I have a story at home that has recently touched me deeply. During the last family gathering, my cousin surprisingly told me he traded with 2000 yuan and turned it into 280,000 in three months. Can you imagine? When I saw him on Labor Day, he was still asking what the red and green bars on the K-line chart mean. The whole family was stunned.

Actually, he doesn't have any special tricks; he just learned the trading system I developed over eight years thoroughly. Over the years in the crypto world, I've seen too many people start with enthusiasm, only to end up losing everything. The mistakes they make are often very similar—treating the market like a casino, believing that getting rich quickly is normal, and then going all-in once and getting wiped out.

I later realized a principle: the crypto market is not a casino, but to survive here, you first need to learn that "living to trade is the way to make money."

**Position Management: Survive First**

Dividing your initial capital into three parts is fundamental. For example, with 2000U:

800U for intraday trading, with at most two trades per day, and stopping immediately once you earn 3%. This is quick money.

700U for swing trading, but with a strict rule—only trade in an uptrend, and stay flat during sideways markets. This is medium-term.

500U directly locked in a cold wallet, and if the exchange doesn't go bankrupt, never touch it. This is insurance.

Sounds simple, right? But this is exactly what most people can't do. Last year, I saw an older guy go all-in on a certain altcoin, and in half a day, he lost six months' savings. Think about it—once the principal is gone, even the best opportunities don't matter to you anymore. The market is never short of opportunities; what’s missing is the money that’s still alive and has bullets left.

**Trend Hunting: 20% of the Time Determines Profit**

What is the normal state of the crypto market? 80% of the time, it’s oscillating; only 20% of the time, there’s a real trend. People who trade frequently are actually working for the exchange, paying transaction fees every time.

The real profit strategy is the opposite: most of the time, just wait. Wait for that 20% of good opportunities. It’s like hunting—do you see hunters running around all day? No, they’re crouching and waiting for the perfect shot.

Another important detail: after making a profit, take 15% of the gains and convert it into stablecoins. The benefit of this is that your mindset becomes more stable. Because you’ve already secured the profits, even if the remaining money loses, it won’t hurt as much.

**Discipline: Beating Emotions with Rules**

The biggest opponent for retail traders is actually themselves. When prices rise, greed kicks in—thinking it can go higher; when prices fall, panic—wondering if they should sell; when caught in a position, adding more—thinking about average cost. These are all human weaknesses.

I use three iron rules to lock down these emotions:

First, when the decline reaches 1.5%, cut the loss immediately—no exceptions.

Second, when earning 3%, reduce half of your position to lock in profits.

Third, never add to a losing position. It sounds harsh, but it’s the way to save your life.

You can think of trading discipline like a car’s airbag. During rapid rises or falls, it protects you from going too crazy. Stories of sudden wealth are always circulating, but very few can turn luck into consistent profit. It’s not that the market is brutal; it’s that too many people try to take shortcuts, completely ignoring the most basic thing—risk management.

My cousin achieved that result in three months because he strictly followed this framework. He doesn’t dream of getting rich overnight; instead, he focuses on defense to the extreme and only takes action at the right time. That’s the real secret to surviving long-term in the market.