Hi, I'm Nicolas.
I search and gather information to understand, and I write to share.
This blog is my reading notebook on finance and crypto, tidied up. I write articles because these topics deserve more than a thread or an ad. I sell nothing and advise no one in particular — I just explain what I've understood, with sources. I write when I have the time and the urge — no schedule, no promises.
Where I come from
short bioNothing remarkable.
No finance degree, no fund to manage. More of a self-taught path: a PC, some code, game servers, and crypto crossed early. I kept the habit of tinkering, checking for myself, and writing down what I understand.
First PC
My first computer of my own. Everything else flowed from there: tinker, break, fix, repeat.
Visual Studio 2013, VB.Net
My first lines of code, in VB.Net. Clumsy, but I was hooked.
Discovering Bitcoin
My oldest traceable BTC transaction dates from that year. I didn't get all of it — but the curiosity never left.
GMOD DarkRP server
A game server funded entirely by player donations. To this day, my one and only genuinely "profitable" project. :)
2018
Mining my first ETH
A graphics card running hot, one ETH mined. Enough to grasp, concretely, what sits behind the word "blockchain".
FivePD FR server
The first French-speaking FivePD server (timing-wise). Financially a write-off, but a great experience — that counts too.
nicolas.finance
This blog. Long articles on finance and crypto, in French and English. Static site, hosted in Europe, no tracker. I write when I have the time and the urge — no schedule.
How I write
/notesI read first
When an article leans on a prospectus, I read it in full. The sources are listed at the bottom so you can check for yourself.
I explain, I don't sell
I try to show how a product works, not to tell you what to buy — I have neither the right nor the wish to do that.
No hype
I won't write "this is going to explode". If a topic is a bit boring but useful, all the better.
I say when I'm not sure
When I'm uncertain, I say so and explain why. I'd rather share an honest doubt than a tidy certainty.
I show my mistakes
When I get something wrong, I correct it in plain sight and date the fix. No quiet rewrites.
French and English
When an English term has no good French equivalent, I keep it and explain it. That's what the glossary is for.
Money, independence
/honest.mdHere, simply, is what I earn, what I turn down, and what I show you before every click.
Affiliate links are flagged, never hidden
When I recommend a broker or a book, I prefer a direct link. If a partnership exists, you see the [lien affilié] badge before the click — never after. Full list on the affiliation page.
The blog is free
No paywall, no exclusive tier, no "premium" content held back. RSS works. Email works.
No sponsored posts
No "guest article" from a brand, no placement, no paid op-ed. If someone offers money to "talk about their project", the answer is no.
No personalised investment advice
I'm not a registered investment advisor. The articles are public, educational content — they apply to nobody in particular. See the disclaimer.
Frequently asked
faqQ1Will you give me personalised advice?›
No — I don't hold the regulated status for that. Everything here is public, educational, and applies to nobody in particular.
For an opinion on your own situation, see a registered advisor and check their license number — it's public.
Q2Why no comment section?›
Useful reactions reach me by email — I read every reply and fold the good points back into the article when it helps (with the author's okay).
Q3Do you publish your sources?›
Always. Every article ends with a sources section. When a link rots, I keep the name and the date I read it.
Q4How do I suggest a topic?›
By email, in two sentences. If the angle is useful, I'll add it to the list. No promises on dates — the backlog is long.
Q5What about YouTube, Twitter/X, TikTok?›
Short formats don't suit these topics well, for me at least. I'd rather give you 12 minutes of reading than 60 seconds of vertical video. The blog and its RSS feed are the only official channels.
Q6Under what license?›
Text is published under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — reuse it freely, cite the source, keep it non-commercial. See the legal notice for the rest.
Colophon · contact
/meta$ cat colophon.md
$ cat contact.vcf
No schedule, no promises.
I write when I have the time and the urge. To keep up, the RSS feed is there — the simplest channel, and the hosting bill is on me.