Having been in the crypto world for so many years, I’ve found that there are ultimately only three outcomes for those who trade cryptocurrencies.

**The first is outright bankruptcy.** These people usually share a common trait — impatience. They’re eager to double their money quickly, to get rich overnight, leverage up, chase after low-quality coins, or even borrow money to go all-in. Little do they know, a 50% or more correction in the crypto market is quite normal, and leverage can blow up instantly. Or when a project team runs away, the investors’ funds are gone for good. Add in risks like losing private keys, exchange hacks, phishing scams — and it’s easy to lose everything with a single mistake.

**The second is achieving financial freedom.** It sounds profound, but it’s actually just four words — simplicity is key. Those who truly make money are often the HODLers, sticking to Bitcoin and major mainstream coins. When they have money, they buy and hold without selling. They’re not trading actively; they’re allocating assets, just like buying property or gold. No matter how volatile the market, they don’t sell. This is called heavy holding and long-term persistence. It seems simple, but very few can stick with it.

**The third, most awkward outcome — working hard but earning little.** These people are often quite smart or diligent, researching low-quality projects and airdrops every day, but at critical moments, they don’t dare to go all-in. The result is effort with little reward. There are also those swing traders who watch the charts all day, thinking they’ve avoided small corrections, but in the end, they miss every major move and keep getting shaken out.

Ultimately, investing is inherently against human nature. Most people’s flaw is chasing highs and selling lows — wanting to jump in when prices rise, unable to handle dips, and frequently cutting their positions. This guarantees they won’t catch the big trends. So, rather than relying solely on quick thinking, one’s character and integrity have a greater impact on investment success. Want financial freedom? Start by cultivating yourself.