Contract trading may sound simple—just grasp the market direction to make money. But reality often gives you a harsh slap.

Among coins like SOL, XRP, ETH, many people get trapped by the curse of "correct direction but still losing money."

Someone lost 800,000 in just half a year of initial contract trading. The most heartbreaking part is that in those few times when the direction was correctly predicted, they still ended up with nothing. Only after reviewing the settlement sheet did they realize that the real opponent isn't the market itself, but the tricks played by the market manipulators.

The three most common traps used by market manipulators, which trap retail traders:

**Trap 1: Reacting to every wind.** Jumping in at the slightest market fluctuation, going all-in at a breakout. Unaware that the big players have already been waiting there, and a reverse spike can wipe you out instantly.

**Trap 2: Setting stops too rigidly.** Fixed 3% or 5% stops seem safe, but in a highly volatile contract market, this is basically giving the manipulators an opportunity. Many people get swept three times because of a "false breakout," watching the market rise in the predicted direction, only to regret it later.

**Trap 3: Gambler mentality of going all-in.** Going all-in is like entrusting your account’s life to the market. Even if the direction is correct, a few reverse K-line movements can trigger a ruthless zero-balance warning. Watching your balance go from full to zero can cause sleepless nights.

After climbing out of the deep pit of liquidation, the real turning point comes from three strict rules:

1. **Never go all-in**—divide your position into three parts and deploy gradually.
2. **Flexible stop-loss**—adjust according to market volatility, rather than sticking to a fixed point.
3. **Observe when uncertain**—stay out of the market when conditions are unclear, and wait patiently.

Following this approach, from consecutive liquidations to stable profits, my account tripled in one year.

The biggest secret in the crypto world is actually very simple: winners are not those who predict the correct direction most accurately, but those who survive until the end.