I used to be the kind of retail investor who gets repeatedly harvested by the main players. Chasing rallies and selling on dips, frequently cutting losses, to the point of wanting to give up. Only later did I realize that what the main players fear most is retail investors learning these 3 signals.

**Sideways consolidation with decreasing volume may seem calm, but it’s actually a lurking phase**

Bitcoin or altcoins repeatedly fluctuate within a certain price range, with decreasing trading volume, looking dead and dull. But this is the tactic of the main players locking in their positions—they slowly accumulate chips at low levels. And retail investors? They can’t hold on and run away. During this time, don’t rush. Once volume suddenly spikes, the price often breaks out directly, and that’s when retail investors who exited earlier regret it.

**Fake breakdown of support is a trap to induce short positions**

You’re watching a key moving average (like the 60-day MA), and suddenly it’s broken through, which can be quite frightening. But look carefully at the trading volume—it’s shrinking, even smaller than in previous days. That’s a signal. The main players intentionally push down to create panic, forcing retail investors to cut losses, then they pull back within 3 days. This is called a "false breakdown," indicating the end of a shakeout. Those who truly understand the rhythm will instead build positions in the opposite direction at this time.

**When a top shows consecutive long shadows, it’s time to act**

The coin’s price stagnates at high levels, with continuous long upper shadows (especially with volume), or repeatedly surges and falls back. This is a clear sign that the main players are selling off in batches. The most painful part is, sometimes after positive news is announced, the price actually drops—indicating the main players already knew in advance and sold at high levels. At this point, reducing positions is the right choice; don’t try to catch the last wave.

**Retail investors’ practical response**

During sideways periods, be patient and wait for volume signals; don’t panic when a fake breakdown occurs—wait until support is confirmed before considering reverse positioning; if volume surges at the top and the price stagnates, reduce your holdings immediately—don’t gamble on the last wave.

Ultimately, the main players are just exploiting human greed and panic. But once you learn to analyze volume, key levels, and candlestick patterns with cold, hard data, you can shift from being the one cut by others to seeing through their tricks. The market is just like that—no dark secrets, only whether you can see clearly.