Today's cryptocurrency market is no longer the 'wild west' where anyone could make a quick buck. In an era controlled by institutions, the rules seem more refined but hide more concealed dangers — the essence of high risk hasn't changed, it just looks different. If you still want to venture in, listen to my heartfelt advice from someone who has survived market crashes and pitfalls.
The gameplay has changed, and the mindset needs to adapt.
In the past, randomly picking an inconspicuous altcoin might lead to a doubling of your investment; when a bull market came, it seemed like everyone could ride the wave. But now? Institutional funds act like a giant magnet, pulling liquidity towards large-cap assets. With Bitcoin ETFs, publicly traded companies hoarding coins, and the rise of the RWA sector, smaller coins have become forgotten weeds, with prices fluctuating wildly enough to give people heart attacks. For retail investors trying to profit from them? It’s as hard as reaching the heavens.
It's not that you can't play anymore, it's that you need to change your approach. Information asymmetry, capital management, and execution ability are the three lifelines for survival now.
Keep your impatience in check; only by 'guarding' can you win.
Stop dreaming about getting rich overnight. Just say that in 2025, even if Bitcoin breaks past $120,000, most altcoins won't even see a fraction of the gains that BTC and ETH will. Institutional money is cautious, only going to compliant and highly liquid places — SOL, ETH, and those potential candidates for ETFs are what they are targeting.
The real opportunities lie in 'waiting'. The market spends 80% of its time stagnating and fluctuating, either drifting downwards or in a continuous decline, only 20% of the time will it suddenly surge. Experienced traders aren't making money from reckless operations; they are making money by being patient.
In terms of strategy, early positioning? The risk is too high, easily becoming someone else's stepping stone; exiting at the last bit of profit? Don't be greedy, exiting at the top is ten times harder than bottom fishing. Securely capturing the middle wave is the steady profit that retail investors can grasp.
Find the right position; flexibility is key to survival.
In an institution-led market, retail investors shouldn't fantasize about competing head-on. Once Bitcoin ETFs are announced, giants like MicroStrategy and Trump's companies hoarding coins, the pricing power has long been out of the hands of small investors. Our advantage isn't having more money, it's having a smaller ship that can turn more easily.
Focus on the tracks where institutions are congregating:
- RWA (Real World Asset Tokenization): Public chains like Solana and Aptos are fiercely competing for this significant market share;
- Compliant stablecoins & ETF candidates: XRP, SOL, LTC, these could be the next guests at the ETF table;
- Derivatives & DEX: Decentralized exchanges like Hyperliquid are seeing a surge in trading volume, while shares of centralized exchanges like Binance are dropping; the winds have changed.
A few honest words can take you far.
- Spend your money wisely: Never go all-in, and definitely don’t leverage your bets. Black swan events in the crypto world come out of nowhere, like dumplings being dropped; stablecoins decoupling can happen suddenly. Be too aggressive? One time can wipe you out.
- Use your own brain: Don't listen to KOLs misleading you; many 'analysts' haven't even experienced a full market cycle, and their advice is less reliable than flipping a coin.
- Pay more attention to on-chain data: Candlestick charts can deceive, but capital flow, exchange reserves, and contract open interest tell the real story. The ATR strategy from Gate Research Institute is worth considering.
- Surviving longer is a skill: Making money in a bull market might rely on luck, but surviving in a bear market shows true skill. Staying alive gives you the opportunity to wait for the next wave.
Ultimately, the crypto space is still a 'game for the few'. Coming in with a 'let's gamble' mentality? I advise you to leave early. But if you're willing to spend time learning, adjusting strategies, and controlling emotions, this is still the place with the fiercest wealth reshuffling.
Remember: In a bull market, others are busy counting money; a bear market is when you secretly accumulate capital. The true winners aren't the ones who rush in the most, but those who can stabilize their footing and laugh to the end.
I hope everyone still holding on in the crypto space can survive, make money, and gradually grow stronger.
