Everyone who enters the crypto market will suffer losses, and I am no exception. A meme coin that surged 300% in three days caused me significant losses, but it was also that margin call that made me start reflecting on how the whales really play the game.

After six months of review, I discovered a classic pattern for exit strategies: a rapid 30% rise, then sideways movement at high levels for three days, followed by a volume-driven 15% decline—this rhythm repeats across countless coins. Last year, AVAX followed this pattern starting from $150, and I went short directly. The three-week gains were quite substantial. Rather than predicting, I would say I understood the essence of what the whales need to do to offload their positions.

But what truly made me regret was another lesson. In 2019, I heavily invested in a mainstream coin that had been consolidating for over two months, thinking it was the calm before the storm. As a result? Funds had already quietly exited, and the coin’s price kept falling. Looking back at these data now, I realize—when the turnover rate drops below 2% and the price deviates from the MA20 by more than 20%, it’s a signal that the funds have already left.

After so many years of trading, I gradually abandoned subjective judgment and adopted a systematic approach with indicator combinations. Consolidation at high levels is more dangerous than a sharp drop because it numbs the mind. Bottoms also have their characteristics; as long as you’re willing to look at the data and details, the market isn’t that mysterious. Those stories of huge profits are all based on mastery of these details.