Remember when I first entered the crypto world, I was carrying five thousand dollars in my pocket, listening to others tell stories of overnight riches every day, sighing in my heart. Thinking I could also give it a shot. And what happened? Less than a month later, my account shrank to one-third of its original size. That’s when I realized: impulsiveness in this market is extremely costly.

Over five years, I slowly climbed from being a typical rookie to a seasoned trader, and that five thousand dollars eventually grew to five hundred thousand. It sounds like a fairy tale, but in reality, it’s just the result of taking the simplest approach step by step. Today, I’ll share my practical experience in detail, for those friends who have some idle funds but want to preserve their capital.

**Only by surviving can you have a chance to turn things around**

The most common death trap for small funds is impatience. I’ve seen too many people leverage high multiples with just a few thousand dollars, losing everything in two or three trades. You need to understand a simple logic: survival is the foundation of everything. How to survive? My experience boils down to three words—steady, accurate, ruthless.

Keep a close eye on obvious hot spots; don’t even touch unfamiliar coins. I’ve set a strict rule for myself: only focus on mainstream coins (BTC, ETH) and those with real hot spots—technological progress, large institutional holdings. These are the ones worth trading. As for projects with tiny market caps or unclear teams, no matter how strong the FOMO, you must resist. The data shows that 90% of these coins will eventually go to zero.

Cut losses decisively, take profits with moderation. I never loosen my 3% stop-loss—once I lose that much, I cut the position immediately, with no luck involved. When making profits, it’s different: once it rises 5% to 8%, I take some profits off the table first, and use a trailing stop to protect the rest. This approach might cause you to miss some big moves, but small funds can’t afford a major loss.