2025-12-26 15:23:10

Recently, a friend who has been navigating the crypto market shared his frustrations: his $200,000 account was gradually whittled down to just $5,000. Looking through his trading records, the issues are all too familiar—

Dozens of trades a day, with fees eating away at profits; seeing floating gains and dreaming of doubling; holding on stubbornly during drawdowns, waiting for a miracle that never comes, ultimately leading to liquidation.

I asked him directly: Are you really trading, or just gambling?

Most of the pitfalls he’s fallen into are common. Focusing on 1-minute candles, believing short-term gains can make you rich overnight, but ending up just working for the exchange; reluctant to cut losses on losing trades, numbing himself with "faith," and holding on until forced liquidation; going all-in on hot coins, getting caught up in the hype, and ending up at zero. This cycle can completely distort a person’s mindset.

I advised him to change three habits first: only look at charts longer than 4 hours to avoid being led astray by minute-level noise; strictly control position sizes, enforce stop-losses without bargaining; and most importantly, turn trading discipline into muscle memory rather than an emotional crutch.

After adjusting his rhythm, he missed some opportunities but also seized a few key ones. Over three months, his account recovered to $270,000.

The volatility in the crypto market is always there—Federal Reserve repurchase plans, market ups and downs, short-term temptations—these are unchangeable. The real change can only come from your own trading approach and mental rhythm. Wandering aimlessly can lead you further astray; but with a clear plan and execution, even missing some opportunities, the long-term profitability prospects are actually higher.

If you’re struggling right now, maybe it’s time to seriously review your trading style, adopt a more stable rhythm, and make this journey last longer.

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TheShibaWhisperer

· 3h ago

200,000 to 5,000, how much can you tinker with? A few dozen trades a day is just pure money giving to the exchange. Looking at the 4-hour chart is really amazing; I lose half the fees I used to pay when I watched the minute chart haha. Stop-loss discipline is something I’m still practicing; it’s easy to talk about but really can drive you crazy when you try to do it.

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AirdropF5Bro

· 3h ago

Turning 200,000 into 5,000, how crazy is that? Bro, he's treating the crypto world like a casino.

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GasSavingMaster

· 3h ago

Ha, 200,000 down to 5,000, that's just outrageous. Brothers who make dozens of trades a day really should reflect on that. Stop-loss is really difficult, once your mentality collapses, everything is over. I've also fallen into this trap. The 4-hour cycle is indeed more reliable, much better than obsessing over minute charts. Wait, is 270,000 really back up, or are we losing again? I'm now strictly watching the 4-hour chart, although I missed a lot, my sleep quality has improved a lot haha. This guy's problem, to put it simply, is greed, always thinking about one shot to turn things around, but the market keeps teaching him a lesson. The line between gambling and trading is just that one thought, and it's a huge difference. Position control is truly the lifeline; without it, everything is pointless. I'm now strictly adhering to it.

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SleepyValidator

· 3h ago

Damn, going from 200,000 to 5,000, how much skill does that take? People who only make a few trades a day don't deserve to be here. Honestly, most people are just thinking about getting rich overnight, not realizing they're already giving money to the exchange. Stop-loss might sound simple, but very few actually follow through with it. The four-hour chart suggestion isn't bad; at least it can reduce being disturbed by minute-level noise. The key is to have discipline, or all plans are pointless. This guy went from 5,000 to 270,000 in three months—either he's incredibly lucky or he's truly enlightened. But statistically, most people trying probably won't succeed.

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