2026-01-08 07:38:25

A popular saying once circulating in the crypto Twitter circle was that as long as you focus on building projects and trading, you can earn passive income. That era indeed existed—between 2020 and 2021, many people achieved returns of several times or even dozens of times by participating in early projects or following trending narratives.

But now the situation has changed. The market has shifted from rapid growth to a relatively mature stage, and retail investors find it difficult to make quick money through simple "luck." The reasons behind this are not complicated: institutions have entered the market, the flow of information has become more efficient, and project competition has intensified.

The era when you could turn around simply by "finding a gold mine" is gradually being replaced by "refined operations." Now, to achieve substantial gains in the crypto market, one needs stronger information discernment, deeper project research, and more reasonable capital allocation strategies.

The decline of nonlinear returns actually reflects the industry's evolution—from a speculative phase to a relatively rational value discovery phase. For participants, this means strategies must be upgraded; the era of "buy low and make money" through mere speculation is over.

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GasFeeLady

· 01-10 08:39

nah the "just hodl and moon" era died the moment institutions started gas-golfing their way in... honestly? saw it coming when gwei started correlating with institutional capital flows lol

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MetaverseMigrant

· 01-09 05:48

Lying down to earn dreams has been shattered... But on the other hand, this wave of reshuffling is actually good for those who truly want to get things done. Really, the era of catching opportunities in 20-21 is gone; those still dreaming of getting rich overnight should wake up. Institutions have indeed changed the game rules, but isn't that just a sign of market maturity? It’s just filtering out people with real research ability. Relying on luck to make quick money? Wake up, that’s called gambling luck, not investing. You’re absolutely right. Now, it’s all about information discernment and execution ability. It’s normal that retail investors don’t have the advantage. This shift was actually noticeable early on; I felt the change in the trend last year. Refined operations sound high-end, but basically it means you need to really research projects and can’t just follow the trend blindly. The era of lying down to earn is dead, but the chives are still lush... Those still trying to bottom fish and wait for sudden wealth are likely to end up deeply trapped.

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CryptoCrazyGF

· 01-08 23:44

Oh, you're so right. I now spend every day just researching projects, I can't even lie down and make money. When institutions come in, they change all the rules. How much luck do we retail investors have? Back in 2021, you could casually jump in and double your investment. Now, you have to work harder than robots. But on the other hand, that's actually a good thing. At least it has eliminated a bunch of luck-based opportunists. I've always said, you need to be smart to do this. The era of blindly bottom-fishing is indeed gone. Now, it's about who has better information channels, deeper research, and more solid allocations. It feels like the market has matured, which actually tests people more. Come on, give it a try if you're not convinced. Actually, this is the normal state of financial markets. The chaotic battle era will eventually pass.

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0xLuckbox

· 01-08 08:08

That's true, but who hasn't gone through this? It's just that it's too late now to realize. After institutions siphon off funds, it's our turn to lose money through meticulous strategies. If I had known earlier, I would have gone all-in on some shitcoin in 2021, instead of still researching fundamentals now. In this market trend, who still believes in the "information discrimination ability" method? It's all about who reacts faster and who is lucky.

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MetaverseHobo

· 01-08 08:06

Wake up, that overnight wealth dream has long been shattered. Making easy money? Ha, people from 2021 are still dreaming. When institutions arrive, retail investors have to get out; these game rules have already changed. Still relying on luck now? Wake up, brother. What sounds sophisticated is actually just a matter of information and capital scale. So, how are those who entered in 2021 doing now? Information gaps are gone, luck is gone, all that's left is technology.

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MeaninglessApe

· 01-08 08:06

Lying and earning is outdated. If you’re still copying and pasting strategies from 2021, just wait to be harvested. Institutional bloodbaths on retail investors are just like this. Without an information advantage, the game is over. Talking about refined operations, in plain terms, it means you need to think carefully and not just guess blindly. Those who can survive this wave of market are truly doing research; everyone else is just a bunch of leeks. The dream of bottom-fishing is over. Now it’s time to get to work, everyone.

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RadioShackKnight

· 01-08 08:02

The "easy profit" approach went bankrupt long ago. Now, those relying on luck are mostly cannon fodder. Machine: The early birds in 2020 definitely made a killing. Now? Institutions eat the meat, retail investors drink the soup. Refined operations sound nice, but in reality, retail investors are finding it harder and harder to make money. The information gap is gone. Relying on research ability? Most people simply can't compete. Actually, what's to be upgraded isn't the strategy, but the mindset—acknowledging the fact that you're not good enough.

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SmartMoneyWallet

· 01-08 07:42

The distribution of institutional chips has long revealed the truth. Retail investors are still looking at technical indicators, but the capital has already changed hands. The wave in 2020-21 was indeed a free profit, but that was a liquidity flood, not your cleverness. Now, on-chain data is right there, and the movements of whales are clear. Still relying on luck? Wake up. Refined operations sound good, but in reality, it's just big capital betting, and retail investors are the ones being cut as leeks. The information gap is gone, and it's now a matter of the scale of funds. Buying the dip to make money? That was an illusion only in 2021. Now, every transaction needs to be calculated—chip distribution, capital flow, quantitative models... or else you're just being drained. That's right, but the question is—do retail investors have the ability to do these? Or continue to self-indulge in anesthesia.

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