Over the years in the crypto world, my most unforgettable moment was the 2017 Altcoin frenzy.

I set my sights on $ADA, gradually building my position starting at $0.03. Three months later, it skyrocketed to $1.2. The numbers in my account were doubling wildly—almost 40 times. The first thing I did every morning was to check the market app for those digits, even starting to calculate how much I could buy with that money in the city.

But I was too greedy and never dared to press the sell button. Then, a cliff drop came. ADA plummeted to $0.2 in one go. The unrealized gains vanished like water, and 80% of my profit evaporated instantly. My dream of buying a house was also completely shattered.

Since then, I understood: in the crypto world, buying is not the hard part; the real skill is learning how to sell.

**My take-profit method — Ladder Selling:**

Suppose a coin rises from $1 to $2. I sell 30% first, to recover my principal. The remaining amount, whether it goes up or down, doesn’t bother me. If it continues to rise to $3, I sell another 30%. For the final 40%, I set a trailing stop — if it drops 15% from the high, I close all positions. This way, I won’t miss the main upward wave, and I can lock in profits.

**Regarding stop-loss, I have only one iron rule:**

A single loss should not exceed 5% of the total principal. After each purchase, I immediately set a -10% stop-loss order. It’s like insuring my trades. Don’t be afraid of missing opportunities because of this — there are plenty of chances in the crypto market. But once the principal is wiped out, there’s no qualification to turn things around.

Over these years, I’ve seen stories of overnight riches, but more people have lost everything. Those who can truly walk away with profits intact are the ones who never violate their discipline.