Many people in the crypto world stumble not because they haven't made money, but because they made money and couldn't stop.

This may sound counterintuitive, but the truth is often so cruel. You finally catch a wave of market movement, the numbers in your account start to jump, but your mind becomes increasingly restless. You keep thinking you can make another profit in the next wave, but then a sudden reverse dive happens, and your previous gains are instantly wiped out. In the end, you even lose your principal.

**Making money is easy, protecting money is hard**

The biggest trap in the crypto world is actually very simple—you're making money but haven't learned to stop. When your account shows unrealized gains, your judgment begins to decline. Greed gradually erodes your rationality, causing you to add to your position when you should be taking profits, and to hold on stubbornly when you should be cutting losses. This isn't because you lack foresight, but because market sentiment is contagious, and it's easy to be overwhelmed by these emotions.

What distinguishes true experts from ordinary traders? It's not about catching more opportunities, but about steadily protecting the profits you've earned.

**Three practical rules to help you safeguard your gains**

**First: Take out the principal after your first profit**

Whether this profit is 5% or 50%, once you've made your first gain, immediately transfer the original principal out of your account. This sounds simple, but few people actually do it. Why? Because once the principal is out, your mindset changes completely. The remaining funds are unrealized gains, allowing you to face market fluctuations more calmly. Even if you end up not making any more profit, at least you haven't lost money. Even if all subsequent trades result in losses, you won't be back at square one. This psychological advantage is more effective than any technical analysis.

**Second: The more you earn, the more conservative you should be**

Many people misunderstand this. They think that earning more means they should be more aggressive and place bigger bets. Actually, the opposite is true. When unrealized gains reach your target level, immediately raise your stop-loss level to lock in profits gradually. You can continue holding your position to pursue larger gains, but use stop-loss orders to protect what you've already gained. Earning more doesn't mean you should take bigger risks; the key is to know how to insure yourself when your profits are at their peak.

**Third: Only follow trend markets, avoid chasing trades**

Real big money doesn't come from frequent small swings, but from a complete trend explosion. Many people end up losing because they start trading frequently after making a little profit, chasing highs and selling lows. A couple of wins might happen, but over time, transaction fees and slippage will eat into your profits. More importantly, frequent trading dulls your judgment. When the market is uncertain, the smartest move is to stay on the sidelines. Better to miss a trend than to make a wrong trade.

**The essence of wealth is being able to protect it**

Those who have been in the crypto space for a long time understand this: the thrill of making money lasts only a few seconds, but the pain of losing money can stay with you for a lifetime. Instead of wavering in greed, it's better to establish a discipline from the start.

Consistent profit-making essentially requires two things: patience and self-control. No matter how good your vision, if you lack patience to wait for the right opportunity or self-control to resist temptation, you'll eventually be educated by the market. Calmly managing each trade, not changing your strategy because of short-term fluctuations, and sticking to your system—this is the secret to lasting success in the crypto world.

The gap in wealth is often widened by these seemingly small decisions.