At the end of the last bear market, I saw too many operations like this: project teams issuing announcements every day to hype things up, painting grand visions, and retail investors getting excited and going all in.

And the result? The price doubles within three days of launch, and everyone thinks they’re the chosen one. On the fifth day? It’s cut in half, and your account turns so red you start questioning your life choices. This script plays out repeatedly in the crypto space, and there’s never a shortage of spectators.

It’s only after getting burned that you understand one thing: this market doesn’t care who shouts the loudest—it cares who’s actually putting real money on the line.

To judge whether a coin is worth paying attention to, it really comes down to two things. Figure these out and you’ll at least avoid most of the traps.

**First, fund flows can’t be hidden**

The essence of price movement is money flowing in and out. For a truly promising project, you’ll see funds quietly accumulating at the bottom, trading volume increasing even during sideways movement, and every dip is met with strong support to stabilize the price. Don’t be fooled by the calm surface—there’s always an undercurrent beneath.

Once the big players have accumulated enough, the rally is almost inevitable. Anyone can tell stories, but only those who put real money in and build positions are playing for real. Projects without capital backing can’t sustain momentum, no matter how flashy their whitepapers are.

**Second, hype is the lifeline**

No matter how strong the tech, if no one’s talking about it, it’s dead in the water. Whether a coin can take off largely depends on whether people are paying attention, discussing, and spreading the word. Project teams create talking points, communities drive the hype—these are the “fuel” for price movement.

A coin with no hype is like an empty theater—no matter how lively the opening, if there’s no audience to carry it forward, it’ll just fizzle out. Projects with both real capital support and ongoing community hype aren’t afraid of short-term volatility, because the players aren’t just looking for a quick flip—they want to ride the full cycle for profit.

If you want to survive and profit steadily in this space, don’t just stare at candlesticks and indicators. More importantly, learn to see the game behind the scenes: Who’s spinning the story? Who’s really putting money in? Who’s quietly stirring the pot?

If you understand these two principles, you’ll not only dodge most of the traps, but you’ll also catch the scent of the next big wave ahead of time. The market is never short on opportunities—what’s missing are people who can see the real game.