Every time the market enters an uptrend, you’ll often hear people joking: “Just buy anything, it will make money.” But reality is never that simple. There’s a large group of investors who, despite the market pumping hard, end up losing money even faster than they did in a downtrend.
Why this paradox? Because a bull run doesn’t just bring opportunity — it’s full of traps and mistakes. Below are the most common mistakes that caused many investors in previous cycles to make money early in the bull, only to lose most of it by the end.
1.Over-optimizing Every Move
A common habit is buying and selling the same coin repeatedly, trying to “optimize” every small price move. Sure, it might work a few times in the beginning, but eventually the market runs away without giving you a chance to re-enter. By then, you’ve missed the best entry and end up buying back at a much higher price.
In reality, if you had just hodled and held your position, you could’ve easily 2x, 5x, or even 10x your account, instead of stressing over small percentages. This is a leftover mindset from the bear market — where every pump feels fragile. But in a bull run, patience wins. Don’t dance in and out too much, or you’ll miss the big multipliers chasing scraps.
2.Taking Profits Too Early
In a bull run, coin prices are often pushed far beyond their “real” value. A project fundamentally worth $10 can easily pump to $50, $100, or even more thanks to liquidity and FOMO. If you sell too early, you risk missing out on the insane upside that defines bull markets.
This usually comes from trauma during the bear: prices recover a little and people panic sell, afraid of losing gains. But in crypto, a coin that already 5x’ed can still go 10x, 20x. Don’t let old fear make you exit at the bottom of a massive uptrend wave.
3.Holding Into the Bear Market
The opposite mistake: some investors never sell, holding all the way until the bear returns. Yes, BTC, ETH and a few top coins can recover and hit new ATHs cycle after cycle. But most altcoins won’t. Many never return to their old highs — some die completely.
The mistake here is attachment: people hope their altcoin will perform like others that once went 10x. But reality is different — the coin that already did a 10x in a month has more momentum than one that barely doubled over a year. Always remember to take profits. Even if it’s less than your dream target, it’s better than
4.Obsessively Watching Charts and Apps
In a bull run, patience is everything. Once you buy and hold a coin, let the market do its work. If you constantly stare at charts and refresh apps like MEXC, your psychology gets wrecked: you panic when others’ coins pump, you worry when yours dips a little. The result? Premature selling or random stop-losses. And, of course, the coin you just sold will moon right after.
Instead, split your strategy:
- Hold account: Leave it untouched, no need to check every hour.
- Trading account: Actively rotate based on trends/narratives.
This way you protect your mindset, keep efficiency, and still live your life outside crypto.
5.Selling Safe Coins for Risky Ones
In a bull run, capital rotates: one coin pumps, then another. Some tokens moon because they’re tied to hot narratives. If you already hold solid, safe coins like BTC or ETH, be patient — their turn will come. Or just allocate a small portion for chasing narratives.
But don’t sell your safe bags to ape into risky meme tokens or short-term pumps. Too many investors dump their BTC/ETH for “next 100x gems,” only to lose both safety and gains — ending up with nothing but bags of trash coins.
6.Over-Diversifying or Over-Concentrating
Two extremes here:
- All-in one coin: If it doesn’t pump while the market runs, you feel stuck. Worse, if it dumps, your whole account goes with it.
- Owning too many coins: You can’t keep up with research, easily missing critical news.
The best approach? Focus on a few strong narratives/trends. Manage capital well. Pick a handful of solid projects — enough to diversify risk, but not so many that you lose track.
7.Not Keeping Stablecoins
Going all-in with no stables left is a deadly mistake. In bull runs, the market loves hunting long/short positions. If you keep some stables, you’ll be ready to buy the dips at amazing prices.
Stables also give you flexibility to enter new narratives and hidden gems that pop up mid-cycle. Always keep a portion of your portfolio in stables — think of it as your safety net and ammo reserve.
8.Increasing Capital Without a Plan
When people win big in a bull, greed kicks in. Small accounts suddenly grow into large ones, and instead of protecting gains, they want even more. That’s when they borrow, margin trade, or all-in futures… and lose everything. Golden rule: grow your stack, but keep your capital discipline. Don’t let greed erase all your hard-earned gains.
8.1 Comparing Yourself to Others
You see others posting insane profits and you feel FOMO, jumping into coins that have already pumped for days. What you don’t see is their years of learning, losses, and patience.
Never compare your wallet to someone else’s. Focus on your own skills, discipline, and process. That’s the only way to stay long-term in this game.
8.2 Getting Overconfident
The biggest trap: arrogance. In a bull, even bad entries make money. You can buy tops, hold randomly, trade poorly — and still profit. This tricks many into thinking they’re geniuses and the market is easy.
But most of those profits aren’t from skill — they’re from liquidity flooding the system. When the bear comes, those bad habits will destroy you: every buy bleeds, DCA becomes useless, and accounts get liquidated.
Always remember: the market is the teacher. We’re not as smart as we think.
9.Conclusion
A bull run is a golden chance to multiply your portfolio, but it’s also full of psychological traps. Don’t let these mistakes steal your gains. Stay disciplined, manage capital, and most importantly — know when to stop.
In crypto, making money is hard. Keeping it is even harder.
Disclaimer: This content does not constitute investment, tax, legal, financial, or accounting advice. MEXC provides this information for educational purposes only. Always DYOR, understand the risks, and invest responsibly
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