In this cycle, the crypto market has gradually formed an unwritten but highly consistent set of implicit rules.
First, price supremacy above all. As long as the price rises sharply enough, anything can be packaged as a 'great technological innovation.' Whether it's decentralization or engineering complexity, almost no one truly cares—everyone is focused solely on the K-line. Fundamentals are rarely the basis for decisions; they're usually just rationalizations invented after the price has already gone up. HYPE, ZEC, TIA—all essentially follow this path.
Second, fool's consensus is still consensus. If hundreds of millions of people believe an asset with no intrinsic value—such as a meme coin, inscription, or pure vaporware narrative—is worth something, then it truly is worth something until the bubble bursts. In such phases, rational warnings are utterly useless. Proving others are foolish too early often only proves you've missed out on the biggest irrational premium of this cycle.
Third, only technical upgrades that can trigger a price surge are recognized as 'good upgrades' by the market. A vast number of obscure, hard-to-understand whitepapers aren't written for users—they're crafted to tell stories to capital and retail investors. Even if you don't understand them, as long as they sound 'high-level,' they're enough to fuel valuation inflation and enable high-level exits.
Fourth, listing on a major exchange is the peak. The day a token lists on top-tier exchanges like UPBIT or Coinbase is often its short-term or even medium-term peak. The core function of major exchanges isn't to help retail investors discover value, but to provide early investors, VCs, and project teams with the long-desired super-liquidity exit channel.
Fifth, when KOLs collectively shout buy signals, it usually means the distribution phase is over and the dumping season has arrived. When top Twitter influencers start unanimously recommending the same token, it typically means the supply has already been concentrated and distributed—now only a final wave of emotional buying is needed.
Sixth, capital is always fickle and obsessed with novelty. Old coins that are deeply underwater are extremely hard to revive, as there's massive selling pressure from investors waiting to break even. For manipulators, it's far more efficient and less obstructed to simply launch a new coin, rebrand it, and draw a clean K-line rather than spend money trying to rescue the old 'suckers'.
These rules may sound harsh, but they aren't moral judgments—they're descriptions of real market behavior. Understanding them isn't about agreement, but about making fewer mistakes and avoiding becoming fuel in the cycle.