The US "kill line" shatters dreams, while the crypto "kill line" brings people back to zero

Author: Yanz, Deep Tide TechFlow

On Chinese internet, the term “kill threshold” has been trending wildly for two days. Starting from a street homeless person video shared by American blogger “Lao A,” this concept has swept through Chinese platforms like Zhihu, Douyin, Xiaohongshu, Bilibili, and also sparked many discussions on X.

The comparison posts about life in China and the US have gone viral, revealing that more and more people realize that Americans earn high salaries but spend heavily on rent, healthcare, and student loans, leaving little savings. 37% of Americans cannot cover a $400 emergency expense, and for many who live paycheck to paycheck, a minor illness, unemployment, or a car breakdown can trigger a chain reaction.

Originally, “kill threshold” is a gaming term referring to the point at which an enemy’s health drops to a certain level, allowing a combo of skills to instantly kill them. In this discussion, the term has taken on a deeper meaning. It has been borrowed into real society, especially in the US, to describe a brutal financial collapse mechanism: once ordinary people’s savings, income, or credit fall below a critical point, the entire system can trigger an automatic process that pushes them into an irreversible bottom—unemployment, debt, homelessness, or even giving up on life.

Why is this concept so popular? I think it’s because it ruthlessly exposes the harsh reality behind the American Dream, shattering the sweet illusions and revealing the brutal truth.

By 2025, the global economy is turbulent, US debt exceeds $38 trillion, and inflation pressures are causing the middle class to wobble. But “kill threshold” is not just a social meme; upon closer reflection, if the US’s “kill threshold” shatters dreams, then turning our gaze to the crypto world, its “kill threshold” is even more alarming.

The harvesting mechanism in the crypto sphere is more savage and globalized than the US society’s kill threshold. While the US’s kill threshold relies on medical bills, unemployment, and debt to slowly harvest individuals, in crypto, the “kill” often happens within minutes or hours: margin liquidations, project rug pulls, hacking attacks—funds can be wiped out overnight.

No government safety net, no unemployment benefits, only cold blockchain records—becoming a bloody history.

In 2025, how can crypto not be seen as a massive wake-up call? The anticipated bull market peak turned into a year of slaughter for many retail investors. The most unforgettable event was the flash crash on October 10.

On October 11, at 4:50 AM, US President Trump suddenly posted a statement, retaliatorily emphasizing that starting from November 1, tariffs on China would be raised to 100%. Market panic instantly erupted. Overnight, global financial markets turned upside down: all three major US stock indices plummeted—Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.9%, S&P 500 dropped 2.71%, and Nasdaq Composite plunged 3.56%, marking the largest single-day decline since April. European stocks and oil markets also suffered heavy shocks.

Meanwhile, in the fragile liquidity crypto markets, the largest liquidation in crypto history was underway: over 1.6 million people were instantly “killed,” with $19.3 billion in liquidations—Bitcoin dropped 13%, Ethereum tumbled 17%, and altcoins crashed by as much as 85%, with many small tokens hitting zero. It was a scene of chaos and death.

This was an epic purge, but clearly not the only one. Throughout 2025, hacking attacks and rug pulls were frequent.

In February, Bybit exchange suffered its largest single theft, losing $1.5 billion, with over 400,000 ETH stolen.

In July, Cetus protocol was hacked for $220 million.

In September, HyperVault protocol was accused of rug pull, draining $3.6 million of user funds…

Chainalysis reports that total crypto thefts in 2025 exceeded $3.4 billion, reaching a new high, with North Korean hacker groups contributing over $2 billion. These incidents often target retail investors: newcomers FOMO-ing into high prices, leveraging all-in, blindly trusting KOL calls—once something goes wrong, funds evaporate instantly.

It’s obvious that compared to the slow kill in US society, crypto is more like a lightning strike. Emotions and leverage amplify all risks, but the tolerance? Just laugh it off—almost zero.

Not only nations, but any low-tolerance system can easily turn into a harvesting machine. The key to resisting the kill threshold lies in strengthening safety nets: improving regulation, controlling debt, building multi-layered social safety systems, giving individuals room to breathe and recover.

Governments can establish social security, provide buffers, and prevent a fatal blow. But retail investors in crypto, with 24/7 trading, can crash at any time; high leverage tools make it easy for beginners to open positions at high multiples; anonymity and weak regulation reduce the cost of fleeing, increasing the risk of falling into traps. These once-seen as shortcuts to wealth and freedom now also serve as fuel for the accelerating kill threshold, rushing toward everyone.

The hot discussion about the kill threshold is a moment of American Dream shattering, and it should also be a wake-up call for the crypto dream. Instead of believing you are the lucky one, it’s better to spend more effort on building personal discipline and more resilient asset allocation. Participate rationally, build defenses—perhaps we can bounce around online for a few more years.

After all, in the harsh reality after the dream ends, the most important thing is to stay alive.