8 Years of Crypto Market Battles: Ten Survival Principles Paid for with Real Money

In the cryptocurrency market, the survivor is not the smartest, but the one who knows when to be afraid. Many in the market ask: “How to x10, x20 my account?” But after 8 years of ups and downs, what I want to say is: how not to die. I’ve had big wins, and I’ve also burned accounts. I’ve been extremely excited, and I’ve stayed up all night watching balances vaporize. What remains today is not a secret to quick wealth, but 10 principles that help me still be here.

1. Don’t Deify Any Coin With an account under a few tens of thousands of dollars, “trust” is a luxury. The market doesn’t care which project you love; it only cares where the money is flowing. In an uptrend, corrections are opportunities. In a downtrend, technical rebounds are traps. Many people lose not because they pick the wrong coin, but because they love a coin for too long. Coins are not responsible for your account.
2. Good News Usually Means Money Is Leaving A painful truth: most good news is used to dump. When the community is excited, when everyone shouts “to the moon,” early buyers are already starting to leave the table. My survival strategy: Prepare your position before the news breaks → gradually take profits, prioritize capital preservation Don’t be the fastest to read the news but the slowest to sell.
3. Stay Away from Altcoins Before Long Holidays This is not superstition, but real money statistics. When liquidity is low: Whales can manipulate easilyAltcoins fluctuate wildlyA single candle can wipe out months of effort From many “celebrating Tết with tears,” I’ve derived this rule: Holidays → reduce altcoins, hold large coins or cash Not losing money is already winning.
4. Don’t Dream of the Perfect Bottom The market does not owe you a V-shape. A 10–15% drop is not the bottom. A 30% drop is not necessarily the bottom either. The real bottom usually comes with time + frustration. My rule: Only buy when the trend has turned upDon’t fight the trend just because “the price is cheap” Catching falling knives doesn’t make you more professional, only makes your account thinner.
5. Where There’s Debate, There’s Opportunity Crypto is a market of emotions and attention. The most watchful areas often have: Strong volatilityHigh liquidityIntense disagreements When everyone agrees → high risk When there’s fierce debate but money flows in → worth studying Don’t seek absolute certainty, because profits come from uncertainty.
6. Know How to Act During Market Panic Panic is when: Risks are releasedOpportunities start to form But not to go all-in. My strategy: Enter in small partsAlways keep reserve fundsOnly increase when the market confirms Everyone who survives understands: cash is a weapon.
7. Cutting Losses Is Not Weakness, It’s Wisdom No stop-loss = no plan. A small loss order can save you from: A losing streakA psychological crisisAccount burnouts Survival principle: Limit each loss to a very small part of your accountCut your losses and don’t argue with the market The market is always right. Wrong is just your position.
8. Short-term Trading Must Have Rhythm Short-term doesn’t mean clicking continuously. Newcomers often make mistakes: Entering too many tradesLack of clear exit pointsAdding a few more percent then losing everything Survivors: Know when to enterKnow when to stay outAccept modest profits Not trading is also a decision.
9. Master One Method Better Than Half-Hearted Over Ten Don’t just collect strategies. Instead: Choose a styleUnderstand when it works and when it failsRepeat until it’s second nature The market rewards consistency, not showiness.
10. Most People Don’t Make Money From “Buying the Bottom” Sounds attractive, but in reality: Good bottom callers are very rare, Most people get their capital buried. Those who boast big profits usually: Entered very earlyOr are looking for buyers to buy their position The wise ones: Buy when afraidSell when the crowd is euphoricNo need to boast, just survive Conclusion: The Market Doesn’t Beat You, You Beat Yourself After six years, I realize: Losses don’t come from lack of knowledgeBut from greed, fear, haste, hesitation Crypto is not a race of who is faster, but who is more resilient. Preserve capital → have opportunities. Opportunities → one day, a big wave will come. Treat trading as a discipline-building process, not a gamble. When you are calm enough not to make big mistakes, profits will come naturally. Continuously learn, respect the market, and survive long enough—that is the true path for crypto practitioners.