If you only have a few hundred USDT in your account and you’re still relying on credit cards to fund your trading—stop and think about whether it’s really worth it.

The trading market is never about luck; it’s more like a hunting game that requires patience and rules. Last year, I saw a typical case: the starting capital was $600, and the guy’s hand was shaking even placing his first order, afraid that going all-in would wipe him out. I told him, “Don’t panic, follow the method, and you’ll make progress step by step.”

A month later, his account balance grew to $6,000, and after three months, he broke $20,000—with zero liquidation incidents during the whole process. You might think he just got lucky with a bull market? On the contrary, it was all about the discipline ingrained in his execution.

Here’s the three core principles of the method that took him from $600 to where he is now:

**First, split your principal into three parts and give yourself a fallback**
Divide your starting capital into three: use $200 for intraday trading, only touch mainstream coins like Bitcoin and Ethereum, and take profits when you see a 3%-5% move; another $200 for swing trades, only entering when there’s a clear opportunity, holding positions for 3-5 days max; the last $200 is locked away and never touched—no matter how extreme the market gets. This is your safety net if you ever need to start over.

I’ve seen too many people go all-in with a few thousand dollars—feeling invincible when prices rise, but falling apart when markets drop. Those who survive in the long run always keep a cushion off the table.

**Second, only trade the trend, don’t get stuck in choppy markets**
Most of the time, the market just moves sideways and wears you down. Frequent trading only benefits the platform’s fees. If there’s no clear signal, just wait; when there is, strike decisively. When you’re up 12%, cash out half—real profit is what’s in your account.

Top traders always have this rhythm: wait patiently when it’s time to wait, and strike decisively when it’s time to act. Watching his account multiply, it was steady like an engineer at work—no chasing highs or trying to catch bottoms, just taking clear opportunities for profit.

**Third, rules above all—control your hands**
Set your stop loss at no more than 2% of your capital per trade; if it hits, exit immediately—no discussion. When profits exceed 4%, cut your position in half, and let the rest run. Never add to losing positions to average down—don’t let emotions dictate your decisions.

You don’t have to get every direction right, but you must follow your rules every time. To put it simply, making money comes down to having a fixed method to restrain your urge to mess around.

The market will always be there, but when your funds are small, you need to be even more cautious. Instead of using credit card money as tuition, it’s better to practice your rules with a small principal. Survive first—then you’ll have a story to tell later.