The Complete Guide to All-In Trading in Crypto: Three Principles to Help You Survive and Grow Sustainably

Last night, a friend in Fujian called me in a nearly devastated state. She used 10,000 USDT all-in with 10x leverage to go long, and just a 6% market correction would wipe out her account completely. Even more sadly, this was the third account burn in a month. When reviewing her trading history, I saw she often held more than five positions at the same time, each with very heavy sizing. She believed that “all-in can withstand fluctuations,” but in reality, it dies faster than isolated. The truth is: all-in doesn’t kill you — the way you use all-in is what causes your account to burn. For example: with a 1,000 USDT account, using 900 USDT to open a 10x position, just a 5% move against you will bring you to zero. But if you only use 100 USDT to open a 10x, you need a 50% move against you to burn out. The difference lies in position size, not leverage. The Essence of All-In Trading In traditional finance, all-in means putting all available capital into a single opportunity. It’s a high-risk strategy, often used when investors are overly optimistic about the market. The biggest weakness of all-in is the lack of room to maneuver. As soon as the market moves against you, you have no funds left to handle it, forcing you to wait for a rebound or cut losses in helplessness. In crypto — where volatility is 4–5 times higher than forex — all-in requires iron discipline. Many newcomers mistakenly think all-in helps “better withstand fluctuations.” In fact, the true value of all-in is risk management, not gambling. I once used all-in to double my account in six months without ever burning out. The secret lies in the three principles below. Three Survival Principles Principle 1: No More Than 20% of Total Capital per Trade With a 10,000 USDT account, I only use up to 2,000 USDT for a single trade. If I’m wrong and stop out at 10%, I only lose 200 USDT — not affecting the “backbone” of the account. Position management is the foundation of risk control. Proper allocation helps you avoid disaster when one asset unexpectedly hits bad news. Principle 2: No More Than 3% of Total Capital per Loss For example: using 2,000 USDT to open a 10x position, I set a 1.5% stop loss. That means the maximum loss is 300 USDT — exactly 3% of the total account. Setting a stop loss before entering a trade is the best way to avoid emotional decisions. This discipline isn’t easy, but it’s a necessary condition for long-term survival in the market. Principle 3: When the Market Ranges, Do Not Trade; Never Overleverage When Profitable I only trade when the trend clearly breaks. When the market is sideways, no matter how attractive, I just observe. Once in a trade, no FOMO, no overleveraging, no emotional influence. Avoiding FOMO is a sign of a mature trader. Opportunities are always available every day — no need to rush for a few waves. Survive First, Then Smile at the End All-in isn’t about “betting your life on one shot,” but about creating space for mistakes. A follower of mine used to burn out every month. After applying these three principles, in just three months, her account grew from 5,000 USDT to 8,000 USDT. She said: “Before, I thought all-in was gambling. Now I understand, all-in is to live more stably.” In crypto, volatility is everyday business. The winner isn’t the one who catches a few big waves, but the one who survives long enough to benefit from the cycle. Don’t compare who makes money faster. Compare who can last longer. Less guessing of the trend, more control over positions. Slow and steady wins the race. Losing money is hard to recover. The market is open every day. A trader who follows these three principles told me: “Now I sleep well every night, no longer stressed about watching charts like before.” Learning to use all-in properly isn’t about getting rich overnight, but about surviving long-term in a high-risk market. Opportunities only belong to those who are still standing on the playing field.