Everyone is fixated on one number: $3,000. This is not just ordinary resistance; this is Ethereum's 'decision high-voltage line'! The price lingering below this is not without reason—this is where the most selling pressure and hesitation has gathered.

Should we go long directly around the current price (~$2,982)? That would be charging into the strongest firepower of sellers. Once rejected, it could quickly slide to $2,850 or even $2,700. Conversely, if it decisively breaks through and stabilizes in the $3,020-$3,060 range, resistance will turn into support, opening up upward space.

So, our plan is not to predict, but to respond:

  • Long signal: Wait for the price to confirm a breakout and stabilize in the $3,020-$3,060 range, set the stop loss below $2,930, and aim for $3,250 and $3,450.

  • Short opportunity: If the price is repeatedly blocked in the $2,980-$2,995 range, showing long upper shadows, it is a bearish signal, with the stop loss set above $3,080, targeting a return to $2,850.

The key is one sentence: let the market choose its direction, and we just follow the strongest signals. During holidays when liquidity is thin, there are many false breaks, and patience is more important than action.

How do experts lay out outside the 'decisive area'?

In this critical point game, mindset and capital management determine everything. In addition to keeping a close eye on ETH's long and short lines, truly seasoned traders do another thing: prepare a 'safety cushion' for uncertain outcomes in advance.

Regardless of whether the market chooses to break upward or pull back, you need a portion of absolutely stable, readily available assets to protect profits or provide ammunition when opportunities arise. This precisely highlights the value of Decentralized USD (USDD) in trading strategies.

Its role is very clear:

  1. The 'safe haven' for profits: If you already have floating profits before ETH breaks out, you can convert part of the profits into USDD to secure them. This way, no matter how the subsequent trend goes, this portion of earnings has already been pocketed, safeguarded by excessive on-chain collateral.

  2. ‘Yield-generating assets’ while waiting: When the direction is unclear and you’re patiently observing, holding USDD does not equate to idle funds. Through safe DeFi strategies, it can generate stable returns, allowing your funds to grow while you 'wait for the right moment.'

  3. The 'reserve team' that captures opportunities: If ETH plummets to an ideal buy zone like $2,700, having USDD is equivalent to having stable value ammunition that can be deployed at any time, without having to liquidate other assets.

Summary

The essence of trading lies not in accurately guessing every top and bottom, but in striking when there is an advantage and defending when there is uncertainty, while always keeping your account in a 'capable of offense and defense' active state. When the market is in a duel at the $3,000 key level, make sure you have a portion of your assets steady as a rock.