I started playing with cryptocurrencies back in 2019. Over the years, I've seen all kinds of scenarios—legendary stories of overnight wealth, as well as despair from contract liquidations and zeroing out of altcoins. During my lowest point, I only had enough money on my phone to keep going, and that feeling was truly tough.

But through these years of exploration, I’ve gradually found a set of principles. My account has been steadily growing for 16 consecutive months, not relying on any advanced techniques, just three strict rules. Today, I want to share these real experiences—no bragging, no pie-in-the-sky promises—just a routine that ordinary retail investors can actually replicate.

**Rule 1: Only watch the market ranking list, don’t be fooled by "potential stocks"**

When I first entered the scene, I loved digging into potential coins. The whitepapers were as thick as bricks, the teams spoke grandly, and the fundraising backgrounds sounded impressive. Then a year passed, and I found that the trading depth of these coins was almost zero—no one wanted to buy when I tried to sell. A painful lesson.

Now, my first ironclad rule is: only select from the top 50 on the market ranking list. Why do this? Because in the crypto world, the amount of money is limited. Coins that make it onto the list at least indicate real funds are paying attention. Even if it’s hype, it’s more reliable than "zombie coins" lying in the corner with no one interested. Last year, I bought a coin precisely because it stayed in the top 20 for two consecutive weeks on the ranking list. Despite the volatility, liquidity was solid—buying and selling was easy.

Experience summary: Coins that haven’t appeared on the ranking list for three months—unless you have special connections with the project team—are best avoided. Coins that rank higher at least prove that the market is voting with its money.

**Rule 2: Use the monthly chart to determine the trend; the daily chart is just noise**

In my early days, I was obsessed with daily chart trading, watching for golden crosses and death crosses until my eyes blurred. Out of ten trades, eight got washed out. That period was basically an addiction to trading, and my account kept shrinking. Later, I realized that the monthly chart is the real "truth detector." Especially when the market is uncertain, the daily chart has no real reference value—it's all just fake-outs.

Now, my approach is this—let the monthly chart decide the direction, and use the daily chart only to time entries. When the monthly chart shows an upward signal, wait for a pullback on the daily chart to a suitable level before entering. This way, I capture the big trend and avoid being fooled by daily fluctuations.

**Rule 3: Stop-loss is ten times more important than take-profit**

Most people aim to double or tenfold their investments, but in reality, those who can preserve their capital are the true winners. I now set strict stop-loss levels for every trade. When I take a loss, I accept it and never add to my position to chase losses.

Setting a stop-loss is simple—decide beforehand how much you’re willing to lose when you buy. If it hits that point, close the position immediately. What’s the benefit? You never get wiped out, and you always have ammunition to try again. Many people go bankrupt after one big loss because they’re unwilling to cut losses.

**Some additional advice**

Many newcomers ask me how to achieve stable profits. My answer is straightforward: mindset. Technical skills are not the hardest part; the hardest part is staying calm during downturns and not being greedy during upswings. This game isn’t about who’s the smartest; it’s about who can survive long enough. A steady monthly return of a few percent adds up to dozens of percent over a year. That’s what ordinary people should aim for.

Stories of overnight riches do exist, but they’re like winning the lottery—just stories to listen to. As retail investors, our best game is to be steady, control risks, and let time and compound interest work for us. These are the lessons I’ve learned through real money over the years.