2026-01-18 21:21:25

In the market, survival is often more important than making money.

The crypto world is like a smoke-free game—everyone is fighting in this forest. Those with funds are the hunters, while most retail investors are actually prey set up for the hunt. I have been in this circle for nearly ten years, witnessing countless stories of overnight riches, but honestly, what I see more often are tragedies of accounts being wiped out in an instant.

Whales and manipulators leverage their capital and information advantages to set various traps. Retail investors trying to survive rely not on super-strong technical analysis skills, but on counter-human psychology and almost obsessive patience. Here are some survival tips I want to share from my experience in this market.

**Manipulation Tactics: How You Are Being Hunted**

Pump and dump is the most common way to harvest retail investors in the crypto space. Operators target a low-volume altcoin, coordinate buying to artificially push up the price, creating a false impression of a surge, and attract retail investors to follow in a herd. Then—bam! They dump all at once. The whole process is like a carefully planned hunt, with social media serving as the bait they cast.

You’ve probably seen scenes like this: a little-known coin suddenly gets hyped up across various communities, with big influencers taking turns endorsing it. This is the typical pump phase. When FOMO is ignited and the price skyrockets, you think you’ve seized the opportunity, but in reality, you’ve already become the last bagholder.

How to identify such manipulation? Just look for these signs: inexplicable spikes in trading volume without any positive news, uniform hype across social media, and intense recommendations from anonymous KOLs. These are all warning signs. Genuine investment opportunities are usually low-key, supported by real progress, and don’t need hype to heat up.

**Counter-Human Operation Principles**

1. Buy during panic, sell during greed

When the market is extremely panicked, even seasoned traders hesitate to buy the dip. That’s precisely when the opportunity arises. But be careful—not to go all-in at once, but to buy in small amounts gradually.

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MetaLord420

· 01-21 20:50

Honestly, the saying that living is more important than making money hits home. I realized this during my worst ten years of losses. Watching people around me get liquidated one after another, no matter how many K-line techniques I learned, it was useless. The key is not to be greedy.

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WalletsWatcher

· 01-21 17:15

Speaking realistically, I've been living like this for the past ten years. The key is not to be greedy; only by staying alive can you wait for the next wave. --- Really, I've seen too many people go all-in and then have their accounts wiped out. Now, holding a small position and waiting for opportunities is more important than anything else. --- I've seen through the routine of pumping and dumping long ago; the key is self-control. Many people simply can't resist FOMO, and in the end, they all become bagholders. --- There are rarely many who make money in the crypto world; only those who survive are the winners. This hits the point exactly. --- Taking small positions in batches is truly a survival guide; those who go all-in at once usually end badly. --- When social media is full of praise, it's time to run. This rule is too accurate. --- Ten years of experience makes what I say different; those new rookies just can't listen.

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BottomMisser

· 01-20 13:33

Living is indeed more important than making money, but after ten years, I still haven't figured it out. This group of people all fell for FOMO, but I'm different. I fell for my overconfidence in bottom-fishing.

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ShibaMillionairen't

· 01-20 13:32

A ten-year veteran shares their experience, and it’s quite eye-opening. I am that person who was smashed to the point of doubting life. --- Just living is enough, who cares about making money or not? My account is almost zero, what else is there to think about? --- I’ve fallen for this trick before. A group of people in the community were wildly hyping a certain coin. I was brainless and rushed in, and then there was no turning back. --- Regarding anti-human nature, what they said is true, but who the hell can really do it? When panic sets in, your legs go weak. Why bother buying then? --- The analogy of hunter and prey is a bit dark, but that’s how cruel the crypto world is. Without funds or information, you’re just waiting to be cut. --- I just want to know how not to become the bag holder. Feels like it’s already too late no matter what I do. --- After seeing so many tricks to wipe out retail investors, I don’t dare to touch anything anymore. Living like this is probably better than being liquidated. --- Patience and going against human nature sound easy, but when it’s time to act, FOMO has already clouded your judgment. Honestly, who can really do it?

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OldLeekConfession

· 01-18 21:51

Living is winning, well said. Over the past ten years, I've seen too many accounts go to zero, even more than those who made money. --- I'm tired of the pump and dump routines. The more aggressively a coin is hyped in the community, the worse its outcome. --- Panic is actually the real opportunity, but it must be done in batches. Going all-in at once is just asking for death. --- Retail investors lack not technology, but the patience to hold and not move. That’s the real skill. --- The moment a big V endorses, I know it's time to run. Lessons learned. --- The crypto world is just a hunting ground; most people don't even realize they're the prey. --- Selling during greed is actually harder than buying during panic—human weakness. --- Hearing stories of accounts going to zero so often, I finally understand that living is the most important thing.

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GateUser-6bc33122

· 01-18 21:51

It's so heartbreaking. The crypto friends around me are all like this—either they get rich overnight and soar to the sky, or their accounts are wiped out completely, with no middle ground. Really, sometimes just staying alive is already half the victory. I've truly seen those coins that suddenly get hyped up, only to be caught as a bagholder, losing so much they start to doubt life. Now I see a bunch of coins being hyped in the community, I become cautious—first see if there's real progress before saying anything. Retail investors need to be more ruthless; any greed must be suppressed, or you'll definitely get harvested. The key is to hold back and not get caught up in FOMO—that's the hardest part of all. Ten years, those who can still speak are truly skilled. It's easy to say panic buying, but how many can stay calm and buy in stages when that moment comes... It's really about mental resilience. Wealthy people live longer because they are not impatient or impulsive.

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MaticHoleFiller

· 01-18 21:51

Living truly comes first; even if you lose money, you can try again. If the account is wiped out, it's game over. These are the heartfelt words of a ten-year veteran. Watching new traders keep coming and getting cut, it's really despairing. Those who shout about bottom-fishing every day are actually just dumping their holdings—really dirty-hearted. It's true that splitting into small, light positions is a good strategy. I went all-in at once and got trapped until now. I'm still filling the pits.

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BearMarketBro

· 01-18 21:38

That's so true, the ten-year history of rookie investors' blood and tears really hit home for me. Living is truly more important than making money; those who lose money usually die at the moment of greed. I stay far away from the coins that are wildly hyped in those communities, as having KOL endorsements often means it's time to run. I've long understood the strategy of building positions gradually, but I still often fall prey to FOMO emotions, knowing full well that there are tigers in the mountain.

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LongTermDreamer

· 01-18 21:33

Buddy, ten years of experience sounds impressive, but I've been bottom-fishing five times in three years. It's good enough that I'm still alive, haha. Want to stay alive? Then first ask yourself if you have the capital to survive. The biggest enemy of retail investors is not the market makers, but their own greedy heart.

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