Contrary to Popular Belief, How Did I Survive in the Crypto Market?

Risks always go hand in hand with opportunities. Rationality constantly clashes with emotions. And crypto is the clearest place to expose that nature. In 2017, I entered the crypto market with a mindset more of curiosity than an investor. At a Web3 conference back then, I had the chance to chat with a veteran in the industry. Over a few drinks, he told me his journey: from making money through arbitrage in 2012, suffering heavy losses during the 2013 crash, to making accurate bets on DeFi in 2017 and reversing his financial fate. That brief conversation changed my perspective on crypto. I realized an important truth: those who survive long-term in this market are not reckless gamblers, but “survival experts” with iron discipline. Harsh Truth: Most People Turn to Crypto Because They Have No Easy Options Left In the current economic context, many traditional industries are saturated and fiercely competitive. Starting a business is high risk, personal entrepreneurship is becoming more difficult, and the digital content sector has also turned into a red ocean. For most young people, earning a salary just enough to cover daily expenses makes it very hard to make a significant leap in wealth. Crypto appears as a different path: great opportunities, fast pace, and no regard for starting point. The allure of quick wealth, strong growth cycles, and success stories spreading on social media have attracted a large influx of newcomers. But accompanying that is a brutal attrition rate that not everyone can foresee. The Market Has Matured, But It’s Not More Lenient Compared to its early days, the crypto market today has significantly developed in infrastructure and maturity. Legal frameworks in many regions are becoming clearer, enabling strong participation from institutional capital. Traditional financial products related to crypto are appearing more and more, making it easier and safer for retail investors to access the market. At the same time, blockchain technology has advanced rapidly. Layer 2 solutions reduce fees and increase transaction speeds, new platforms are continuously emerging, allowing users to participate with just a few simple steps. However, easy access does not mean easy money. As technical barriers decrease, mindset and discipline become the decisive factors. My Survival Principle: View Crypto as Business, Not a Game of Luck After nearly 8 years of involvement, I have distilled some principles that I always strictly adhere to: Capital management is the top priority. Each trade never exceeds 20% of the total account. The maximum loss per trade is always clearly limited. A mistake should never wipe out all previous gains. Be patient and wait for high-probability opportunities. Most of my time is spent observing, researching, and waiting. I only act when the market gives clear signals. Continuous trading in a highly volatile market usually only depletes the account gradually. Don’t follow the crowd’s emotions. FOMO and panic are the two biggest enemies of investors. I always stick to my trading system, avoiding decisions based solely on hot news or hype on social media. Never Underestimate the Hidden Risks Despite the big opportunities, crypto remains a market full of traps: High volatility is normal, not an exception. Large capital still resides with a few whales, making short-term price manipulation easy. Security risks are always present: exchanges being hacked, smart contracts with bugs, personal wallets being stolen. Therefore, I keep most of my assets in cold wallets, only a small portion for trading. Safety always takes precedence over short-term profits. Sincere Advice for Beginners If you’re considering entering crypto, remember these: Only use idle funds, never borrow or leverage without enough experience. Start with a small amount to learn how to control emotions and risks. Equip yourself with basic knowledge of blockchain, wallets, security, and how to distinguish valuable projects from scams. Build a clear trading system instead of trading on impulse. Opportunities in crypto never disappear. The key is not to get in early, but to survive long enough to seize the right opportunities. Conclusion Crypto is like a magnifying glass: it amplifies greed, fear, and even a lack of discipline. In this global game, the only thing you can rely on is not luck, but solid awareness and self-control. The path is always there. The only question is how you choose to walk it.