On Christmas Eve, cold rain fell in Shanghai, and I stared at the numbers on the trading interface, suddenly bursting into tears. Just three days ago, I was planning to exchange for a river view apartment, and at this moment, my account balance shrank from 4,700,000 to 700,000, nearly losing the original principal. On this deep night in 2020, I pounded the keyboard so hard, yet I couldn't retrieve those fleeting 'wealth'.

As a veteran who has been crawling in the crypto circle for 7 years, I have seen too many myths of getting rich overnight, and I have personally experienced countless collapses that resulted in total loss. Starting with a principal of 500,000, and now standing back at a scale of 10 million, I can confidently say that those who survive are not relying on luck, but rather on three survival rules picked up after stepping on broken bones.

1. Leverage is a noose, definitely not wings

When I first entered the industry, I was greedier than anyone else. The feeling of being leveraged 20 times is still unforgettable. I once made 500,000 in a single day from a market trend and treated my friends to a night of revelry at a bar, feeling like a born trading genius. Until that regulatory hammer fell, in just two hours, my account was halved. The moment the red warning popped up, my hands were so numb I couldn’t even press the close button.

Now, my trading system has the leverage button permanently locked at 3 times, with the position in any single variety strictly controlled within 5%. Some say this is conservative, but I understand it as the wisdom of survival. The crypto market is never short of doubling trends, but the premise is that you must last until the trend arrives. Those who leverage with the mindset of 'let’s gamble and then exit' are mostly just fuel for the market.

2. Mainstream coins are building a base, while air coins bury people

After falling into the leverage pit, I found myself trapped in the 'hundredfold coin' maze. Years ago, with a principal of 300,000, I bet it all on a project claiming to 'revolutionize the industry.' At its peak, I had a floating profit of 1.8 million, but my greed clouded my judgment; I kept thinking of selling after it doubled. As a result, the project team absconded with the funds, and the official website turned blank overnight. I stared at my black screen, having no energy left to even curse.

Learning from my mistakes, my current capital allocation is as solid as a fortress: 85% firmly invested in mainstream core varieties, which are like the ballast stones of the crypto market, stable in bear markets and solid in bull markets; the remaining 15% is only used to test new targets, and they must meet three conditions: 'team transparency, verifiable technology, and a practical ecosystem.' Protecting the fundamentals is the key to standing firm through the storms.

3. Stop-loss is armor, not an escape route

The dumbest move I ever made was watching a certain variety drop by 15% and still thinking of 'averaging down' by adding to my position, ultimately losing the money I had prepared to buy a new house for my parents. It was then that I understood that stubbornly enduring in front of the market is no different from standing on a rooftop against a typhoon.

Now, I have a 'safety lock' on every trade, presetting a hard stop-loss line at 8%. Once triggered, the system automatically closes the position without hesitation. This is not about backing down but about respecting the market. A drawdown of over 8% is likely due to a misjudgment, and timely stop-loss to protect the principal gives a chance to turn the tables next time. Remember, keeping the green mountains is truly more important than anything else.

In recent years, as I watched the people around me come and go, I became increasingly clear: the crypto space is never short of opportunities; what it lacks is the patience and discipline to protect the principal. Those who flaunt accounts worth millions are not just lucky; they steadily grow rich by adhering to their own rules while others chase highs and lows.

If you are still confused in the market now, it’s better to memorize these three rules first. When the next market trend arrives, the one who survives could be the final winner. Let’s chat in the comments: what reasons have you had for stepping into a pit? #加密市场反弹 $ETH