This is a reflection shared by CoinKarma member － Chris

I first learned about cryptocurrency back in 2013, but the market was still quite niche, and the extreme price swings kept me from diving in. It wasn’t until the DeFi boom of late 2020 that I truly believed blockchain technology could revolutionize finance, which finally convinced me to start trading.

Exploring the Many Facets of Crypto: From DeFi to Meme Coins

The crypto world was exploding with new projects back then—DeFi, DAOs, NFTs, and a host of altcoins that seemed to spring up overnight. I tried my hand at different projects, including a few meme coins. In hindsight, though, some governance tokens ended up as deadweight, meme coins got “rug pulled,” and NFTs turned into nothing more than digital images. I felt I was spinning my wheels, with my assets dwindling as a result.

Losses Fueled by Emotion and Lack of Discipline

This period taught me a lot about the complexity of crypto markets and the necessity of risk management. By March this year, BTC entered a phase of wild swings, hitting highs close to $70,000. I felt sure that a bull run was just around the corner, especially after a peak in late July, so I kept adding to my position. But when I missed the window to exit, prices took a nosedive a few days later, leading to a substantial loss.

Finding Balance with CoinKarma: Regaining Control of My Trading Rhythm

It was during this turbulent time that a friend introduced me to CoinKarma. After testing it out, I realized that CoinKarma had managed to effectively time market highs and lows over the last six months of price fluctuations, so I decided to incorporate it into my trading strategy. As a newcomer to trading tools like this, I kept it simple by using four primary indicators: LIQ, Overall LIQ, Accumulated LIQ, and Accumulated Overall LIQ, sticking with the default settings. Following CoinKarma’s principle of “no long positions in red, no shorts in green,” I traded with minimal leverage.

Moving Beyond Emotional Trading and Securing Stable Profits

Since starting with CoinKarma, I’ve been able to avoid getting swept up in market hype. For instance, while many anticipated a downtrend in September followed by an October rally, CoinKarma gave me the confidence to enter at lower prices and avoid FOMO at market peaks. This approach effectively minimized my risk of emotional losses.

The image below shows my actual profits for September. As a first-time user, I took a cautious approach by investing a small amount and exiting early. While this meant I missed out on some gains, I still achieved profits even in a month that others were skeptical about—an improvement over my previous subjective trading methods.

From Chasing Quick Wins to Building Steady Growth

CoinKarma has shifted my focus toward establishing a stable trading system, moving away from the chase for quick profits. I now take a careful look at the risk-to-reward ratio of each trade, with a stronger emphasis on capital management and emotional control. I’ve come to see that in crypto, steady growth and long-term viability matter more than a few big wins. This has made my trading more balanced, allowing me to face market shifts with greater calm and confidence.