The market is dropping, and accounts are shrinking every day. The ones who can survive this are the real experts. I've been in the crypto world for several years, witnessed multiple bull and bear cycles, and today I want to share some survival rules during a bear market.

Defense first, offense second. This is the simplest logic in a bear market.

**Let's talk about stop-loss first**

Many people have been burned by the idea of "holding long-term without stop-loss" during bear markets. Warren Buffett once said— in a bear market, controlling risk is the top priority. My approach is simple: set a bottom line that you cannot break. Once the price drops to that level, take the loss and exit without hesitation.

This line varies from person to person. Conservative traders might stop-loss at 5%-8%, while those who can handle volatility might set it at 10%-15%. But once it's set, it must be treated as discipline and followed strictly, not to be beaten by subsequent rebounds.

**About monitoring the market**

Opening a position means you should be responsible for your capital, and that's correct. But it doesn't mean you have to stare at the screen 24/7. The real strategy is: set price alerts, plan your trades, then eat, sleep, and take breaks as needed.

In a bear market, prices keep falling, and it's easy for your mindset to collapse. This mental breakdown can distort your judgment—leading you to make moves you wouldn't normally consider. The smartest way is to proactively avoid these emotional traps and not let the market manipulate your decisions.

**Position management is the real skill**

And those who shout every day "Full position to buy the dip, buy now"—these are all tricks of tricksters. True experts would never do that.