In the harsh winter of 2016, with only 30,000 yuan in my pocket and anxiety about next month’s rent, a friend drew a line on a greasy restaurant table with chopsticks, saying it was a Bitcoin K-line, and the price was 5500. My reaction was straightforward—this is ridiculous. I had never traded stocks, and I almost failed my university computer science class. But that sentence drilled into my mind: "You're not trying to get rich right now, you're trying to survive."

Eight years later, looking back, from 30,000 yuan to a more substantial asset accumulation, it was not magical insight but a simple rule mocked by most "smart people" that made it possible.

**The most expensive word is "bottom fishing"**

The most widespread scam in the crypto market is "precise bottom fishing." This illusion caused me to lose more than half of my early savings. Everyone imagines they can step on the lowest point, but most of the time, they are stepping on new highs.

I later realized one thing: I simply cannot predict where the bottom will be. But I can control how I approach it.

**Gradual accumulation became the only way out**

When I am optimistic about an asset but its price is falling, most people panic. I learned to think in reverse—the lower the price, the more excited I am. Because I can accumulate more chips at a cheaper price.

The approach is simple: divide the planned investment into at least five parts, set decline ranges and trigger conditions. For example, if I plan to invest 100,000 yuan, divide it into 20,000 yuan parts, starting at a certain price, and build positions gradually according to preset conditions. The benefit of this method is automatic cost averaging, reducing the psychological thrill of gambling, and cultivating patience for compound growth.

**The key is to change your mindset**

Bottom fishing is a gambler’s mentality; gradual accumulation is an engineer’s mentality. The former relies on intuition, the latter on discipline. Crypto market volatility is large, but those who survive are not necessarily those who predict correctly, but those who last the longest. Accounts that stick to gradual accumulation, avoid chasing highs, and can endure short-term setbacks will ultimately come out on top.

When the rebound comes, everyone can see it. Those who make money are those who did not sell during the plunges and still have bullets to build positions at lows. This is not some profound theory, but the simplest survival rule in the market.