oversaw multiple traders and helped develop cutting edge quantitative strategies in the derivatives market.

He worked as a consultant to the family office’s in-house fund of funds in the areas of portfolio manager evaluation and capital allocation.

Certified in Quantitative Finance from the Fitch Learning Center in London, England where he studied under famous quants such as Paul Wilmott.

Alex Barrow

Macro Trader

Founder and head macro trader at Macro Ops. Alex joined the US Marine Corps on his 18th birthday just one month after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He subsequently spent a decade in the military. Serving in various capacities from scout sniper to interrogator and counterintelligence specialist. Following his military service, he worked as a contract intelligence professional for a number of US agencies (from the DIA to FBI) with a focus on counterintelligence and terrorist financing. He also spent time consulting for a tech company that specialized in building analytic software for finance and intelligence analysis.

After leaving the field of intelligence he went to work at a global macro hedge fund. He’s been professionally involved in markets since 2005, has consulted with a number of the leading names in the hedge fund space, and now manages his own family office while running Macro Ops. He’s published over 300 white papers on complex financial and macroeconomic topics, writes regularly about investment/market trends, and frequently speaks at conferences on trading and investing.

Macro Ops is a market research firm geared toward professional and experienced retail traders and investors. Macro Ops’ research has been featured in Forbes, Marketwatch, Business Insider, and Real Vision as well as a number of other leading publications.

You can find out more about Alex on his LinkedIn account here and also find him on Twitter where he frequently shares his market research.