There are legends everywhere in the crypto market, but only a few make it to the end.

I still remember those days, when I first entered this market, curled up in my rented place in a strange city, eyes glued to the screen tracking the market fluctuations. Holding a principal of 50,000, my mind was filled with fantasies of turning this money around to change my life. But reality hit hard over three years—liquidations, zeroing out, platform outages—I've experienced all these frustrations.

During the toughest days, my account went to zero, and the people around me dispersed. During that time, I numbed myself with alcohol, and by a stroke of luck, I avoided a historic crash day. That day, some jumped off buildings, some turned their fortunes around, and I was left in a state of embarrassment. But it was this embarrassment that kept me alive, because in this market, staying alive is a thousand times more important than making quick money.

Today, my account has already reached eight figures. Many attribute this to my luck. But what they don't see is my late-night replay of the K-line charts, the expensive tuition I paid, and the four survival rules I summarized with blood and tears.

**Rule 1: A gradual decline after a sharp rise is always a warning sign**

After a price surges, it begins to slide down slowly, and this rhythm is the easiest to deceive. Beginners fall into the trap of thinking "a decline is a buying opportunity," but in reality, this is often the main force offloading their holdings under the guise of a correction.

What does a true top look like? It’s that large black candlestick that suddenly crashes after a big rally. The logic behind this line is simple—price rises but volume doesn’t follow, indicating there’s no real support. It’s just bluffing.

**Rule 2: A gentle rebound after a sudden dip is a trap**

A sharp decline followed by a mild rebound should not be trusted. The truth is, the main force is selling into panic. Countless people get caught because they’re afraid of missing out and get caught up in the hype.

The real bottom isn’t a quick V-shaped reversal. It requires multiple tests and time to confirm. Wait and see if it tests the bottom again—this is much smarter than blindly closing positions.

**Rule 3: Volume tells the real story**

Watching the K-line patterns is important, but more crucial is the volume behind them. A large volume bullish candle and a small volume bullish candle mean completely different things. The former indicates a breakout, the latter might be a fleeting spike.

**Rule 4: Stop-loss will never wrong you**

This lesson was learned through the most painful experience. Set your stop-loss, cut when needed, don’t hope for a rebound. The market loves punishing those who refuse to admit defeat.

Seven years have passed, and I’ve witnessed the market’s ups and downs, as well as countless people coming and going. In the end, those who survive are not necessarily the luckiest, but those with the most stable mindset and strongest execution. Account figures don’t matter; what matters is whether you’re still in this market and whether you remember those painful lessons.