2025-12-26 12:23:34

Have you ever wondered where the money in the crypto ecosystem actually flows?

Top exchanges siphon off fees, DEXs indirectly harvest through liquidity mining mechanisms, market makers profit from arbitrage based on information asymmetry, project teams dilute tokens through various release mechanisms, whales manipulate the market to cut leeks, hackers even directly attack the market to make a quick buck.

This chain is tightly interconnected—exchanges seek arbitrage profits from retail investors, and so do DEXs; market makers rely on spreads for income; project teams hope retail investors will take the bait; whales make a living this way. Hackers and scam groups are the final link, directly and violently harvesting.

A stark fact is in front of us: by 2025, the entire financial food chain (exchanges + DEXs + project teams + whales + market makers + hackers and scammers) is likely to have net drained between 50 billion and 100 billion USD from market participants.

So the question is—this passive "blood donor" of retail investors, is it truly infinitely rechargeable? Can it really be drained endlessly?

Every year, hundreds of millions of dollars are continuously taken from retail investors. How long can this model last? Who can give an answer?

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ForkMaster

· 11h ago

I've long understood this system. The key question is, when will retail investors awaken? --- 500 billion USD? That's too optimistic. I estimate the actual number is even more brutal. --- The ones who truly make money are never the ones asking this question, understand? --- This chain is designed to harvest new retail investors. I earned my baby formula money for my three kids from this logic. --- Project teams are the best at acting. They appear decentralized on the surface but manipulate behind the scenes. I've seen too many cases. --- After one round of profit-taking, they move on to the next. The crypto world is so cruel; only the fittest survive. --- Arbitrage from forks, liquidity mining loopholes... these are old tricks. Projects still using them are really disappointing. --- Retail investors' "recharges" will never be enough because new investors keep pouring in. This is the real secret to wealth. --- The deepest waters are in exchange fee rates. I advise you not to touch unaudited contract code. --- Hundreds of billions flow to the top every year, while the bottom still dreams of airdrops to turn things around. It's hilarious.

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CommunityWorker

· 11h ago

Never mind, I'll just keep getting cut anyway, I can't change it anyway.

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SandwichTrader

· 11h ago

The system of cutting leeks has long been understood; we're still sleepwalking. --- Basically, it's just a front-running scheme. As long as new retail investors keep entering, it can continue. --- I really want to know, when will retail investors start making money? --- 500 to 1000 billion? I think that's about right, but how long this game can last is really hard to say. --- By the way, why don't you ask how many people have actually made money? --- That's why I only watch now and don't move. It's so damn shady.

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TopEscapeArtist

· 11h ago

I've seen through it long ago, this is just a big trap to harvest retail investors. It's not like I didn't know; the technical indicators have already given bearish signals. What about the MACD golden cross? Probably all lies. You still have to set your stop-loss levels aggressively; otherwise, you'll really become a "blood donor." Anyway, I'm caught at a high level now. Just consider it paying for experience. When reviewing, I analyze rationally; in real trading, I rely entirely on intuition. Who knows how long this cycle can last? Anyway, retail investors are always being harvested—that's just fate.

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SellTheBounce

· 11h ago

Buy the dip again; anyway, there will always be lower points. Those who are entering now are all bagholders.

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