Overall: After running through this process, Austin is a lot less optimistic about using crypto/Solana as the main system for transactions. Main hangup points:

• Getting USDC was very annoying, had to figure out a lot
  • Even with Coinbase and FTX set up!
• Every interaction with Solana smart contract costs an additional Solana fee ⇒ kills my interest in placing bets for fun
  • Robinhood and all other UIs have no-fee trades!

Notes

• I have a Coinbase account...

• Tried on FTX first for lower fees

  • Apparently: Credit card buy got cancelled so I have no money
  • Also: Tried linking my BoA account to FTX, and it just failed, both with Plaid login and ACH entering numbers...

• Back to coinbase

  • Buying USDC on Coinbase ⇒ takes 2 days to clear...? So much for Hedgehog

  • How to switch back into mainnet from Phantom....?

  • Oh what the flying f* I need to get money into FTX somehow

    • https://thefipharmacist.com/5-steps-to-transfer-usdc-to-phantom-wallet/

  • WTF the network fee on USDC is like 8%

    

• This UI is cursed: I just want 100 USDC but I can’t denote that correctly

  

• Also why am I paying a 0.85% fee to Phantom...?

• At least phantom transaction fees are low

• Total = ~40m to get this figured out

• Paying random Solana fees to get stuff done = feels bad

  • On typical web apps, this is all free...
  • E.g. on Hedgehog, to make a random transaction to bet on a “no-loss” market, it costs $0.24 (quoted as .00158 SOL, completely useless)
  • I’m also basically taking on faith that I”m going to get my $100 USDC back at the end of the market.

• Hedgehog UI is pretty subpar

  • Some links don’t work (e.g. Solana explorer)
  • Not super optimized funnel to getting to “first market”

Austin’s Omen Adventure