Real Stories

It was April 2024. I sold my van and decided to invest $50,000 of the proceeds in altcoins. I invested in Avalanche, ICP, and Render. I believed it would be a great opportunity, but then Bitcoin started to fall, and so did my altcoins. By July and August, I was left with only about $24,000 of the original $50,000.

I became obsessed with cryptocurrencies. I spent endless hours studying the entire industry, including meme coins and leveraged trading. I wanted to recoup my losses, so I also got involved in meme coins, which are incredibly volatile. I put more money into my Phantom wallet, sold other coins for Solana, and then for meme coins. My funds dropped from $45,000 to just $13,000.

The intense pressure and losses began to take their toll. I suffered from stress, panic attacks, anxiety, and lack of sleep. It was exhausting.

Somehow, I managed to turn that $13,000 back into $43,000. Then I got another check for $10,000, so I had a total of about $65,000. And that's when I made a fateful decision. I went all in with $30,000 on a newly created meme coin. It was a huge bet, and it quickly backfired. The money plummeted to $2,000 in a matter of moments. I lost $62,500.

It was a harsh lesson. I learned how important patience is, how to avoid greed, and that I shouldn't chase overly risky, high returns. My mom and brother invested smaller amounts and just let them sit, and they made money. I tried to be smarter and lost.

Despite this huge loss, I am trying to stay positive. Every day is a new beginning. I plan to refocus on my cash-generating Amazon business and on building new businesses, rather than relying solely on external investments. And yes, I know that I will return to crypto in the next cycle, but this time with much more conservative strategies.

I am sharing my story to be honest and vulnerable. I hope it can help others who are struggling with similar financial losses.

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Jake started trading cryptocurrencies like many others—at first out of pure curiosity and the hope of making an interesting profit. He invested small amounts at first, and everything seemed fine. But gradually, he became more deeply involved, and his trading began to resemble gambling rather than sensible investing. His desire for quick profits consumed him so much that he began to monitor the markets more and more frequently, analyze charts, and place new trades without having a real strategy or balance sheet.

Jake admits that trading cryptocurrencies became something like "crack cocaine" for him—he experienced intense excitement and euphoria when he managed to make money, but the feelings of despair and panic when prices fell were just as intense. This prompted him to take even greater risks in the hope of quickly recouping his losses. This cycle of "high wins and deep falls" eventually led him into a spiral of addiction.

The financial losses were enormous—Jake lost millions of pounds, which completely changed his life. He lost his assets, got into debt, and had to deal with legal issues related to his trading. His family and friendships fell apart under the weight of stress and constant conflict because Jake was unable to stop his compulsive behavior.

In addition, he felt lonely and unsupported because, while gambling or drug addictions are often better recognized and treatable, cryptocurrency addiction is a relatively new and not always recognized problem. Jake emphasizes the need for more awareness of this addiction, better market regulation, and, above all, more accessible help for those who fall into it.

His story is a warning about how easily fascination with cryptocurrencies can turn into a dangerous addiction that can have devastating effects not only on finances, but also on mental health and personal life.

Source - here

It started with nearly $10,000 that I invested in cryptocurrencies. At the time, I thought it was a great opportunity to improve my life. I never imagined it would turn into something that almost destroyed it. Today, that investment is worth only $1,730. Not only did I lose money, but I realized that I had become addicted.

It was as if I lived in a constant desire to trade. I constantly checked charts, felt anxious when I couldn't trade, and neglected everything else. My friends, my family, my studies—none of that mattered to me as much as the next trade. I felt like I needed more and more to achieve the same feeling of satisfaction. I tried to control it, but I couldn't. It was as if my brain had a will of its own.

Later, I realized that it was all about dopamine. The feeling of euphoria when a trade was successful was incredible. My brain remembered it and wanted more. It was a vicious cycle that pulled me deeper and deeper.

The turning point came when I realized that I couldn't go on living like this. I had to admit to myself that I had a problem—that I was addicted. It wasn't easy, but it was the first and most important step. Then I had to reorient myself. Instead of focusing on cryptocurrencies, I put all my energy into my studies and my businesses. It was crucial that I surrounded myself with people who loved and supported me—my friends and family were a tremendous support. I know that some people need more help than I did, and for them, I would definitely recommend seeking professional help, such as counseling or cognitive behavioral therapy.

It was a long and difficult journey, but I am glad I undertook it. Today, I am much stronger and wiser.

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It all started in 2020. I was 18 and threw myself into the world of cryptocurrencies and the stock market. I put all my college savings and stimulus checks into it, and in no time I had $30,000 to $40,000 at stake. By the time I was 19, it had grown to nearly $80,000. I felt like a king.

Then came 2022, and with it, harsh reality. The market crashed, and I lost a huge amount of money. My investments returned to zero, or even went into the red. Not only that, but I also lost out on meme coins and leveraged trading. It was a rude awakening.

But you know what? I'm grateful for it. I learned about bear markets and market cycles the hard way. I understood how important patience and discipline are. These lessons are priceless.

After those losses, I immersed myself in studying Bitcoin cycles and cryptocurrencies. I wanted to be ready for the next bull market. I started buying in the fourth quarter of 2023, when Bitcoin was around $25,000 to $30,000, and continued to average my costs throughout 2024.

I see a lot of catalysts in the market right now—Bitcoin ETFs, pro-crypto political stances. I expect an "alt season" to arrive in the first quarter of 2025, with the peak of the cycle likely to be between March and May.

It's not easy. It's hard to buy when investments are falling, and it takes tremendous mental strength to buy when others are afraid. I admit that I am addicted to the markets, but for me it is an addiction to potential and to the money that people earn.

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I first got into cryptocurrencies in 2017-2018. I invested in Poe, X, and Y, but when the market crashed, I lost most of my money. It was a rude awakening, but it wasn't the last time I dabbled in it.

During the lockdown in 2020, I returned to crypto. I started a YouTube channel to share my passion, and the market exploded. I invested in tokens such as SwissBorg (CHSB) and Matic (Polygon) and made a lot of money. I felt on top of the world.

But then came the big blows. The collapse of Celsius Network, where I had invested in their token. Then the bankruptcy of FTX. I invested in high-risk altcoins such as Jade Protocol, which promised extremely high APYs but ultimately collapsed. I also fell into the trap of "pump and dump" groups on Telegram, where I lost more money. I saw my friends lose money in scams like Phoenix Community Capital. And worst of all, I didn't take enough profits when Bitcoin reached $69,000, and I missed my $100,000 target.

These were painful lessons, but as they say in crypto, "you don't learn until you lose." And I learned.

Now I'm much more cautious. I'm not so reckless anymore. I only invest what I can afford to lose. I have a solid portfolio and I'm comfortable with the idea that it could all go to zero.

And for those who are just starting out, I have one piece of advice: don't make emotional decisions, don't bet everything, and don't look for quick profits. Be prepared for your portfolio to go to zero. Investing in cryptocurrencies is completely different from traditional investing.

Source - here

It started innocently enough. A little interest in Bitcoin and Ethereum, like everyone else. But soon it became an obsession. I believed that cryptocurrencies were my only way to become a millionaire. And so I started investing all my money in them.

My girlfriend took it hard. I was constantly checking prices, sending her photos of those "red and green lines," and my mood changed with every market fluctuation. I prioritized crypto over spending time with her. It was as if nothing else existed for me.

Sleep? That was a luxury. I was constantly woken up by price alerts. My girlfriend never slept for more than two hours at a time. But I told myself that I had to "work 24/7" to get "to the moon."

Financially, it was crazy. I stopped buying new clothes and ate only water and noodles to save every penny for crypto. And then I made the worst mistake. I convinced my parents to invest their life savings. The market crashed, and they lost everything. They haven't spoken to me since.

It all started with the GameStop situation in early 2021. I made huge profits there and wanted to experience that "to the moon" feeling again. I found it in Dogecoin.

I believed that crypto offered "crazy returns" and was a way for "normal people" to get rich, unlike stocks, which I saw as a way for the rich to maintain their wealth.

Now I know I need help. The first step is to move from crypto to less exciting investments, such as stocks, starting with penny stocks, to gradually reduce my stress level. It's a long road, but I have to do it.