#FollowTheLeadTrader 🤘Success &👎Failure 1. 🤘Success: Following Vitalik Buterin & Ethereum’s Rise Leader: Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum Outcome: Early adopters benefited greatly In 2013, Vitalik Buterin published the $ETH whitepaper, proposing a blockchain that could support smart contracts—self-executing agreements that go beyond Bitcoin’s simple transactions. Many in the crypto world were skeptical, but those who believed in Buterin’s vision and invested ETH early saw massive gains.

• Ethereum’s ICO in 2014: ETH was sold at around $0.30 per token.

• Ethereum’s all-time high (2021): ETH reached over $4,800. Long-term Impact: Ethereum became the foundation for DeFi, NFTs, and thousands of blockchain applications.

Following a leader with a strong technical background and a clear long-term vision (like Buterin) can lead to success, especially when their project solves real-world problems.

2. 👎Failure: The Hype & Collapse of Terra (LUNA) & Do Kwon Leader: Do Kwon, founder of Terra (LUNA) Outcome: Massive losses for investors

Do Kwon was a charismatic and confident leader who convinced many that Terra (LUNA) and its algorithmic stablecoin, TerraUSD (UST), would revolutionize decentralized finance. Many retail investors and even big institutions followed his vision without questioning the risks.

• LUNA’s meteoric rise: LUNA went from pennies in 2020 to over $119 in April 2022.

• UST collapse (May 2022): The stablecoin depegged from $1, triggering a $40 billion market crash.

Do Kwon had often dismissed critics, calling them “poor” or “stupid,” and many ignored red flags because of his strong personality and confidence. When the collapse happened, investors were left with huge losses.

A strong, vocal leader doesn’t guarantee success. Hype can mask serious technical flaws, and blind trust in a single figure can lead to financial disaster. Following a leader in crypto can be rewarding if they are truly innovating, but it’s dangerous if they are just creating hype. The best strategy? Listen, but verify. Study their vision, analyze the risks, and never invest based purely on charisma or promises.