I have a fren who was still worried about rent last year, and this year he came to see me in a Model Y. "I made enough for the down payment in just half a year," he said with a smile.

Sounds like a joke, right? But looking at the flow of his account, it's indeed true. Of course, I have to tell the truth—99% of people in the crypto market are losing money, and I myself paid the price in blood a few years ago; the money lost was enough for a down payment on a house in a small city.

After five years of grinding, I have distilled three trading rules that were earned with real money. Each of them almost cost me my life.

**First Move: Leverage is a Double-Edged Sword**

Back in 2020, I used 20x leverage to go long on Bitcoin. My account suddenly showed a floating profit of 520,000 in a single day. That feeling—it was like suddenly getting a promotion, a raise, or buying a house. That night, I bought my girlfriend a luxury handbag and even started thinking about what car to change to by the end of the year.

Then, the market turned around. Bitcoin plummeted 12% in a single day. My account went from +520,000 to zero in just two hours. Not only did I lose my profits, but my margin was also forcibly liquidated. It was just a moment from heaven to hell.

After that time, my friends and I set a strict rule: leverage should not exceed 3 times. The position should always be kept within 5%. It's like putting a safety airbag on the account—losses will still occur, but it won’t be fatal.

Many people drool over the profits of others and then turn around to gamble with 10x or 20x leverage. I won't say that this will definitely lead to liquidation, but the statistics are clear - most people indeed get out at this step.

In reality, true wealth accumulation has never been about going all in, but rather about surviving each time to wait for the next wave.