Playing Crypto for a Year and Still Losing? 10 Hard-Hit Lessons to Help You Escape the "Shark Farming" Situation

If you’ve been in crypto for over a year and your account is still in the red, the problem is almost certainly not the market, but how you participate in it. I have been here for more than ten years – from the days of “going all-in for the dream of changing your life,” to learning how to survive, and then thinking about getting rich. Below is a new article, delving deep and systematically reviewing the core principles that ordinary people must understand if they do not want to continue providing liquidity for others.

1. Small Capital Don’t Trade Like a Worker, Think Like a Sniper Small capital with continuous trading is the fastest way to… blow up your account. Trading fees, slippage, FOMO psychology – all erode your account little by little. 👉 With small capital, just catching one big wave a year is enough: Previous wave – after Bitcoin halvingWave with clear narrative: DeFi, AI, Layer 2, Restaking… You’re not a fund, not a market maker. The more you trade, the higher the probability of mistakes.
2. Demo to Learn Techniques, Real Money to Build Psychology Many people: Demo always profitableReal money causes panic, breaks discipline The reason is not “bad luck,” but because you don’t understand what game you’re playing. Long-term traders: Use demo to standardize strategiesUse real money with small amounts to build psychologyUnderstand projects, tokenomics, on-chain flow – not just candlesticks 👉 Money that exceeds awareness sooner or later will return to the market.
3. Good News Is When You Should Be Most Cautious A universal rule of crypto: Price rises first – news comes later – latecomers pay the price Bitcoin ETF, network upgrades, major partnerships… When the press and KOLs hype together, it’s often the smart money’s exit point. 👉 Buy in doubt, sell in euphoria.
4. Before Holidays, Capital Preservation Is Priority Low liquidity + unexpected news = disaster. Before Tet, long holidays: Reduce leverageLower position sizesEven stay out Missing profits doesn’t kill you, but a sudden crash can wipe everything out.
5. Medium – Long Term Is Not Just Buy and Forget Many confuse “holding” with “neglect.” Medium – long term truly means: Price surges → take partial profitDeep correction → buy back graduallyAlways keep cash to rotate 👉 For example: recovering capital early so profits can run – you won’t have psychological pressure.
6. Short-Term Trading Only Play Liquid Coins Coins with no volume = a sweet trap. Short-term is suitable for: Active trading coinsHot narrativesStrong community But remember: High volatility = high risk, so position management is crucial.
7. Distinguish Clearly Between Gradual Decline and Rapid Crash Gradual decline: withdrawal of funds – stay awayRapid crash: panic – opportunity Strong dumps often end very quickly. But never “all-in” at the bottom – splitting capital is the survivor’s strategy.
8. No Stop Loss = Inevitable Burnout Not cutting losses because: HopingPrideBelieving “it will come back” The market owes you nothing. 👉 Survival principle: Having capital means having opportunity.
9. Short-Term Trading, Simplify Everything A suitable timeframe for most short-term traders: 15 minutes. No need for 10 indicators: PriceStructureA familiar tool Too many indicators only paralyze you with analysis.
10. Consistent Profits Come from Repetition Not the newest strategy, but the one you understand best that makes money. One setupOne entry – exit methodRepeat with discipline 👉 Big profits don’t come from intelligence, but from consistency. Conclusion: Longevity in the Market Is More Important Than Quick Gains Crypto is not short of geniuses, but it lacks those who survive long enough to enjoy the rewards. If you are still in loss: StopReview your trading journalCheck which principles you have violated In this market, discipline is the highest form of intelligence. Learning to avoid losses is already half the victory.