A complete ecosystem activates within milliseconds when consumers submit information online. That simple form submission transforms anonymous data into a highly specific tradable financial asset, triggering an invisible economic race involving at least six distinct businesses operating in parallel. The supply chain operates across three specialized tiers: lead generators/publishers who create raw material, aggregators/distributors who route and validate, and end buyers whose conversion ability determines viability of the entire chain. Tier 1 generators exhibit distinct models requiring different skillsets: SEO content sites like NerdWallet and Bankrate play the long game building trust through educational content; comparison engines pioneered by LendingTree capture data once and sell to multiple buyers simultaneously, multiplying revenue per conversion; affiliate marketers live on a razor's edge with zero margin for error since every click costs hard money upfront; call centers produce the highest quality inventory through live transfers costing hundreds of dollars per successful handoff; and co-registration networks generate the lowest cost, lowest quality leads as ancillary data capture. The fundamental value creation is transforming anonymous search intent into identified, consented prospects with auditable documentation.