2026-01-07 10:23:05

Many retail investors in the crypto space either die trying to chase short-term gains or watch opportunities slip away while holding long-term positions. Neither extreme is ideal; the key is to find a balance. With a principal of $3,000, as long as you manage the following four aspects, you can earn some short-term profits without missing out on major market moves.

**Step 1: Isolate Your Funds, Don't Mix Them Up**

The easiest way to get wrecked is by mixing funds. The best approach is to split them in a 7:3 ratio: 70% for long-term holdings, mainly top ten mainstream coins like BTC and ETH. Once bought, just hold. As long as the project doesn’t collapse and the market isn’t so greedy that the greed index exceeds 90, resist the urge to sell. This portion gives you confidence to ride through bull and bear markets.

The remaining 30% (about $900) is for short-term trial and error. You can try to catch swing trades or hot spots, aiming to make small profits to supplement your long-term holdings. Never bet more than 5% on a single trade—that’s $150 at a time. Even if one trade hits a bottom, it won’t ruin your overall position. The biggest risk is having both positions mixed, causing short-term losses to shake your confidence in your long-term holdings.

**Step 2: Short-Term Trading Should Be Small and Fast**

The core goal of short-term trading is simple—make small profits and control risk. Many fall into the trap of "earning 10 small profits but losing everything on one big loss." Instead, focus only on high-confidence setups: for example, BTC supported by the 200-day moving average or ETH before a major upgrade. Enter with small positions, set stop-losses (3%-5% is enough), and don’t be too greedy with take-profit targets (8%-10% is sufficient).

Avoid trading unlogical altcoins or leveraged contracts. Limit yourself to three trades per week, and take profits promptly. Short-term positions are just the icing on the cake; don’t expect them to turn the tide.

**Step 3: Long-Term Holdings Should Be Stable, Precise, and Ruthless**

The secret to long-term profitability isn’t complicated—pick the right assets and stick through the cycles. Prioritize mainstream coins with real utility and transparent team backgrounds, or allocate some funds into compliant investment products. Avoid small coins that only have concepts but no real use; the temptation of a tenfold increase in a bull market can’t compare to the despair of a 99% drop in a bear market.

Don’t go all-in at once when building a position. Divide your purchases into 3 to 6 installments to smooth out market volatility. For example, invest $500 monthly into BTC; if the price drops 10%, add another $200. Review your position monthly; no need to watch every day. Be patient and endure 1 to 3 years of bull and bear cycles.

**Step 4: Short-Term and Long-Term Must Complement Each Other**

These two positions aren’t independent—they should work together. If you make a profit short-term, say $300, take $200 of that and add it to your long-term holdings. This gradually increases your position size, and during a bull market, your gains will multiply.

Conversely, long-term holdings also provide reassurance for short-term trades. With a stable long-term base, even if you have losing short-term trades, your mindset won’t break. You won’t be forced to leverage up to recover losses and get trapped.

**In summary:** The crypto game isn’t about how fast you can make money, but how long you can survive. 70% in long-term holdings provides a safety net, while 30% in short-term attempts adds growth potential. This balanced approach helps you navigate bull and bear markets steadily. Those who rush to leverage up after losses tend to lose even more; better to learn to trade less, set strict stop-losses, and prevent small losses from turning into big ones. These principles may sound cliché, but truly persistent retail investors are rare, and they are often the ones who beat 80% of others.

BTC1,67%

ETH0,88%

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GasFeeVictim

· 01-10 09:01

This move of splitting 7:3 I've been using for a long time, but it's really hard to control the mindset. That 30% in short-term trading is really easy to get emotional about; one big loss makes you want to recover immediately. It looks simple, but sticking to it is truly a challenge. Only checking long-term positions once a month? I have to say, that's still a real test of human nature. Making small profits 10 times and losing everything once is really a punch to the gut. Having a long-term core position definitely gives me a lot of psychological comfort; at least I don't panic when losing money. I don't even touch leverage anymore; I cut my losses directly last time. It sounds reasonable, but very few people can truly do it. That rare moment of insight really hit home; most people still get destroyed by their emotions.

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LeekCutter

· 01-09 02:43

The 70:30 ratio has been my standard for a long time. Honestly, sticking to it is the hardest part. --- That 300 yuan in short-term trading, I always want to double it each time, but end up cutting losses repeatedly. My long-term holdings are also dragged down by my mindset. --- The key is mindset. Many people simply can't hold on to long-term positions. --- This theory is good, but executing it really tests human nature. --- My biggest problem now is that I’m reluctant to add to my long-term positions after making short-term gains... --- Setting stop-losses is easy to talk about but really difficult to implement. --- Checking once a month is almost a luxury for retail investors; I usually check hourly. --- Those who say they can hold for 1-3 years have already been shaken out in the first month. --- The core is not to be greedy. Many people fall for that 10% greed.

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consensus_failure

· 01-07 14:57

It's the same old 7:3 allocation theory, I've heard it too many times. The key is that most people simply can't do it. It's easy to say "add to your position when you profit," but when you lose, your mentality collapses and you go all in. That's the real retail investor in the crypto world. Seemingly simple fund separation is actually the hardest mental hurdle to overcome in practice.

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ExpectationFarmer

· 01-07 10:51

A 7:3 allocation sounds good, but the key is to maintain the right mindset. --- That's right, a moment of greed in the short term is a complete waste. --- I think the hardest part isn't the allocation, but really being able to resist moving. --- Stop-loss is easy to understand but hard to implement. When I see red, I want to add to my position. --- Long-term lying flat does make money, but I'm worried about messing myself up during the turbulence. --- It's interesting; short-term money really should be treated as pocket money. --- This theory is fine, but execution is the biggest enemy. --- Making three small profits and being wiped out by one big loss—that's how I flipped over. --- Check the long position once a month, operate the short position three times a week—that rhythm is quite feasible. --- I'm a bit hesitant about adding positions to make up for dips, afraid of bottoming out before it's fully recovered.

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WalletWhisperer

· 01-07 10:48

Splitting 7:3, I've been using this trick for a long time, but the key is still the mindset. --- It sounds good, but how many can really endure? --- Exiting after three short-term trades is the hardest to do honestly. --- Holding a long-term core position and making money passively is the way to go; don't fuss around. --- Those who leverage to recover losses usually end up badly; I've seen too many cases. --- I've noted the 90% greed index; this reference value is quite good. --- Taking profit at 8-10% sounds conservative, but it really helps you last longer. --- If you don't do a good job of fund isolation, everything else is pointless. --- Checking once a month instead of daily is easy to say but hard to do in practice. --- After short-term gains, you need to use the profits to add to your long-term position; you must overcome greed. --- Is it really that simple to beat 80% of people? Then why are so many still losing?

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MoonWaterDroplets

· 01-07 10:44

Splitting 7:3 is indeed a tough move, but very few people can actually execute it. When you make a profit, you want to go all in; when you lose, you want to double down. Managing your mindset is the biggest hurdle. Honestly, I respect the habit of reviewing long-term positions once a month the most. Don’t stare at the screen every day and drive yourself into depression. For short-term trades, I think the 30% profit margin is still easy to break through. Watching the limit-up and not acting—how strong must your willpower be? Having a stable long-term core position is key to maintaining a steady mindset. This logic is sound. The current problem is that many people, with only 3000U, don’t even dare to go all in on BTC, and still try to trade waves. As a result, they don’t make profits on either side. What sounds good is balance; what’s less pleasant is greed. As long as human nature doesn’t change, this approach will always be just talk on paper. When the market goes crazy, who still remembers to cut losses? I’ve seen a friend set a stop-loss at 3%, only to get hit five times straight through. The key word is: persistence. But persistence is too hard.

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TokenDustCollector

· 01-07 10:42

You're right, I've been using the 7:3 split strategy for a long time, and the key is really about maintaining the right mindset. Making small profits is easy, but the difficult part is not being greedy and not using leverage. If you do this well, you've already won. Nine out of ten short-term traders lose money, simply because they can't bear to cut losses on small amounts. This methodology sounds simple, but very few people can stick with it. I've seen too many people fail because of their mindset. How to protect a 70% long-term position is the real skill; it's more important than how much you make in short-term trading.

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YieldHunter

· 01-07 10:37

actually the 70/30 split is just risk management 101... if you look at the data, most degens blow up because they can't separate emotional trading from their core positions, tbh

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AirdropHarvester

· 01-07 10:24

7:3 Split is reasonable, but very few people can actually execute it --- Making 300 bucks in the short term, then immediately throwing it all into long-term investments, is just self-deception --- It's the same theory again, but the key is that no one can withstand the bear market --- It's easy to say, but in actual operation, a sudden change in mentality can ruin everything --- Stop-loss of 3-5% sounds easy, but when you really lose money, you hesitate to cut --- Investing 500 per month with this dollar-cost averaging method is really the most worry-free, a must-see for lazy people --- That 30% short-term trial and error, 99% of people end up working for the exchange --- The core is one sentence: don't be greedy, living longer is more important than earning quickly --- Stable core holdings prevent panic selling? Why do I still frequently chase the highs --- This configuration theory is fine, but the difficult part is the psychological barrier

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ruggedSoBadLMAO

· 01-07 10:23

Oh no, it's still a 7:3 allocation... I'm tired of hearing it, but it does have some merit. Not a bad point, the key is to stick to the core position and not make reckless moves. That 30% in short-term trading is really a hell I can't resist, that's how I ended up losing all my gains. This is the true essence of surviving in the crypto world—just don't expect to get rich quickly. Honestly, not many people can stick to this strategy; most are driven by emotions. Stop-loss is easy to say but really hard to execute. Wait, isn't this just teaching people how to make steady money? It’s actually a bit boring. I think it depends on the individual—some are naturally suited for short-term trading, others for lying flat. Having a solid core position really gives peace of mind, at least psychologically. When a black swan event occurs, no configuration is safe; it all comes down to luck.

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