10 signs to help you identify a veteran in the cryptocurrency world

Author: Yohan Yun Source: cointelegraph Translation: Shan Ouba, Golden Finance

The latest market crash has sent shockwaves through global financial markets. For the first time since your grandma asked you what Dogecoin (DOGE) was, the price of Bitcoin (BTC) fell below $50,000. But you are terribly calm because you have been on this cryptocurrency roller coaster countless times.

If you feel this way, congratulations, you are already a seasoned cryptocurrency veteran who knows that market volatility is just part of the game.

The plane just shook more violently, and sometimes, the movie on board is a horror movie. So buckle up and check out these 10 signs you’ve been in crypto for too long: 1. You called the 28% drop a “healthy correction” and “cleared your leverage” Investing in crypto takes a toll on your emotional state. Your soul is numb and your computer mouse is covered in sweat stains from countless battles. But you’re mentally more stable than ever, even if your portfolio isn’t.

 “As long as Tether is stable, I’m stable,” you mutter to yourself.  

Bitcoin’s drop from $62,000 to below $50,000? Just a healthy correction to clear leverage. You believe these big drops are a sign of a bull run, scaring off weak-willed retail investors. 2. You lost 65% of your net worth in one hour, and your first thought is to post a funny picture. Your portfolio is shrinking rapidly, and you must act quickly before it is too late. Friends you pulled into the crypto world are messaging you, blaming you for the market crash. You ignore the chaos and focus on finding the perfect funny picture of someone wearing a McDonald's hat. The world must know that you are going to start flipping burgers tomorrow to make ends meet. You publish your masterpiece, and just like that, your anxiety is gone. Everything is back to normal again With your priorities in place, you finally take a look at your portfolio—all black. But hey, Bitcoin is super cheap today. #buythebottom!

3. You love when retail stores accept Bitcoin, but never pay with it

A new coffee shop opened near your house that accepts Bitcoin payments. But to be honest, you’d rather pay with fiat currency. You work at the Bitcoin coffee shop all day with your laptop. Of course, the first time you’ll pay with Bitcoin, just to let the new barista know that you’re part of the crypto community. But it’s just a one-time thing. In the past, if a merchant accepted Bitcoin, you would buy their stuff — whatever it was, you would buy it. But you are smarter now. If you continue to pay with Bitcoin, you will have to give up your precious coins and buy more with fiat currency on decentralized exchanges. Why would you do that? It’s like having your cake and eating it, then baking another one instead. No, it’s not happening.

4. You start seeing celebrities endorse tokens for cash grabs, not mass adoption

Once, a well-known celebrity launched their own cryptocurrency project, which filled you with hope that the industry was about to see millions of social media followers. “That’s what I call mass adoption!” you used to say, pumping your fist while sitting at your desk for 18 hours straight.

You went through several cycles, watching these projects collapse, with some of these world-class stars becoming infamous for deceiving their fans and being sued by the SEC.

Fast forward a few years, and a top star launches his own token. Thousands of innocent people bought while crypto detectives pointed out insider trading.

"These poor people got scammed! This is too bad for mass adoption!" you slap your forehead as you lie in bed, hugging your laptop for 19 hours straight.

5. You turned off the lights to save money, you are very frugal, only buying crazy Thursday, but you are willing to spend $20,000 on a new memecoin

Ah, the bear market is here again. You’re back to turning off the lights like you’re avoiding a vampire, making your own coffee, forbidding takeout, and eating burritos only on Tuesdays. Financial commentators on TV harp on recession fears and geopolitical tensions, but you’ve been through enough bear markets to know what to do. You’ve mastered the art of surviving until the bulls return. But wait, what is this? A shiny new meme coin that promises to change your life and let you drive a Ferrari. Every part of your sanity is screaming resistance, but the speculator in you is too strong. Before you know it, you’ve thrown $20,000 into it, shouting “LFG!” and “YOLO!”

6. You regretted not buying Pepe at $0.000001 when it dropped to $0.000002

We all have a decision that we regret that we keep looking back on. Maybe it was ignoring that Bitcoin enthusiast in 2013, losing a hardware wallet, or losing a crucial password.

As the cryptocurrency expert in your circle of friends, you confidently told your crypto-native buddy to stay away from that new meme coin he found on X. Your scam sensor is off the charts.

Then you sit next to him, awkwardly watching him as Pepe (PEPE) defies your intelligence and soars from $0.000001 to $0.000002.

7. Your friends are all anonymous anime characters and frogs you’ve never met

You’ve made more friends in crypto than in the rest of your life combined, but you’ve never actually met most of them — you only know their NFT avatars. A friendly wealthy cartoon monkey knows more about you than any of your real-life friends, including how much money you actually have, because you trade crypto together and they can see all your wallet activity. You call your offline friends “real-life friends” and your crypto friends are just “friends.” Oh, and your real-life friends also think you have more Bitcoin than you actually do.

8. Ten years later, you finally give in and sell your crypto two hours before the biggest crypto bull run in history

You’ve spent a decade guarding your wallet through the coldest crypto winter. You’ve finally accepted that crypto isn’t going to let you retire at 35 like your Instagram bros promised.  

So, you sell.

Two hours later, Bitcoin explodes and you’re left watching the biggest bull run in history from the sidelines. It’s just your luck, right?

You laugh not to cry and distract yourself by searching for the perfect meme to express your newfound freedom from crypto torture.  

“At least I can sleep now”, you think as you open the crypto exchange on your phone.

9. You entered the fourth bull run before you became a millionaire

You initially joined crypto because someone told you that if you bought 1 Bitcoin, you would be one of the richest people in 50 years. But now, the price of Bitcoin has gone through the roof, and you only have 0.3 Bitcoin and 100 million PEPE, and your alarm goes off, it’s time to get up and go to work. You thought you had enough time to accumulate more Bitcoin or Ethereum during the bear market, but you’ve burned all your Ethereum to pay gas fees, and most of the money went into meme coins. Well, try again during the next bear market. Maybe by then, you’ve mastered the art of holding on and not being tempted by the meme coins that promise to make you rich overnight. In the meantime, go back to work and dream about what it would have been like if you had bought 1 full Bitcoin.

10. You start thinking that Satoshi might mean “Central Intelligence Agency” in Japanese

Yes, there are credible theories, and you’ve watched all the YouTube videos. They stimulate your brain with all kinds of crazy ideas, such as cryptocurrency is an economic experiment by the CIA and Satoshi’s unused Bitcoin reserves are the US government’s emergency fund for future global crises.

Now, you understand why Bitcoin has no leader - Bitcoin is designed to be decentralized. No leader, no problem, right?