Survive Before Thinking About Making Money: The Harsh Truth of the Crypto Market

In the crypto market, the ending of “family shattered – accounts back to 0” has never been rare. Leaderboard of big winners constantly changes, not because they evolve, but because the previous ones have “died.” As someone who has been deeply involved in this market for many years, I have witnessed countless newcomers with eager eyes, only to silently disappear without a word of farewell. Today, I won’t talk about superficial things. I’ll just tell a raw truth: For beginners, the number one goal in crypto is not to make money, but to “not die.”

1. Contracts – Leverage: Touching It Means Waging a Deadly Feud Let me say this straightforwardly, no beating around the bush: Whoever encourages you to open a contract, use leverage → cut them off immediately, no second chances. This is not a scare tactic. In contract trading, you’re not playing mind games with the market; you’re playing a game of bluff with the exchange and the sharks. Your position, liquidation point, and leverage level are all visible. You think you’re “outsmarting,” but in reality, you’re just a marked prey. During Bitcoin’s volatile period in April 2025, data from major exchanges shows: Over 90% of users with leverage over 10x have accounts wiped out. You might win a few times. But no one wins forever in a game with negative expected value. I myself have survived thanks to luck and “survivor bias.” But now: More than 90% of my assets are spot (hold)Contracts are only used with very small positions for teaching, profits and losses are just tuition. Still want to try? 👉 Ask yourself: can you handle the feeling of your account going to 0 in one minute?
2. Before Investing, Complete 5 Mandatory Steps If you’ve read this far and are still determined to enter the market, don’t rush into trading. Complete the five preparation steps below – missing even one makes you unqualified to invest. Learn the Investment Mindset of Survivors Read the works of Warren Buffett, not to copy strategies, but to deeply understand three principles: Never buy what you don’t understandNever borrow money to investAlways leave a safety margin This is the strongest shield against FOMO – the thing that kills most newcomers. Understand Business Logic, Not Just “Hundred Times” Review analyses of business models, but: Avoid channels that boast profits, cars, or lifestylesThe goal is to understand: how does the project make money? Where does the money flow from and to? If you can’t answer this, you’re just gambling disguised as investing. Recognize Your True Position Smart money always enters early and exits early. When news spreads, influencers hype, you enter the market then not to make money, but to participate in a race: “Who runs faster when the music stops.” Crypto operates in cycles: Bear → accumulationBull → distributionPeak → sell-off Those who don’t understand the cycle always buy at the top and sell at the bottom. Use Money You Can Lose to Experience the Process Set aside a sum: Losing doesn’t hurtMuch doesn’t affect your life Then do the entire process yourself: DepositBuy and sellWithdraw 👉 Remember the feeling, not the profits Real experience is worth more than thousands of empty advice. Keep a Trading Journal – Only Mark Logic, Not Price For each trade, write down: Why buy?Why sell?Are emotions involved?Are principles violated? After writing, review three times before deciding to trade again. Maintaining this habit, your growth rate will surpass 90% of the market.
3. Three Survival Principles Must Be Imprinted in Your Mind Once you’re using real money, these three principles must never be broken. All words are noise – Even mine The wind blows, pigs fly. But when the wind stops, pigs fall fastest. Don’t blindly trust KOLs or influencers. Many people: Receive promotional moneyPush projects with no product, no revenue Independent thinking is your only weapon. Money Must Be in Hand – Never Delegate Any phrases like: “Guaranteed profit”“Leading the trend”“Covering losses” → Translate to: “Send me money and I’ll scam you.” The private key is the only key to your assets: Store offlineNever take screenshotsNever store on your phone 90% Waiting – 9% Learning – 1% Investing Opportunities to get rich appear once every few years. When they come, you need: CapitalRemaining in the marketKnowledgeAnd enough discipline to keep profits The market isn’t short of opportunities, only short of those who survive long enough to find them.
4. Conclusion: The Only Thing That Won’t Betray You Is Awareness When you can’t see the future clearly, bow your head and learn. Prices may stagnate, markets may hibernate, but your awareness must not stop. Crypto is a game: 70% loss20% break-even10% winners 👉 Just surviving, you’ve already beaten most. Investing is a journey of dehumanization. Only those who fear risk, follow discipline, and avoid illusions have a chance to move to the next cycle. Survive first – then think about moving ashore.