Commodities race to zero margin.
Exception: Coordination primitives.
Why?
def commodity_trajectory(product):
"""
Inevitable path of commodities
"""
if product.barrier_to_entry == 0:
competitors = exponential_growth()
price = race_to_cost()
margin = price - cost # → 0
return {
'competitors': '→ ∞',
'price': '→ cost',
'margin': '→ 0',
'time': '6-12 months',
'survivors': '0'
}
Zero barriers = Zero margin. Always.
Competitors(t) = 2^t (exponential growth)
Price(t) = Cost + (Initial_price - Cost)/2^t
Margin(t) = Price(t) - Cost → 0
Therefore: lim(t→∞) Margin = 0
Mathematics, not opinion.
You call OpenAI API. Add UI. Charge 5x.
class AIaaSWrapper:
def serve(self, prompt):
response = openai.call(prompt) # Cost: $20
return response # Charge: $100
# Your "value": UI wrapper
# Your margin: $80 (for now)
Defensibility: Zero.
Barrier to entry: Zero.
Differentiation: Zero.
Result: Margin → Zero.
timeline = {
't0': {'margin': '80%', 'competitors': 1, 'mood': 'Euphoric'},
't1': {'margin': '50%', 'competitors': 5, 'mood': 'Concerned'},
't2': {'margin': '20%', 'competitors': 20, 'mood': 'Panic'},
't3': {'margin': '5%', 'competitors': 100, 'mood': 'Dying'},
't4': {'margin': '0%', 'competitors': 'Dead', 'mood': 'Bankrupt'}
}
6 months from launch to death.
failed_defenses = {
'better_ui': 'Copyable in 3 days',
'faster_shipping': 'Speed irrelevant if copyable',
'vertical_focus': 'Just different prompts (2 days to copy)',
'more_funding': 'Burning cash to fight math',
'customer_loyalty': 'Zero switching cost = zero loyalty'
}
Every defense fails. Math wins.
ETH, Eigen, Morpho, SOL maintain margin despite being commodities.
How?
class CoordinationToken:
"""
Commodity that escapes death spiral
"""
def __init__(self):
self.is_commodity = True # Fungible, tradeable
self.is_copyable = True # Anyone can launch token
self.margin_sustainable = True # But margin stays!
def why_defensible(self):
return {
'network_effects': 'Value ∝ N² (Metcalfe)',
'switching_cost': 'Entire ecosystem must migrate',
'coordination_primitive': 'Enables trustless collaboration',
'not_wrapper': 'IS the infrastructure',
'moat': 'Protocol network, not service'
}
Key: Network effects create moat.
API Wrapper:
Value_added = 0 (just middleman)
Margin → 0 (no network effects)
Coordination Token:
Value = N² (Metcalfe's Law)
Margin ∝ N² (grows with network)
Wrapper: Linear to zero.
Coordination: Quadratic to infinity.
comparison = {
'aiaas_wrapper': {
'commodity': 'Access to OpenAI',
'barrier': 'Zero (anyone calls API)',
'network_effects': 'None',
'switching_cost': 'Zero',
'value_source': 'OpenAI (external)',
'margin_path': '→ 0',
'example': 'ChatGPT wrapper for lawyers'
},
'eth_ethereum': {
'commodity': 'ETH token',
'barrier': 'Zero (anyone can buy)',
'network_effects': 'Massive (DeFi ecosystem)',
'switching_cost': 'Entire dApp ecosystem',
'value_source': 'Network (internal)',
'margin_path': 'Grows with N²',
'example': 'Gas fees for validators'
},
'eigen_layer': {
'commodity': 'EIGEN token',
'barrier': 'Zero (anyone can stake)',
'network_effects': 'Strong (restaking network)',
'switching_cost': 'High (stakers locked)',
'value_source': 'Coordination (internal)',
'margin_path': 'Sustainable',
'example': 'Restaking fees'
},
'morpho': {
'commodity': 'MORPHO token',
'barrier': 'Zero (anyone can lend)',
'network_effects': 'Liquidity concentration',
'switching_cost': 'High (network effects)',
'value_source': 'P2P coordination',
'margin_path': 'Grows with liquidity',
'example': 'Lending protocol fees'
},
'solana_sol': {
'commodity': 'SOL token',
'barrier': 'Zero (anyone can buy)',
'network_effects': 'Growing ecosystem',
'switching_cost': 'Medium-high',
'value_source': 'Fast coordination',
'margin_path': 'Sustainable',
'example': 'Transaction fees'
}
}
Wrapper: Commodity without coordination.
Tokens: Commodity with coordination.
Result: Death vs. Growth.
Margin_sustainable = f(Coordination_value)
where:
Coordination_value = Network_effects × Switching_costs
If Coordination_value = 0:
Margin → 0 (commodity death spiral)
If Coordination_value > 0:
Margin → ∞ (or stable high)
def will_it_survive(business):
"""
Test for sustainable margin
"""
# Question 1: Are you a wrapper?
if business.wraps_external_service:
return {'margin': '→ 0', 'reason': 'No coordination value'}
# Question 2: Do users coordinate through you?
if not business.enables_user_coordination:
return {'margin': '→ 0', 'reason': 'No network effects'}
# Question 3: High switching cost?
if business.switching_cost == 0:
return {'margin': '→ 0', 'reason': 'Users leave instantly'}
# Passed all tests
return {'margin': 'Sustainable', 'reason': 'Coordination primitive'}
Three questions determine fate.
graveyard = {
'chatgpt_wrappers': {
'model': 'OpenAI API + UI',
'coordination': None,
'margin_path': '80% → 0% in 4 months',
'death': 'Customers went direct'
},
'content_generators': {
'model': 'GPT-4 API + prompts',
'coordination': None,
'margin_path': '70% → 0% in 3 months',
'death': '100 identical competitors'
},
'code_assistants': {
'model': 'Codex API + integration',
'coordination': None,
'margin_path': '75% → 0% in 2 months',
'death': 'GitHub Copilot free tier'
}
}
All wrappers. All dead. All predictable.
thriving = {
'ethereum': {
'coordination': 'Smart contract platform',
'network_effects': 'Entire DeFi built on it',
'margin': '70%+ validator fees',
'path': 'Growing (more dApps = more valuable)'
},
'eigen_layer': {
'coordination': 'Restaking network',
'network_effects': 'Security through coordination',
'margin': 'Sustainable restaking fees',
'path': 'Growing with validators'
},
'morpho': {
'coordination': 'P2P lending',
'network_effects': 'Liquidity concentration',
'margin': 'Protocol fees',
'path': 'Growing with liquidity'
},
'scale_ai': {
'coordination': 'Labeling network',
'network_effects': 'Proprietary data',
'margin': '40%+',
'path': 'Defensible through data moat'
}
}
All enable coordination. All surviving. All growing.
decision_tree = {
'option_a_wrapper': {
'investment': '$100K',
'time': '3 months',
'margin': '→ 0',
'outcome': 'Bankrupt in 6-12 months',
'reason': 'Commodity without coordination'
},
'option_b_coordination': {
'investment': '$1M-$10M',
'time': '1-3 years',
'margin': 'Sustainable',
'outcome': 'Growing with network',
'reason': 'Coordination primitive'
},
'option_c_exit_wrapper': {
'investment': '$0',
'time': 'Now',
'margin': 'Preserve what you have',
'outcome': 'Live to fight another day',
'reason': 'Math is against you'
}
}
Build coordination. Or exit. Don’t build wrappers.
if you_are_building == 'wrapper':
# You have 3 choices:
choices = [
'Transform into coordination (hard, expensive)',
'Exit now (smart, cheap)',
'Watch margin collapse (painful, inevitable)'
]
elif you_are_building == 'coordination':
# You have time:
strategy = [
'Grow network effects',
'Increase switching costs',
'Capture value from coordination'
]
# Result: Margin → ∞
else:
# Start right:
advice = 'Build coordination primitive, not wrapper'
w_margin_relationship = {
'wrapper': {
'W': 'W_external (OpenAI owns it)',
'W_yours': 0,
'margin': '→ 0',
'reason': 'You contribute no W'
},
'coordination': {
'W': 'W_network (you enable it)',
'W_yours': 'N² (network effects)',
'margin': 'Grows with W',
'reason': 'You create coordination value'
},
'law': {
'formula': 'Margin ∝ W_proprietary',
'wrapper': 'W = 0 → Margin = 0',
'coordination': 'W = N² → Margin = N²',
'conclusion': 'Build W or die'
}
}
W = 0 → Margin = 0
W > 0 → Margin > 0
W = N² → Margin = N²
Commodities race to zero margin.
Exception: Coordination primitives with network effects.
Q1: Are you wrapping external service?
Yes → Margin → 0
No → Continue
Q2: Do users coordinate through you?
No → Margin → 0
Yes → Continue
Q3: High switching costs (network)?
No → Margin → 0
Yes → Margin sustainable
Margin_trajectory = f(Network_effects, Switching_costs)
If both = 0: Margin → 0 (death)
If both > 0: Margin → ∞ (growth)
AIaaS wrapper: Both = 0 → Dead
ETH/Eigen/Morpho/SOL: Both > 0 → Thriving
Building wrapper? Stop or exit.
Building coordination? Keep going.
Considering either? Build coordination.
Commodity + No coordination → Margin = 0
Commodity + Coordination → Margin = N²
Choose wisely
∞
References:
Wrap APIs = Death. Enable coordination = Life.