After spending enough time in the crypto world, you'll find that the real veterans who can weather bull and bear markets hold onto a few seemingly simple yet life-saving rules.

They do not chase trends, do not gamble with leverage, and may even seem a bit 'timid', but their account curves are stable enough to make others envious.

Today, I am going to share these survival rules that veteran traders keep private; understanding just one can save you three years of detours.

1. First learn to 'recognize your limitations'; risk is something you cannot afford to touch.

Veterans often say: 'In the crypto world, being a bit timid can help you survive longer.' I learned this from an older trader—he has a strict rule: he can only tolerate a maximum loss of 5% on any trade, and if it reaches that point, he cuts it off without hesitation. Last year, during a market fluctuation, he sold a coin just before it rebounded, and someone in the group laughed at him for 'selling too early,' but he waved his hand and said: '5% is my bottom line; if it breaks, I have to go, otherwise, I might not get another chance next time.'


Position sizing is taken to the extreme. No matter how good the opportunity, he will invest at most three times his capital; even when shouting 'buy the dip', he might only dare to use 20% of his capital. Some say he is 'too conservative', but his account has never blown up in five years, while those who go all in every day have long disappeared from the group. The 'timidity' of veterans is not cowardice; it is leaving a lifeline for funds—opportunities are never lacking in the market, but what is lacking is the capital to wait for those opportunities.

2. Don't go against the trend; the market never 'makes sense.'

'When the candlestick goes up, don't keep saying 'it should drop'; when it crashes down, don't hope for a 'successful bottom buy.' This is what veterans often say. Recently, a beginner complained to me that a certain coin dropped 60%, and he thought 'it had dropped enough' so he went all in, only for it to drop another 40%. He cried, saying 'it doesn't make sense.' But veterans understand: the market doesn't care about your logic. Once a trend is established, the inertia is much stronger than you think.


During the bear market in 2022, I saw the most stubborn person: Bitcoin dropped from 60,000 to 30,000, and he said, 'It will rebound before the halving'; it dropped to 20,000, and he shouted, 'The golden bottom is here'; finally, it dropped to 16,000, and his position had already blown up. Meanwhile, those veteran traders who followed the trend and shorted made steady profits, even if they only made two trades, they doubled their earnings. Trends are like floods; don't think about swimming upstream—go with the flow to avoid being swept away.

3. Trade like a machine; don't bring any emotion into it.

On the trading screens of veteran traders, there is always a note: 'Plan your trade, trade your plan.' Set stop-loss and take-profit levels, execute when the time comes, don't be greedy when prices rise, and don't panic when they fall. I have my own rule: if I earn 10%, I must sell half, even if it goes up after I sell, I will never look back.


Once, I sold half of a purchased altcoin just before it skyrocketed. People in the group lamented, saying I 'missed out on hundreds of thousands', but I was not worried at all—eventually, that coin indeed plummeted, and I preserved my capital with the profit from that half position. Veterans never believe in 'insider news' in the group; those who shout the loudest are either trying to trick you into buying or are also just passing on hearsay. Once emotions are involved in trading, it easily turns into 'gambler-style trading'; machines won't be swayed by emotions.

4. Losing a few trades is normal; don't be stubborn.

'Making six correct trades out of ten is acceptable; the key is to make more when you are right and lose less when you are wrong.' This is the profit and loss philosophy of veteran traders. I know a friend who made four wrong trades in a row, losing a total of 12%, but then caught a small wave on the fifth trade and earned 20%, still outperforming most people for the year.


The most common mistake beginners make is wanting to 'recover their losses' and end up losing more and gambling harder, increasing their position size. Veterans understand: trading is like playing poker; no one wins every time. The important thing is to bet less when losing and to be bold when winning. Accept 'occasional mistakes' to survive in long-term trading.

5. Don't be envious of others making money; you are playing with your capital, while they are playing with profits.

Veterans usually don’t pay attention to screenshots of profits shared in social circles. They know: either someone just happened to catch a market wave, or they are gambling with the money they earned previously. Comparing your capital to theirs is like comparing a salary to money from a demolition payout—there’s no way to withstand it.


I've seen the most tragic example: someone saw others posting screenshots of 'earning 500,000 from 1,000,000' and went all in, only to lose 500,000. Later, he found out that the person was playing with 'the 1,000,000 earned earlier', so losing it wouldn't hurt their capital, while he had wagered his entire fortune. Veterans never compare their earnings with others; they only compare their stability—if their capital is intact, they can wait for the next wave.

6. Spend less time watching the market; the more you look, the itchier your fingers get.

'Half an hour at market open, half an hour at market close; do whatever you need to do during the rest of the time.' This is the time management method of veteran traders. There is an older trader who only checks the market twice a day, working during the day and spending evenings with family, and at the end of the year, he earned more than those who stayed up late staring at the screen.


The more you look at candlestick charts, the more impulsive you become. Initially, you plan to 'buy on the pullback,' but as you stare at the screen, you can't resist chasing the highs; you should cut losses, but instead, you comfort yourself by saying 'just wait a little longer.' Veterans understand: frequent trading is the root cause of losses; reducing the number of times you watch the market can help control your actions and avoid 80% of ineffective trades.

7. Don't set your expectations too high; being able to earn 50% a year is already something to be thankful for.

'Ten times in a year' is a myth that veterans just listen to and move on. They know: either it’s a stroke of luck catching a trend, or it’s a gamble with dozens of times leverage, which comes fast and goes even faster. Last year, there was a 'hundred times in a year' guru, and this year, he is already borrowing money to eat.


Veteran traders are all about 'slow and steady': earning 30% this year, 40% next year, and over the years, they can multiply their earnings several times. They never chase 'get rich quick', only 'guaranteed profits'—just like saving to buy a house, saving a little each month, and before you know it, you have enough. The crypto world is full of 'get rich overnight' stories, but lacks the ability to 'earn steadily over the long term.'

Finally, I want to say:

The survival rule in the crypto world can be summed up in one sentence: surviving is better than anything else. The 'earthy rules' of veteran traders may seem conservative, but they are actually treating the market with respect and caution. Less fuss, less impulse, earning little by little, and before you know it, you will find that you have already outperformed 90% of those who are eager to get rich quickly.


Remember: the market is never short of opportunities; what is lacking is the ability to survive long enough to wait for those opportunities. Be a bit timid, slow down, and be steady to last longer in the crypto world.