Have you ever experienced this feeling: staring at the K-line screen, heart racing, reading countless analyses but still... buying at the peak? Watching others flaunt their profits while you're stuck with a position, even starting to doubt yourself 'maybe I'm not suited for this market'?

Don't be discouraged. I have been involved in the crypto market since 2017, witnessing many 'Legends of Getting Rich Overnight', and have also seen numerous accounts wiped out in just a few crashes. Today, I share 8 core survival principles, all of which have been paid for with real money and real tears. If you understand and can apply them, at least you can avoid 'losing' a few dozen million.

1. Use the Daily Frame to Determine the Trend, Smaller Frames to Find Entry Points

Many people trade short-term but only look at the daily chart, see that the trend has not broken, and feel secure in their orders. The result is often being 'whipped' out of the market by long wicks or candles.

My experience after 8 years is:

  • The larger frame (D1) to determine the main trend

  • The smaller frame (30 minutes or 1 hour) to find the entry timing

There are times when looking at the daily frame you see the market moving sideways, but when you open the 30-minute frame, you see that the subsequent bottoms are higher than the previous ones, with capital silently accumulating. When the two time frames are in sync, the probability of winning increases significantly.

2. When the Trend Breaks, Retreating is More Important than Catching the Bottom

"Just wait a little longer; it should bounce back."
"It's dropped this much; it must bounce back somehow."

These are the phrases that have turned many people from small losses into heavy losses. The market never lacks opportunities, but capital is limited. When the upward structure is broken, and important support levels are continuously breached, retreating is not cowardice, but preserving life.

Going with the trend is not a slogan, but a survival limit. When the trend becomes chaotic, sometimes standing aside to observe is the smartest decision.

3. Stay Away from 'Three No's' Coins: No Liquidity - No Narrative - No Capital Flow

New traders are often attracted to lesser-known coins, low volume, thinking 'small capital, easy to pump'. But the reality is often harsh: you can buy but not sell.

In crypto, short-term logic is very clear:

  • Narrative is the engine

  • Liquidity is oxygen

  • Capital flow is fuel

Missing one of the three, no matter how beautiful the technical model is, it is just a castle on sand. Instead of trying to 'dig for gold' in barren places, follow the hot sectors where real capital is cycling.

4. Clearly Write Down Your Trading Plan, Absolutely Do Not Trade Based on Emotions

Before each trading session, I always take about 10 minutes to clarify:

  • Entry point

  • Stop-loss point

  • Take-profit target

If the market does not go according to the scenario, I am ready not to trade. Many people lose not because of poor analysis, but because they do not adhere to the plan: seeing the rise leads to FOMO, seeing the drop leads to panic selling.

The market is an emotional amplifier. Only a clear plan can help you avoid being swept along by price movements.

5. The Analysis of Others is Just a Reference, Not a Guiding Compass

The current market is flooded with KOLs, technical analysis, and 'insider information'. New traders can easily fall into information overload. I once believed in someone else's 'whiffed tip' and paid a steep price.

The truth is:

  • Everyone has their own position and interests

  • Information can be delayed or biased

The most important thing is to build your own analysis system, combining technique and market context. Even if you are wrong, it is still your own experience – much more valuable than blindly following the crowd.

6. Choose the Right Industry Before Choosing Coins

Trading is like driving: if you are going in the right direction, you can go slowly and still arrive; if you are going the wrong way, stepping on the gas will only make you go in circles.

If a sector is favored by capital flow, the likelihood is high that coins within it will all have waves. Conversely, if the entire sector is weakening, no matter how 'premium' the coin you choose, it is hard to win.

Start from the big picture: macro environment, policies, capital flow → choose a sector → then select specific coins. Doing it in the right order will greatly increase effectiveness.

7. Buy When the Price Rises, Don't Try to 'Love' the Coin That is Falling

Catching the bottom is an obsession for many people. Everyone wants to buy at the bottom to prove they are experts. But the market has a very simple rule: prices always go in the direction with the least resistance.

In a downtrend, no one knows where the bottom is. Today's 'floor' can become tomorrow's 'ceiling'. A wiser strategy is:

  • Buy when the price breaks important resistance

  • Trading volume increased significantly

At that time, the trend had formed, and trading was not only aligned with the market but also much less stressful.

8. After Making Big Profits or Heavy Losses, Definitely Take a Break

This is the principle I value the most. Large profits can easily lead to excessive confidence, while heavy losses can easily lead to a recovery mentality. Both are extremely dangerous.

Every time like this, I always:

  • Close all positions

  • Take a break from trading for 1-2 days

  • Review: winning due to skill or luck, losing due to wrong strategy or mentality

Over the years, I have realized: after 'resting at the right time', the quality of the trading decisions significantly increases.

Conclusion

Crypto has never been a casino for dreamers looking to get rich quickly. It is a battlefield of awareness and discipline. The more you understand the market, the more the market rewards you.

I went from not knowing how to read K-line, having 'burned my account' three times, to now being able to survive and earn steady profits – not thanks to luck, but thanks to these 8 survival principles being repeated every day.

If you are feeling lost in the market, save this article. Every day before opening the chart, read it again – it might just be what helps you stay in the game longer.