In the year I just entered the circle, I followed the trend to trade contracts and chased altcoins, losing 8000 dollars in half a year. Staying up late to watch the market, my heart raced, and I finally realized: the scariest thing in the crypto world is not the volatility, but the fact that you're putting in effort in the wrong track. Many people study candlesticks and track news every day, but because they are going in the wrong direction, the harder they work, the more they lose. In fact, as long as you choose the track that suits you, even with a small capital, you can steadily accumulate. Today, I will share my practical experience in plain language to help you avoid detours.
1. The 4 reliable tracks I tested with real money (suitable for ordinary people)
1. Spot trading: The clumsy method is the stable way
How to play: Simply put, 'buy when it drops a lot, sell when it rises a lot,' only play mainstream coins (BTC, ETH, SOL). Don't complain about it being slow; last year, I relied on dollar-cost averaging BTC and ETH, getting 30% higher returns than chasing altcoins, and the key is that I don't have to stay up all night watching the market.
Who is it suitable for: beginners and office workers who don't have time to watch the market.
My insight: Holding spot during a bull market is more profitable than frequent trading. For example, Ethereum rose from 1500 to 4500 in 2024, and those who honestly HODL made more than contract players.
2. HODL: Earn money over time.
How to play: Accumulate at low prices during a bear market, take profits in batches during a bull market. For example, buy in batches when BTC drops below 30,000, and consider selling when it goes above 100,000.
Who is it suitable for: patient people who don't believe in 'get rich quick.'
Case: When Bitcoin dropped to 16,000 in 2023, the CEO of MicroStrategy heavily bought the dip, and later the price rose to 42,000, more than doubling the assets. Hold onto mainstream coins; time is your friend.
3. Snag airdrops: Zero-cost lottery.
How to play: Participate in project testing and interaction tasks (like cross-chain, trading), and project parties might distribute tokens for free. For example, Blast airdropped over ten thousand dollars to early users, and some people used multiple wallets to snag tokens worth a year's salary.
Who is it suitable for: people with little capital who are willing to spend time researching.
Warning: Don't be superstitious about 'certain airdrops'; prioritize participating in projects with solid technology (like Layer2, leading DeFi) and avoid leaking private keys.
4. Cloud mining: Earn passive cash flow.
How to play: No need to buy mining machines, directly rent platform computing power (like Filecoin, Bitcoin cloud mining), and benefits are automatically distributed daily.
Who is it suitable for: those who want stable returns and are afraid of maintenance hassles.
Case: In 2024, miners deployed mining machines in Kazakhstan, combined with the rise of BTC, achieving an annualized return of over 150%. Cloud mining has low risks, but you need to pay attention to the compliance of the platform.
2. Blood and tears lessons: These pitfalls must be avoided!
Contract leverage is like a casino, not an ATM.
I have seen too many people use 10x leverage, doubling their money in one day, only to lose everything in three days. The volatility in the crypto market is four times that of the US stock market; new traders playing contracts are essentially giving away money. If you really want to try, start with 5% of your capital, and be decisive about stop-loss.
Primary market, physical mining; beginners should not challenge directly.
The primary market (like private placements, ICOs) seems to have low costs, but 90% of projects do not survive the bear market.
Physical mining: High costs of electricity, equipment, and regulations. Miners in Inner Mongolia profit from cheap electricity; ordinary people cannot manage it.
Don't be a 'track flea.'
Today playing meme coins, tomorrow chasing AI concepts, only to find out that none of them made money. Deeply cultivate one track + continuous learning is the right path. For example, focusing on DeFi staking with an annualized return of 5%-20% combined with rising coin prices is steadier than chasing the highs and lows.
3. My suggestion: How to start with a small capital?
Step one: Diversify your portfolio.
Divide total capital into three parts: 70% to hold mainstream coins, 20% to try airdrops/cloud mining, 10% as reserve funds. Never go All-in on one coin.
Step two: Control your mindset.
The cryptocurrency market tests human nature the most. Don't panic during a crash (it might be a buying opportunity), don't be greedy during a surge (take profits in time).
Step three: Continuous learning.
Spend 15 minutes every day watching industry trends (like RWA, new Layer2 projects), follow reliable KOLs, but don't follow blindly.
Lastly, let me say a couple of things.
The crypto market is not lacking in opportunities; what is lacking is a clear mind. Some people buy houses for free through airdrops, and some accumulate BTC to achieve class transitions, but behind it all is finding the right track and persistence. Don't envy others' wealth; first, stabilize your own path.
Small capital is not important; having the right direction is key. Let's encourage each other! #巨鲸动向 $ETH
