Having been in the crypto world for a long time, I want to say something to all newcomers: stop comforting yourself.

Many people initially hear the same story — holding coins long-term, waiting for a market wave to turn things around. I believed it too, once upon a time.

It wasn't until later that I realized most people simply can't hold on. If your capital is small, doubling your investment takes years of patience. And if you miss a bull market, you might not get another chance for years. What's more painful is the need to watch out for projects going to zero or teams running away. You might be able to wait, but your funds might not.

So I gradually got into contract trading. Honestly, not for the thrill, but because of its efficiency. When trading mainstream coins like BTC and ETH, the cycle to verify a judgment is very short — if you're right, great; if wrong, stop-loss immediately. The costs and processes are clear and straightforward. The low entry barrier and quick feedback of perpetual contracts allow retail traders to operate with a rhythm close to big funds for the first time. Thanks to these derivative tools, the crypto market has grown to its current size.

But there's a prerequisite — only trade mainstream coins.

Avoid altcoin contracts at all costs. To be blunt, most altcoins end up with one outcome: zero. Using contracts to go long on trash coins is essentially giving yourself a booster to accelerate your exit. When the project runs into problems, prices crash instantly, and no analysis or risk control can help. It’s not the contract’s fault; it’s that you started off in the wrong position.

And who’s responsible if you get liquidated? Blame the tool itself? No one forces you to use 10x leverage to gamble on an air coin. Losing money is never the fault of the contract; fundamentally, it’s greed and ignorance. I’ve also been liquidated before, and that moment made me see clearly — the real mistake was mine.

The people I’ve seen truly making money, whether in spot or futures trading, all adhere to one red line: only bet on assets with market consensus, and always prioritize risk management.

For ordinary people, contracts are both an opportunity and a touchstone. When used on mainstream coins, they amplify your trading efficiency; when used on trash coins, they become the fastest way out.

The crypto world isn’t destroyed by contracts, but by those who want to get rich overnight and are too lazy to learn.

Finally, I want to ask you — are you here to trade, or to gamble? Think this through before you act.