It's not about prediction, but following.
The market since 2025 has been dazzling, with Bitcoin soaring from over 30,000 to 69,000, and Ethereum not to be outdone, not to mention those dark horse Altcoins that pop up from time to time. Trends come in waves, yet the most common complaint I hear is: "Teacher, why do I always miss out?"
If you look at your trading records, you might find a harsh reality: you have hardly ever fully capitalized on any trend. As soon as the market starts, you rush to take profits, and during pullbacks, you panic and flee without a plan. By the time the trend truly unfolds, you can only watch others celebrate.
So in trend trading, being right about the direction is not valuable at all; the real skill is being able to hold on. Today, I want to honestly discuss with you what kind of money trend trading actually earns, why 'holding on' is so difficult, and how I learned to dance with the trend step by step.
1. The true nature of trend trading: it’s not about the number of trades, but the magnitude.
Many people mistakenly believe that trend trading is about catching every fluctuation, but the truth is quite the opposite: most of the time in trend trading is spent either losing small amounts or breaking even.
My trading system works like this: I might have three or four consecutive small losses, and then catch a wave of trend that not only covers all losses but also takes the account to a new high. Trend trading is not about making money every time, but about money distribution that is extremely uneven.
This is like the norm in our cryptocurrency world — most altcoins go to zero, but occasionally, a few successful projects can double your investment return.
So my iron rule is: losses must be small and controllable, while profits should be maximized. Small losses are a necessary cost, while big gains are our goal.
2. Why do we always struggle to hold onto our trades?
Trend trading sounds incredibly simple: get the direction right, and just hold on. But why do the vast majority of people fail to do so?
1. Pullbacks can break your psychological defenses.
Everyone understands the volatility of the cryptocurrency market; 38.2% and 50% pullbacks are commonplace. But the problem is, you often buy far from the lowest point, so a normal pullback may feel like your profits have been cut in half.
So you start to doubt: is a change coming? Should I take profits first? The result is often that the trend hasn't really changed; it's just you who scared yourself into jumping off early.
2. Sideways movement will slowly consume your patience.
Sideways movement is not as exciting as a crash, but it gradually wears down your will. Wandering between small gains and small losses, the account doesn’t change much, but your mindset becomes increasingly anxious.
The biggest damage from sideways movement is that the trend hasn't truly started, but your patience is already exhausted. When the market finally breaks out, you don't dare to hold on, just thinking about getting out early.
3. It's easy to become overconfident after making a profit.
I noticed an interesting phenomenon: many people are cautious when losing money, but once they start making money, they become reckless. They use profits to try other assets, casually increasing their positions.
These actions are often not based on a system, but on inflated confidence. The result is that normal pullbacks in a trend turn into massive losses under heavy positions, and even the original trend trades can't be held.
3. How did I learn to hold onto trends?
After countless lessons, I have summarized several practical methods to help me stand firm in trends.
1. Learn to filter out noise and avoid unnecessary trades.
The nemesis of trend trading is the sideways market. I can now identify a sideways period through two simple signs: the price fluctuates back and forth within a specific range, and the moving averages start to converge and flatten.
Once I notice this signal, I reduce the frequency of trades and wait for the real trend signal to appear. This helps me avoid consuming too much ammunition and patience in a volatile market.
2. Move your entry point, extend your holding period.
In the past, I always tried to buy at the lowest point, which often resulted in getting shaken out. Now I prefer to wait until the trend is clear, although I earn less at the beginning, I can hold onto the larger profits later.
The cryptocurrency market is highly volatile, and there are still plenty of opportunities after confirming a trend. Holding on is ten times more important than buying smartly.
3. Enter on smaller time frames, serve the larger trend.
I habitually judge the overall direction on the 4-hour or daily charts, then look for entry points on the 15-minute or 1-hour charts. This way, I can control the size of my stop-loss and still capture the larger trend space.
For example, during the recent ETH market, I only entered after a breakout on the 1-hour chart. Although I missed the lowest point, I captured the most substantial segment.
4. Set exit conditions in advance, don't let emotions interfere.
Before each trade now, I clearly define my exit conditions: either the trend structure is broken or key support and resistance levels fail. With clear rules, I don't have to struggle every day about whether to close a position.
The clearer the rules, the easier it is to hold a position. This allows me to stay calm during market fluctuations and not get shaken out by short-term volatility.
5. Be patient and wait for the wind to come.
In the cryptocurrency market, staying alive is more important than making money. As long as you can control your hands in a volatile market and hold on in a trending market, capturing a few major movements in a year is enough.
My current mindset is: earning less is better than losing money; missing out is better than making mistakes. This mindset actually helps me hold onto trend trades better.
Lastly, let me be honest.
Trend trading is not a magical skill to predict the future, but an art of following the market. It doesn't require you to be very smart, but it does require enough patience and discipline.
In the world of cryptocurrency, volatility is our friend, and trends are our source of profit. As long as you learn to identify, follow, and respect trends, the market will always give you the returns you deserve.
Remember, we are not earning from the excitement of quick entries and exits, but from the rewards that come after patiently waiting. In this era where most people pursue quick success, patience has become the most scarce resource and our greatest competitive advantage.
Holding on is the key to earning steadily. This is the deepest insight from my years of trading experience, and I share this with you. Follow Akai to learn more first-hand information and precise points in the cryptocurrency world; learning is your greatest wealth!#加密市场观察 #巨鲸动向 $ETH
