How I Lost $150,000 in Crypto (So You Don't Have To)
The difference between those who eventually win and those who quit? The winners share their failures, learn from them, and adapt.
Introduction
Let me tell you something they don’t talk about enough in crypto: everyone loses money.
The difference between those who eventually win and those who quit? The winners share their failures, learn from them, and adapt.
I’ve lost over $150,000 in cryptocurrency since 2017. Not from some sophisticated hack. Not from an elaborate phishing scheme. I lost it by thinking I was smarter than the market.
Today, I’m pulling back the curtain on every painful mistake I’ve made. Why? Because your financial education shouldn’t cost six figures like mine did.
This is my thread of pain—turned into your roadmap of protection.
REKT #1: Chasing the “Ethereum Killer” Dream
What Happened
Back in 2018, I went all-in on EOS at $18 per token. My reasoning seemed bulletproof:
- “Superior technology compared to Ethereum”
- “Backed by billions in funding”
- “Every influencer I followed was shilling it”
I held with diamond hands… all the way down to $2.50, eventually selling at an 86% loss.
Total damage: $16,500
The Brutal Lesson
Authority doesn’t equal alpha. Just because someone has credentials, followers, or funding doesn’t mean they can predict the future. Even geniuses get it catastrophically wrong.
Your action step: Never invest based solely on who’s promoting something. Do your own research, understand the fundamentals, and accept that even the “smartest” people in the room are often just guessing.
REKT #2: The Euphoria Trap That Cost Me Half a Million
What Happened
2021 was magical. My portfolio exploded from $100,000 to $600,000. I felt invincible.
Everyone around me was screaming “HODL!” The charts only went up. Taking profits felt like admitting defeat.
“This is just the beginning!” I told myself.
Then I rode it back down to $120,000.
Paper loss: $480,000
The Brutal Lesson
Paper gains are fake money. They’re numbers on a screen until you convert them to something real.
Your ego wants the perfect exit—selling at the absolute top. Your family needs security, stability, and actual money in the bank.
Your action step: Create a profit-taking strategy BEFORE you’re in the euphoria. Set specific price targets where you’ll sell portions of your holdings. 25% at 2x, 25% at 3x, 25% at 5x—whatever works for your risk tolerance. Write it down. Follow it mechanically.
REKT #3: The “Audited” Yield Farm That Wasn’t Safe
What Happened
In 2022, I discovered what looked like a legitimate yield farm on Binance Smart Chain:
- ✓ Audited smart contract
- ✓ 150% APY (should’ve been the red flag)
- ✓ Professional-looking website
- ✓ Active Telegram community
I deposited $50,000. Ten days later, the contract “imploded.”
I recovered $500.
Total damage: $49,500
The Brutal Lesson
If something sounds too good to be true, it absolutely is. An audit doesn’t mean safe—it just means the code does what it claims to do. If it claims to rug you efficiently, the audit just confirms it will.
Your action step: Question every yield opportunity above 20% APY. Ask yourself: where is this yield actually coming from? If the answer is “new depositors,” you’re in a Ponzi. If you can’t understand the yield source, don’t invest.
REKT #4: The NFT FOMO Disaster
What Happened
2022-2023 was peak NFT mania. I convinced myself I was “early” and FOMO’d into:
- Various Ethereum “blue chips” at peak prices
- A Cardano NFT project with beautiful art and big promises
Total investment: ~$50,000 Current value: ~$1,000
Total damage: $49,000
The Brutal Lesson
When the founders move on to their next project, the floor price follows them out the door. Community promises mean nothing without continued builder engagement.
Your action step: Only buy NFTs you genuinely love and would be happy to hold at zero value. If you’re buying for investment returns, you’re already making a mistake. The art and utility should be reward enough.
REKT #5: Following “Smart Money” Off a Cliff
What Happened
In 2024, VCs and crypto influencers were loading up on TIA (Celestia). The thesis was compelling: “Modular blockchains are the future!”
I bought at $20. I sold at $12.
Total damage: $5,000
The Brutal Lesson
VCs are NOT your friends. Their investment timeline, risk tolerance, and exit strategy are completely different from yours. By the time you hear they’re buying, they’re often preparing to sell—to you.
You are exit liquidity with a smile.
Your action step: Stop following “smart money” trades. By the time information reaches you, it’s priced in. Develop your own investment thesis based on fundamentals, not on who else is buying.
REKT #6: The Cardano Ecosystem Collapse
What Happened
I believed the Cardano ecosystem was finally taking off. I provided ADA liquidity for HUNT on lending platforms, expecting steady returns.
Borrowers defaulted. The platform never recovered.
Total damage: $10,000
The Brutal Lesson
Only provide liquidity for assets you’d be happy to hold for years. If you wouldn’t buy and hold the underlying tokens, you definitely shouldn’t be lending them or providing liquidity.
Your action step: Before entering any DeFi position, ask yourself: “If I get stuck with these tokens for three years, will I be okay?” If the answer is no, walk away.
REKT #7: The GameFi Guild Ghosting
What Happened
January 2024: Restarted our gaming guild with optimism. March: The market was absolutely insane—everything was pumping. May: I got invited into multiple private funding rounds for GameFi projects. July: The teams stopped responding to messages. December: The projects were completely abandoned.
Total damage: $20,000
The Brutal Lesson
Never lock up funds during a bull run. The opportunity cost is massive, and the risk of team abandonment skyrockets when easy money is flowing.
Your action step: Avoid vesting schedules and locked tokens during bull markets. Liquidity is worth more than a 20% discount on tokens you can’t sell while the market crashes.
If You’re Down Bad: You’re Not Alone
Here’s what I need you to understand:
You’re not stupid.
You’re not alone.
You’re paying tuition at the most expensive school on earth: The Market.
The only question that matters now is: Are you learning?
Because I promise you—the market will keep teaching until you do.
The Lessons That Changed Everything
After losing $150,000, here’s what I finally understood:
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Profit-taking isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom. Nobody went broke taking profits.
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FOMO is the most expensive emotion in crypto. Wait 24 hours before making any investment during peak euphoria.
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High yields = High risk. Always. No exceptions.
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Your investment heroes have different incentives than you. Stop following, start thinking.
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Liquidity is a feature, not a bug. Being able to exit is more valuable than slightly better terms.
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The market rewards patience and punishes greed. Every. Single. Time.
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Paper gains mean nothing. Real money in your bank account is the only score that matters.
Your Action Plan Moving Forward
Here’s what you should do differently:
1. Create Your Profit-Taking Rules NOW
Write down specific percentages of your portfolio you’ll sell at 2x, 3x, 5x, and 10x returns. Follow this mechanically, regardless of market sentiment.
2. Set a “Too Good to Be True” Threshold
Any APY above 20% gets automatic skepticism. Above 50%? Don’t touch it.
3. Implement the 24-Hour FOMO Rule
Never make an investment decision during peak excitement. Wait 24 hours. If it still makes sense, proceed carefully.
4. Diversify Your Exit Strategy
Don’t just think about what to buy—know exactly when and how you’ll sell. Your exit strategy is more important than your entry.
5. Track Every Loss
Keep a journal of every losing trade. Write down why you made the decision and what you learned. This document is worth more than any trading course.
Final Thoughts: Still Learning, Still Building
I’m still here. Still learning. Still building.
Those losses hurt like hell. They kept me up at night. They made me question everything.
But they also taught me lessons that no book, course, or guru ever could.
The market is the ultimate teacher because it charges real tuition for real lessons.
You can learn from your own expensive mistakes—or you can learn from mine for free.
The choice is yours.
Remember: in crypto, you’re either learning or you’re losing. Sometimes you’re doing both at the same time.
The winners? They’re just the ones who learned faster than they lost.
Still SNEK. Still learning. Still here. 🐍
Your turn: What’s the most expensive lesson crypto has taught you? Drop a comment below—your painful story might save someone else thousands.
And if this saved you even one bad decision? Share it with someone who needs to hear it.
Because in this market, we rise together—or we get REKT alone.