According to @david_perell, the introduction of free index funds, pioneered by giving away company ownership to investors, fundamentally transformed traditional finance by removing barriers to entry and reducing costs (source: @david_perell, Twitter). For crypto traders, this shift toward zero-fee investment products is highly relevant, as it sets a precedent for decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols aiming to provide low-cost, accessible investment solutions. The ethos behind free index funds parallels current developments in DeFi, where projects often prioritize user benefits over short-term profits, potentially increasing adoption and liquidity in the crypto market.