Playing the long game with crypto? Here's a reality check. Put $2900 into Bitcoin back in 2021, and you're sitting on roughly $4000 to $6000 today. That's solid—not life-changing, but solid.

Now flip to Ethereum with the same $2900 entry. You're basically breaking even, maybe slightly up. That's the difference between being on the main stage versus supporting cast.

As for whatever memecoin was shiny back then? Chances are it wasn't even on your radar—or if it was, you're watching an 80% drawdown over the past year. The hype cycle is real, and the math doesn't lie.

That's before you factor in the bigger picture: trading mistakes, liquidations, untimely exits, and the mental toll of watching positions swing wildly. It all adds up. The takeaway? Bitcoin's narrative stayed intact. Everything else? Not so much.