Weekly interview. Meet our CTO — Sergey Shashev.
Cryptoindex is a tool for exposure to the cryptomarket and serves as a smart benchmark for all cryptocurrencies. The AI-based Cryptoindex algorithm is continuously analyzing more than 1800 coins applying over 200 factors, processing more than 1 million signals per second to provide a highly sophisticated index of the top 100 coins.
Dear Community members,
We would like to introduce our CTO — Sergey Shashev!
He has more than 7-year experience in algorithmic trading (Forex, MICEX, NYSE, NASDAQ), launched AntTrader platform. Developed production systems ML+BIG DATAS+NLP in different spheres. Developed complex trading robots for cryptocurrency exchanges.
Here is a quick interview with Sergey, and we’ll ask him some questions from our community. Today we will get to know him a little better.
-Hi Sergey! Can we start an interview with you about your experience? First of all, can you tell us which university you graduated from and what’s your degree in?
- I graduated from Omsk State Technical University. There I was the captain of physics and mathematics teams. I was well-prepared for college because I had studied at a physics and technology university school, and also at a lyceum specializing in physical and mathematical sciences. But most of my experience I got during my work on various projects, especially those connected with algorithmic trading. I’m an expert in automated information processing and control systems. I suppose I can say that I’ve been doing it for my entire life.
- Impressive! With such an experience you could have found yourself in any field. How did you find yourself in maths?
-When I was at school, I was successful at mathematical olympiads. Mathematics and physics are beautiful branches of science. They let you see all the aspects of human activities, including algorithmic trading, from a particular point of view.
I created my first trading robots in 2006, and it remained my main activity until 2013. During this period, I tried myself as a specialist in different areas. Since 2010 I have not been programming on my own, but I have built a really strong team that has been working with me on a series of algorithmic startups.
- This is really interesting. We also have several questions from our community. Many movies or comics characters, such as Tony Stark from the Iron Man, or doc Emmet Brown from “Back to the future” movie franchise, and also Anakin Skywalker from the Star Wars universe, were quite good at creating robots and developing new technologies, in their childhood. Do you think there’s something in common between you and them?
- I’m a rather modest person, and I consider this comparison a little incorrect. If there should necessarily be something in common, then I would say it’s believing in your own power and awareness that any system or technology can be created or developed if you have a good team and a precise vision.
- Are you afraid that AI might conquer the world in the nearest future, and all humanity will disappear?
- I don’t think so. There are a lot of rumors circulating around artificial intelligence, so I would rather recommend using terms “ML” and “BigData.” Those are applied technologies with clear algorithms of solving problems. Everything depends on how they are combined. What they usually call AI is, actually, a combination of ML and BigData (this term is called “weak AI”). Strong AI is not developed yet, it will appear years from now, maybe even decades. So I think humanity is not in danger.
- What is the source of your inspiration? After working on such a complicated project, you definitely need a rest. Do you have a hobby?
- I am inspired by the very process of solving complicated problems, i.e., the moment when you find the solution and see your further actions, the second you grasp the outlines of your idea. I would rather say that the actual realization brings me less joy over time because my own expectations are also becoming higher. As for hobbies, I used to enjoy playing strategic PC games like EU4/Civilization. Now my favorite kind of recreation. l activity is short trips to Europe that help me to reboot and see some things in different light.
- Thanks for your answer. However, let’s go on talking about business. As we know, you have experience in working on such markets as Forex, MICEX, NYSE, NASDAQ. What was the toughest challenge for you?
- My biggest challenge was working with Big Data in 2010–2012, while there were almost no high-quality tools, so we had to create our own ways to prevent data from disappearing and to provide correct processing of algorithmic systems. Back in the day, we only could develop Zorax if we had millions of investments and several years of hard work. Now it’s much easier because we have Google services and specific tools, such as Hbase/Kafka.
- Currently, you are part of the Cryptoindex team. It’s a platform that might become the Dow Jones index for the cryptomarket in the future. Do you think the project has a high potential?
- Yes, I think that the cryptocurrency index market has vast potential. Indices came to the stock markets a long time ago, and there is almost nothing that can beat them. Tools like the new CIX100 which involve technologies like ML and Big Data are the new generation indices. This trend will soon come to stock markets too. I consider this as an inevitable stage of evolution of financial derivatives.
- Cryptocurrency market is in its bear stage now. How will Zorax AI adjust to the current situation?
- The last decline happened in March 2018 when the market dropped to the same positions as in November 2018. April came together with the sudden rise of altcoins predicted by Zorax. There won’t be any particular adjustment. There are just new data that will make our forecasts more accurate.
- Stablecoins are a very useful tool on the market. Why doesn’t Cryptoindex include them?
- We are not using stablecoins for ideological reasons. By design, a stablecoin is not an asset for Cryptoindex. S&P500 doesn’t include dollars, does it?
- Now I see. Your team did a great job. Could you tell us more about your team? What’s special in your teamwork? How do you distribute work between the developers?
- The specificity of working in a team is working with professionals, and all the work is distributed between them according to their responsibility areas.
Someone is responsible for data collection and storage infrastructure, another team member supervises neural network operations, there’s also someone working with exchange adapters and so on. To avoid the bus factor, all the areas are strongly intertwined.
Most of the team members have been working together for 5 to 10 years, and this experience helps us understand each other at a glance and easily reach consensus in any arising questions.
- Can you predict the future of the crypto market?
- I’m not into long-term forecasts. We can predict possibilities. CIX100 is aiming to be better than such benchmarks as CBI100, Bitcoin, and total market capitalization. Our task is to grow faster than them and fall slower than them. We achieve this goal most of the time. As a result, CIX100’s cumulative performance is much better than of any benchmarks mentioned above.
- What blockchain use case you consider to be the most successful?
- Briefly, it’s all about digital money replacing common fiat. In the years to come, the cryptocommunity will start to move in a common direction, and mass adoption will be reached, so you’ll be able to pay with crypto anywhere you want and easily sell and buy crypto. The transition from golden and silver coins to banknotes took centuries, banknotes turned into digits on your bank account in decades. So, there are all the chances for crypto to become ubiquitous in 10 years.
- Last but not least, what will be your advice both to the beginning and experienced traders? Do you have a general rule they might find useful?
- Buy & hold has nearly always been the best strategy. When people panic, they lose their money, no matter what the financial tool is. So, the best decision is to buy and wait for the investment to start delivering returns. What matters most is diversification, and CIX100 is a great tool for that.
Nevertheless, one should not invest all his or her savings even into this single index. A financial portfolio should consist of many instruments, such as stocks, different currencies, real estate, and so on.
Thank you for your time, Sergey! It’s been a pleasure talking to you.
The 3 best comments(10 words or longer)— interview below will get CIX BOX!
Today in CIX BOX:
Pack — 100 CIX token(~$38) + 500 BC tokens(~$50)
How to get CIX BOX?
You should register here — https://ico.cryptoindex.io / write your email and Eth address under your comment! Good luck!
Note! Your comment should be constructive.
The AI-based Cryptoindex algorithm is constantly learning by consuming huge amounts of data rapidly making decisions and choices that humans would struggle to match.
You can always check the current Cryptoindex concept on our MVP platform:http://cryptoindex.ai/
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