2026-01-15 10:20:52

One year in the crypto world is like ten years in the human world. This phrase is not just about price fluctuations; it’s about how quickly the mentality can age.

At 3 a.m., the glow from the screen lit up Ajie’s face. He was long on Bitcoin at $121,000 with double leverage, firmly believing that "the bull market never turns back." An hour later, a margin call popped up. He silently changed his signature to "Crypto world is too bitter, going back to sell pancakes."

Similar stories happen every day in the crypto market. When I check fan messages, I see many shouting "Add 500 more and it will definitely rebound," only to secretly delete their posts a few hours later.

**01 Stop-loss is not surrender; it’s the bottom line for survival**

Crypto trading is notoriously volatile. Price swings of double digits within a day are very common. Such crazy fluctuations offer opportunities to make big money, but they can also wipe out your principal in an instant.

Data doesn’t lie. When you lose 50%, you need to make 100% to break even—just think about how difficult that is. And if you keep delaying the stop-loss? That’s slow suicide. In July 2025, Bitcoin dropped over 5% in a single day, causing 135,800 people to be liquidated. Among them, 80% had used leverage over 5x, and their accounts were wiped out instantly.

Many people see stop-loss as a sign of failure. Actually, that’s wrong. True professional traders never think this way. They allow small mistakes to happen frequently, with only one goal—to avoid that one fatal margin call. They have long understood that preserving capital is far more important than chasing high win rates.

**02 Why do we always hesitate to cut?**

Psychologists have studied this. Investors holding losing assets tend to hold on three times longer than those holding winning assets. Recent data from a certain exchange shows that retail traders, on average, are reluctant to stop-loss when losing 28%. Conversely, they rush to take profits at the slightest gain. This mindset is far from normal.

BTC-0,97%

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TestnetScholar

· 01-17 01:26

Really, just hearing Ajie's story broke my defenses. He was still going all-in at 3 a.m., and an hour later he was selling his coins. That turn of events was incredible. Stop-loss is easy to talk about, but when you're actually down 28%, who the hell is willing to cut? Everyone wants to gamble and recover, but the result is that the 5x leverage takes everything away. I just want to ask those friends who say "adding another 500 will definitely cause a rebound," after they delete their comments, can they sleep soundly at night?

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LongTermDreamer

· 01-15 10:50

Haha, it's the same old story. It sounds nice, but when it comes to the critical moment, I still can't bring myself to sell. I told myself the same three years ago.

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AllTalkLongTrader

· 01-15 10:50

Really, Ajie's story is happening around me every day, and it's making me numb. --- Even double leverage can blow up? I told you not to be greedy, but the brothers just won't listen. --- Retail investors' mentality is indeed outrageous. They make some money and run faster than a rabbit, but when they lose, they stubbornly hold their ground. That mindset needs to change. --- The data showing 135,800 people liquidated is frightening. Do those playing with 5x leverage deserve it? --- Why can't I just cut my losses? It feels like my brain is waterlogged. --- Everyone says preserving capital is the most important, but when it comes to critical moments, I still can't do it. It's so true. --- In the crypto world, it's all about mentality. If your mindset ages quickly, you're doomed. --- Professional traders are allowed to make small mistakes frequently. We retail investors should learn from that. --- I can imagine how awkward that person felt when they deleted the post. --- Only 28% are reluctant to cut losses. What kind of resilient mentality does it take to do that?

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RugPullProphet

· 01-15 10:48

Speaking of which, greed really is what ruins people.

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AirdropHunter007

· 01-15 10:29

Ajie, this guy really can't hold on anymore. At 3 a.m., he's still risking his life... This is the crypto world, where a believer can turn into a desperate worker in just an hour.

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GasFeeVictim

· 01-15 10:26

Ajie, this guy is really incredible. Still daring to go long with 2x leverage at 3 a.m., how much of a gambler does that take... In just an hour, he turned into a "pie seller," made me laugh so hard. --- As for stop-loss, honestly, it’s about needing a 100% gain to recover from a 50% loss. That math is brutal. The scene where 135,800 people were wiped out directly... my friend was among them, playing with 5x leverage, now every day he just scrolls through fan messages with a period. --- To be honest, retail investors are really greedy. Holding on stubbornly after a 28% loss, then running away as soon as they make a little profit. That mindset is truly absurd. I used to be like that too, but now I’ve realized. --- The crypto world really torments you more than ten years outside in just one year. The mental state is aging terribly. --- Professional traders allow small mistakes but avoid big ones. I get this logic, but retail investors can’t do that... They don’t have much capital to begin with, and they’re also psychologically tortured.

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