Having been in the crypto space for so many years, my deepest realization is that—staying alive is much more important than making money.

The lessons from ten liquidation experiences have led to stable profits now. It’s a bit bittersweet to say, but it’s definitely worth summarizing.

**Time is the greatest ally**

In the past, I was easily fooled by fake news from the whales. During the day, a single "big positive news" could make me rush in, only to become a bagholder seconds later. Later, I realized—signals after 9 PM are the real ones. At this time, news is generally stable, candlesticks don’t fluctuate wildly, and market direction becomes clearly visible. Those sharp fluctuations often occur during panic caused by some funds deliberately creating chaos.

**Know how to allocate your earnings**

I’ve seen too many people get greedy after earning 3x, aiming for 5x, only to give it all back in a sudden crash, sometimes losing even more. My current approach is—after earning 1000 USDT, immediately withdraw 300 to my bank card, and keep the rest active in the market. My wallet is getting fatter.

Once this habit is formed, I make it a point to withdraw 30% of profits every Friday without fail, which keeps my mindset relaxed.

**Indicators are useful, but feel like they’re deceptive**

After using TradingView for so many years, I trust these three indicators the most:

- **MACD Golden/Death Cross**: Crossovers of the two lines signal entry or exit
- **RSI Overbought/Oversold**: Above 70, be cautious; below 30, there might be opportunities
- **Bollinger Bands Opening**: When they tighten and then suddenly expand, it’s often a sign that the market is about to move

But here’s the key—only enter when at least two of these signals agree. Acting on a single signal blindly is gambling.

**Stop-loss isn’t fixed**

This is something many people overlook. When watching real-time prices, if you make a profit, move your stop-loss upward. For example, if I bought at 1000 and it rises to 1100, I’ll move my stop-loss to 1050, locking in 50 USDT profit.

But when I need to go out, I set a strict 3% stop-loss to prevent some shady whales from dumping the market overnight and wiping out everything.

**Understand candlestick scenarios**

When looking at the 1-hour chart for short-term trades, you should see at least two consecutive bullish candles before considering buying. If the market is sideways, switch to the 4-hour chart to find support levels, and enter when close.

These two simple principles can help avoid many false breakouts.

**Most common pitfalls**

I’ve fallen into these traps myself, so I especially want to warn newcomers:

- Don’t use leverage over 10x; for beginners, cap at 5x. Under 10x leverage, a 5% correction can wipe out your entire principal.
- Avoid meme coins and shitcoins—they have a 99% chance of zeroing out.
- Limit yourself to 3 trades per day. Overtrading makes you reckless, impairing judgment.
- Never borrow money to trade. The pressure will distort all your actions.

**Spot trading is the right choice for ordinary people**

Honestly—these days, I only watch the market for 3 hours a day, and I make more stable profits than before. Staying up late chasing pumps and dumps was just plain stupid in hindsight. Back then, my mindset was completely driven by the whales’ rhythm. A reckless rookie is the best target for manipulation.

Treat trading like going to work—shut down at the right time, eat when it’s time to eat, sleep when it’s time to sleep. Your quality of life will improve, and your account balance will grow steadily. For most ordinary people, avoid futures trading; spot trading already offers enough opportunities to make gains.

In the blockchain and Bitcoin market, the biggest enemy isn’t the market itself, but your greed and anxiety.