In this market that seems to be filled with opportunities, how can ordinary players find their suitable starting line.
1. The reality dilemma: when 'fear of loss' meets 'desire to earn'
Recently, three friends who just entered the circle asked me similar questions:
"Seeing others make money makes me anxious, but I've heard that many people go bankrupt and I'm scared. What should I do?"
I empathize with their anxiety—I stood at the same crossroads ten years ago.
In the end, I understood: the cruelest truth of this market is that most people do not fail due to a lack of knowledge, but rather due to poor path choices.
2. An in-depth breakdown of five participation paths
Path one: Spot trading—your "newbie training camp"
I recommend all newbies to do only one thing in the first three months: trade Bitcoin and Ethereum with no more than 20% of total funds.
Specific methods:
Set a weekly fixed investment (such as buying a fixed amount every weekend);
Sell one-third at a 5% profit, and another one-third at a 10% profit;
Pause for a week if losses exceed 5%, review the reasons.
Why Bitcoin and Ethereum?
Sufficient liquidity, small buy-sell slippage;
Transparent information, not easily manipulated;
Long-term trends are relatively clear.
Among my friends who used this method, none have blown up their accounts in six months, and most have seen steady account growth. In the crypto world, not losing is winning.
Path two: Ecological participation—exchanging time for opportunities
If you have limited funds but ample time, you can try deeply engaging in quality ecosystems.
My approach:
Spend 5-10 hours a week:
Interact on mainstream Layer 2 networks like Arbitrum and Optimism;
Participate in testnet tasks of credible projects;
Make valuable contributions in project Discord.
Last year I obtained three airdrops this way, worth about 8000U.
Key mindset: Treat this as a learning process, airdrops are extra rewards. Specifically "grabbing rewards" often backfires.
Path three: Platform opportunities—arbitrage using rules
The Launchpad/IEO mechanisms of major trading platforms provide low-risk arbitrage opportunities for users holding platform coins.
Risk assessment:
Average annualized return of about 8-15%;
Need to hold platform coins long-term (bear the risk of price fluctuations);
Need to grab quotas (success rate is low for popular projects).
Suitable audience: investors willing to hold platform coins long-term and can withstand short-term volatility.
Path four: Early projects—game field for experts
I have seen too many tragedies:
Friend A invested in a "top-level" project private placement, and the team ran away;
Friend B participated in a proxy, losing all funds;
Friend C believed in the "minimum guarantee commitment" and ended up losing everything.
Advice for newbies:
Unless you meet all of the following conditions, stay away from the primary market:
Can read smart contract code;
Ability with a verified team background;
The amount invested can completely afford losses;
Willing to wait 2-3 years for a possible exit.
Path five: NFT investment—field for professionals
The current NFT market has entered a professional phase:
Blue-chip NFTs (such as CryptoPunks) have a high entry threshold (tens of thousands of dollars per piece);
Emerging projects 99% will go to zero within three months;
Liquidity is extremely poor, and orders may go unanswered for a month.
If you are not a professional, it is advisable to observe and learn rather than invest real money.
Three, my risk assessment framework
Regardless of which path I choose, I will ask myself five questions:
What is the maximum loss I can tolerate? (Must be a specific number)
What is the potential return/risk ratio of this opportunity? (Less than 1:3 is not worth it)
Where are my advantages? (Information? Technology? Patience?)
What is my contingency plan if the worst-case scenario occurs?
Does this opportunity align with my long-term goals?
If there is no clear answer to any item, I choose to give up.
In the crypto world, knowing when to give up is more important than knowing when to fight.
Four, advice for newbies with different financial situations
Situation one: Principal less than 1000U
Focus on spot fixed investment + ecological participation.
Invest 100U in Bitcoin monthly, spend the remaining time learning and interacting with quality projects.
Goal: Accumulate knowledge and the first bucket of gold within two years.
Situation two: Principal 10,000-50,000U
60% of funds for fixed investments in mainstream coins, 20% for platform opportunities, 20% as flexible funds.
Goal: Annual return of 15-30%, controlling drawdown within 10%.
Situation three: Principal over 50,000U
It is recommended to seek professional allocation advice, do not explore "on your own."
An erroneous decision at this capital level can be very costly.
Five, final heartfelt words
I know it's hard to stay calm when watching others get rich.
But I want to tell you: the fairest thing about this market is that it ultimately rewards not the smartest people, but the most disciplined ones.
That friend who started with 200U and had assets over a million three years later, never went all-in, never leveraged, and only traded 2-3 times a month.
He said: "My secret is—stay calm when others are crazy, and persevere when others are afraid."
If you are just entering this market, please remember:
The goal for the first six months is not to make money, but to establish your investment system.
This system includes:
Your risk tolerance boundary;
Your opportunity selection criteria;
Your emotional management methods;
Your long-term goal planning.
After the system is established, profits will naturally come.
If you are also looking for a suitable participation path, feel free to follow me.
I will continue to share:
Asset allocation plans for different capital levels
Methods for identifying opportunities in market cycles
And how to maintain investment discipline in the face of temptation
There are no overnight riches here, only an honest exploration of the essence of investment.
After all, in this marathon—finding your own pace is more important than blindly sprinting.
Follow me @链上标哥 , don't get lost! Move forward steadily and wait for the flowers to bloom. 🧭
