Even those who already have experience in the crypto universe can make costly mistakes.

In 2025, with high volatility, constant emergence of new projects, and regulatory advances in various countries, following these five rules is essential to protect your assets and increase your chances of winning.

This article is aimed at those who already understand the basic concepts of the sector and seek to refine their strategic approach by taking some more in-depth actions.

1. Smart diversification: more than just spreading assets

In the traditional market, diversification is already a well-known mantra. In crypto, it becomes even more vital. However, diversification is not simply spreading capital among dozens of random altcoins. It is necessary to:

  • Maintain a solid base with leading assets like BTC and ETH;

  • Evaluate distinct sectors of the market (DeFi, L1 and L2 infrastructures, RWAs, decentralized stablecoins);

  • Consider the correlation between assets and the global macroeconomic moment.

Excessive allocations in illiquid or overly speculative tokens can jeopardize portfolio stability. In bear cycles, this translates into significant losses and low reaction capacity.

2. Protection orders: stop-loss, take-profit, and technical management

In the crypto context, where fluctuations of 15% to 30% in a single day are not rare, leaving positions open without protection is a mistake that still costs many traders dearly. Intermediate strategies include:

  • Set stop-loss based on real support zones and not just arbitrary percentages;

  • Use trailing stops to maximize gains without exposing yourself too much;

  • Combine partial take-profits at different stages of the cycle to ensure liquidity and opportunity for rebalancing.

Intermediate investors can also benefit from using tools like trading bots with automatic management commands.

3. Emotional control: operations based on thesis, not impulse

Those who have been in the market for some time know the impact of entering an asset due to FOMO (fear of missing out) or panicking with an abrupt correction. The solidity of a strategy depends on self-control. Some tactics include:

  • Have clear entry plans, targets, and exit points before buying;

  • Record in a trading journal the reasons behind each trade or investment;

  • Avoid excessive exposure during market euphoria.

Moreover, it is advisable to periodically review your investment thesis in light of new information and not be afraid to adjust your course.

4. Constant research: DYOR as a survival tool

Even experienced investors can fall into poorly structured projects if they do not maintain the habit of researching deeply before investing. The concept of 'Do Your Own Research' goes far beyond looking at a chart or following influencers:

  • Read the whitepaper and understand the project's proposal and its tokenomics;

  • Investigate the team: do they have a proven track record in the industry? Are they active on social media?

  • Evaluate the active community, presence on relevant platforms, and trading volume.

Tools like Messari, DeFiLlama, and CoinGecko Pro are great allies to go beyond the surface. In addition, of course, to following the content here on Square.

5. Digital security: more than a good practice, an obligation

With the increase in attacks in 2025, protecting yourself is essential. Intermediate-level investors should adopt a proactive stance:

  • Use cold wallets (hardware wallets) for long-term storage;

  • Separate wallets by purpose: one for DeFi actions, another for storage, and one for testing;

  • Revoke access to dApps periodically using tools like revoke.cash;

  • Check URLs, fake domains, and phishing signs before any login.

The integration between networks and Web3 wallets brought convenience, but also expanded attack vectors. Caution is key.

Ultimately, discipline and consistency are the biggest differentiators

In a market where attention quickly turns to the next 'moonshot', maintaining focus on good practices is what distinguishes those who survive from those who disappear in a cycle. The five rules presented here do not guarantee immediate profits but avoid basic mistakes and protect you from traps that continue to catch even the most experienced.

Diversify with criteria, use protection tools, keep your emotions in check, deepen your research, and never neglect security.

Those who master these practices tend to better seize each opportunity in the crypto market, with fewer scares and more consistency.

And you, did you already know these five rules?

#money #trading #trade #crypto

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