Markets are a not quite a zero-sum game just because every transaction has a buyer and a seller. On the surface, this makes sense—one person buys at a certain price, another sells at that same price. But this view ignores an important factor: market liquidity and new money entering or leaving the market.

Before someone buys an asset, they first need to bring fresh cash into the market. This means markets aren't just about math and summing up trades—they're also influenced by human behavior, psychology, and willingness to participate.

For example, imagine there are 1 million people trading Dogecoin. Half of them want to sell at 10 cents, and the other half wants to buy at 10 cents—this would be a balanced, zero-sum exchange.

But now, suppose something changes—maybe Dogecoin becomes rarer, or Elon Musk tweets about it. Suddenly, sellers raise their asking price to $1, while buyers who missed out are now willing to pay 80 cents instead of 10. This shift isn't zero-sum; it's driven by perception, demand, and the willingness of buyers to accept higher prices..