Is it still possible to make money in the crypto world? This question is asked every year. The answer is simple—yes, but the rules have completely changed.

The era of relying on luck or jumping in early to easily double your investment is basically a thing of the past. Opportunities haven't disappeared; in fact, the requirements for participants have become higher. The current logic for making money is not about courage, but about cognition, strategy, and timing. Those still "hopping in casually" will eventually be harshly educated by the market.

In this market, only three things truly determine wins or losses.

**Choose the right direction.** Mainstream coins may be slower, but they are stable and relatively less risky. In contrast, new narrative tracks like AI, RWA, Layer2 are highly volatile, but as long as you catch one correctly, you can profit from the entire trend. Many people end up losing money not because they didn't try, but because they poured a lot of time into worthless coins with no traffic or story. Time and capital are wasted.

**Understand the cycle.** Be willing to buy in during a bull market, hold during a bear market, and most importantly, dare to reduce positions and know when to stop at turning points. The real big earners are never the ones who rush in the hardest; they are often the ones who withdraw the fastest. Doing the right thing at the right time already puts you ahead of most people.

**Be ruthless in execution.** Understanding but hesitating to act, holding on but unable to endure—these are all wasted efforts. Short-term moves stimulate adrenaline, but long-term results come from real money. Those who can endure are often the ones who benefit most from the fattest parts of the trend.

The methodology is essentially a framework: follow the flow of big capital, focus on trends, use tools to amplify advantages, and apply rules to lock in risks. Whether it's tracking large fund flows, using derivatives for trend trading, early entry into quality projects, or managing positions, participating in DeFi, or staking for yields to grow funds—there is always one core principle: don't let emotions control you.

In this market, it's hard to go far alone by just toughing it out. To move steadily forward, you must continuously improve your methodology and discipline. The rest depends on whether you dare to truly execute according to your plan.