After 8 years of struggling in the crypto market, I've lost more than I've ever earned. But the most painful moment, even to this day, still stings... is in 2020, when due to financial difficulties, I was forced to sell 3 BTC for only 20,000 USD.
Looking back, the value of that coin has exceeded 600,000 USD. A lifelong lesson.
But last week, when JPMorgan officially accepted crypto as collateral, I suddenly realized one thing: This market has finally reached the stage it should have been in 8 years ago – the 'era of legalization'.
From a person holding 5,000 USD entering the market, to a seven-figure account like now, I can honestly say: Getting rich from crypto is never luck. It comes from 3 survival principles that whether you are new or have been playing for a long time, you must engrave in your heart.
1. 80% of Assets Should Be Placed in "Two Pillars": BTC & ETH
Over the past ten years, I have held all kinds of altcoins — meme, gamefi, early defi, strange layer 1s…
But in the end: only Bitcoin and Ethereum truly grow across cycles.
They survive through:
Tightening policies
Tax law changes
Exchange incidents
Many bull – bear cycles
And most importantly: They are always the first assets to recover when the market reverses.
JPMorgan's inclusion of BTC and ETH as collateral assets is tantamount to confirming their real value.
What should newcomers do?
80% of capital → BTC and ETH
The remaining 20% → Projects with clear models, real growth, not ‘storytelling’ tokens.
By doing so, you secure the safe part while keeping the door open for super profits.
2. ‘Activate’ Assets Properly – Legally, Safely, Without Abuse
At a time when there was no reputable intermediary, wanting to have cash meant:
→ or sell coins
→ or take out loans, easily falling into scams
Both are bad.
Now, being allowed to use crypto as collateral completely frees up liquidity for investors.
No need to sell coins
→ still have money to manage
→ still maintain long-term positions
But don’t let that make you go all-in on borrowing.
Golden rule:
Never borrow more than 50% of the collateral value.
Crypto is highly volatile, just a 20–30% correction can make you:
Margin call
Liquidation sale
Losing the long-term position
Consider borrowing as a backup tool — not a tool for taking on more risk.
3. Only Follow the ‘Legal Trend’ – Stay Away from the Gray Area
The early years of playing crypto felt like going through a dense jungle:
Self-service exchanges open – close
Plenty of fraudulent projects
Borrowing – depositing interest all based on ‘secured’ commitments, then running off with the money
On that day, those who survived could only rely on luck.
But now it's different.
The financial giants – especially JPMorgan – have entered the market.
This speaks to a truth:
If you are following the right legal direction, you have almost eliminated 70% of the risks.
Newcomers need to remember:
Only trade on regulated exchanges
Do not send money to projects promising ‘stable returns – no risks’
Do not touch unlicensed lending platforms
Monitor the movements of major institutions – that is the compass of the market
Where there is legalization, there is real money flow.
In Conclusion — Crypto Is No Longer a ‘Casino’ Like 8 Years Ago
If I could go back to the past, I would tell my 2020 self one thing:
"Don't sell that 3 BTC — the era of legalization will come."
Today it has really come.
Crypto is no longer a game of rumors, FOMO, or ‘all-in for a life change’. The winners are not the ones who enter the earliest, but those who hold the right assets, use the right tools, and follow the trend of legalization.
Don’t look for ways to get rich quickly. In 10 years, I have witnessed 99% of those who ‘margin trade – hold shitcoins – are opportunistic’ have disappeared from the market.
The remaining person?
These are the people who hold BTC/ETH, manage risks, and follow the trend of legalization from the beginning.
If you are reading this, congratulations — you are on the right path more than many others.
