In the crypto world, short-term trading is often mythologized as the "fast track to get rich quick." But the truth is, most people lose because they treat short-term trading as gambling.

The core of short-term trading has never been about luck, but about using higher trading frequency to capture probabilistic advantages in a market with 24-hour high volatility. What's the difference? One relies on intuition, the other on a system.

**Why can short-term trading be profitable**

The uniqueness of the crypto market is clear—trading 24 hours a day, large fluctuations, ample liquidity. This naturally creates opportunities for short-term trading. But opportunity does not equal a high win rate.

The logic behind making money in short-term trading is actually simple: capturing high-probability short-term price differences. It’s not about perfect buy and sell points, but about being "fuzzy but correct." As long as the win rate over multiple trades exceeds the loss magnitude, you can make money in the long run.

**How to judge the direction**

There’s no magic formula. Just focus on these few things: observe the shape of short-term candlesticks, look for signals of volume change, track moving average turnarounds. Only trade when multiple signals resonate; don’t rely on intuition to place orders.

Liquidity is also crucial. Only trade coins with high trading volume and small bid-ask spreads to ensure quick entry and exit. Otherwise, being stuck in low-liquidity coins, even the best strategies are useless.

**How to do it in practice**

Divide into three stages:

Before entering, keep your position light. No single position should exceed 10%-20% of your total funds, which is critical. Have a clear entry and exit plan before trading, and refuse to be emotionally driven during the market.

While holding a position, short-term trades usually last a few hours to a day or two before exiting. Take partial profits at the target, and exit immediately when stop-loss is triggered. Don’t get entangled or stubborn; the market is always there.

After exiting, record every trade. Reflect on whether the signals were truly effective, whether your position sizing was appropriate, and whether your execution was consistent. Continuously eliminate ineffective operations, making your trading system more aligned with the market.

**Where is the real threshold**

Technical skills are actually not the hardest part. The real challenge is discipline and mindset.

Avoid frequent trading. Many people enter the crypto space thinking about day trading, doing a dozen trades a day. This is often just masking ignorance of the market with high trading frequency. True short-term experts tend to trade less, only acting when they have a significant edge.

Don’t obsess over individual profits and losses. When a trade loses, some rush to add more to recover. This is a common mistake among retail traders. The professional mindset focuses on long-term probabilities, not every single trade.

Don’t be disturbed by noise. Others’ opinions, influencers’ views, and rumors shouldn’t influence your execution. Stick to your system.

**Risks must be clearly understood**

Short-term trading carries much higher risks than medium- or long-term strategies. Black swan events can directly hit your stop-loss. In extreme market conditions, technical signals can become completely invalid. These are not just theories—they are real market risks that can slap you in the face.

If your profits mainly come from luck, you will eventually have to give them back. This is not motivational talk; it’s a market law.

**In one sentence**

Short-term trading is not speculation; it’s a replicable trading system. Fast recognition, steady execution, and decisive stop-loss are essential. In the high-volatility crypto market, only those who follow rules, practice restraint, and review their trades consistently can continuously earn their share of the market’s profits.