Having been in the crypto world for so many years, the most common question I hear is: "How many times should I open a perpetual contract with leverage?" To be honest, the way this question is asked itself is problematic.

Perpetual contracts have no delivery date, and the market is 24/7 liquid. You can open or close positions at any time—sounds very free, but this freedom actually hides a huge trap. Leverage is like a double-edged sword; it can chop vegetables but also cut your hand. The problem is, most people can't handle this sword.
Many think that 30x is crazy and 100x is gambling. But in reality, the true difference between 30x and 100x is just one thing: the market response space shrinks from a few centimeters to a few millimeters. That's all. The real danger isn't the number itself, but how you use it—using 500 bucks of capital to control a 50,000 position, and a 1% market fluctuation could wipe you out instantly. What's the most heartbreaking scenario? Seeing the right direction but being shaken out by intermediate volatility.
Therefore, the core of perpetual contracts is never "how many times leverage," but "how not to blow up." Here are some bottom lines to remember firmly:
**Isolated margin mode is standard**, full position is suicidal. The benefit of this is that risk is locked within a single trade; a liquidation on one position won't affect the entire account.
**Stop-loss must be instinctive.** Don't expect to withstand losses; all stories of liquidation in history start with "wait a bit longer, hold on a little more." Holding on to a losing position is a fast track to liquidation.
**Set daily small goals.** For example, with 500 bucks capital, aim to earn 50 to 100 bucks a day. Sounds not much? But with consistent profits and compound growth, you could achieve a 20%-40% return in a month—already top-tier in the entire financial market.
Leverage, simply put, is a magnifying glass; it amplifies your gains but also your greed and discipline. Experienced survivors understand one thing: liquidation is never caused by market conditions but by psychological breakdown. A disciplined 100x leverage is always safer than a reckless 5x.
One last word: there is no perfect leverage multiple, only what suits your ability and cognition. Many in the crypto world have died, but none because the leverage number was too high—it's always because greed got the better of them.