Recently, many people in the crypto circle have been doing side jobs, from live streaming sales to opening physical businesses. This actually reflects a harsh reality of the entire industry.



Speaking of which, the reason why making money from trading coins is difficult is simple—market volatility is too fierce. During the 2017-2018 bull market, some people indeed made huge profits, but when the bear market hit, many were wiped out, accounts went to zero, and some even owed a lot of debt. The chain of events in 2022 (Luna project collapse, FTX explosion, etc.) also cut a large number of people. By 2025, there are signs of recovery, but no one can guarantee what tomorrow’s market will look like. Most people are actually in a state of "made money before, but didn’t hold on."

KOLs have an even harder time. When the bear market arrives, project teams have no budgets left, and income from calls, advertising fees, and referral commissions all shrink. Without other sources of income, it’s really hard to make a living.

That’s also why smart people in the crypto world aren’t all-in these days. Selling snacks or doing some real industry may not sound as sexy, but it’s stable. There’s always demand for beef meatballs, whether the coin price rises or not, you need to survive. Compared to relying solely on market sentiment, solid businesses are more reliable.

Another phenomenon is the severe segmentation among KOLs. The top-tier group (early entrants, strong real holdings) has indeed achieved financial freedom. But what about mid-tier KOLs? Relying on promotional orders, operating paid communities, and earning commissions barely makes ends meet. When the bear market hits, their income drops sharply. Some are even "debt KOLs," appearing glamorous on the surface but borrowing money behind the scenes to maintain their image. Doing side jobs to supplement cash flow is actually a very pragmatic choice.

So, yes, it’s possible to get rich quickly in the crypto world, but staying wealthy is much harder. People who understand the industry always leave a backup plan for themselves. After all, staying up all night staring at K-line charts can’t compare to the satisfaction of steady income.
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NoStopLossNutvip
· 13h ago
Honestly, the truth about debt KOLs is that too many people are pretending to be tough. I saw through Luna's wave, so who can you trust next? All-in investors are gamblers; smart people have already been working on side businesses. Don't get too excited about this rebound; there's a good chance of a continued crash tomorrow. That's why you need to diversify your strategies; this is how the crypto world works. KOLs look glamorous? Ha, behind the scenes, many are heavily in debt. I truly believe it; candlestick charts don't smell as good as beef meatballs.
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LeekCuttervip
· 13h ago
Honestly, I've never seen anyone in the crypto circle truly go all-in without getting burned. The biggest joke in the crypto world is "I've made money," but no one can say "I've held onto it." Those who are posting signals every day have long been working part-time delivering takeout in secret, haha. Instead of waiting for the next market cycle, why not start a side business now? Isn't it better to earn money steadily? After the FTX incident, I learned to be smart and never put all my eggs in one basket again. To be honest, it's really hard to survive in the crypto world without doing some other business now. Those top-tier KOLs have long achieved financial freedom, and us folks in the middle can only endure slowly. Looking at us, it's not easy to survive just by riding market sentiment. The stability of beef meatballs is indeed more reliable than the coin price, that hits hard. The chance of getting rich quickly is real, but who can guarantee they'll still be earning next year? The divide is too severe; bottom-tier KOLs now have to take on promotion orders just to get by.
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StealthDeployervip
· 13h ago
Made profits but didn't hold on, that hits home. I know a bunch of people like that. Debt-KOLs are really quite ironic—calling signals in public but borrowing money behind the scenes. Where did all the all-in investors go? They probably already left the scene. Crypto wealth is real, but in a bear market, everything disappears. Business becomes much more stable. Selling beef balls every day, watching candlestick charts but not understanding them, which one to choose is obvious. I knew Luna was doomed during that wave; too many people lost everything. Doing a side job is actually a smart choice; don't be foolish and go all-in. KOLs who were calling signals at the beginning of the month are selling snacks by the end of the month. The true face of bear market KOLs is finally revealed. Making money is easy, but saving money is the real skill.
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ser_we_are_earlyvip
· 13h ago
Oh my god, this is reality. People in the crypto world still have to rely on side jobs to survive. Honestly, it's been clear for a long time that the dream of getting rich overnight is always the first to wake up. That wave of Luna really couldn't hold on; so many people went back to square one overnight. Thinking about it, what's the use of staring at the charts every day? It's better to do some solid small business. Middle-tier KOLs feel the most uncomfortable; relying solely on hype can't feed them anymore. Selling beef balls isn't shameful; whether the crypto rises or falls, there's always food on the table. That's the way to go. I really didn't expect debt-ridden KOLs; maintaining their persona costs quite a bit. So now, smart people have to walk multiple paths. The era of going all-in is over.
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