As the Middle East Iran conflict escalates, Iran retaliates after US and Israeli airstrikes, causing oil prices to surge. Meanwhile, BTC makes a V-shaped rebound back to around 68k-69k, leaving everyone on edge, seeking predictable and stable returns.

Last night, I didn't jump on the hot topics. Instead, I went through TermMax's new user cold start process from beginning to end, to truly understand what their mechanism is screening for.

This isn't a fair, everyone-gets-points kind of a launch, but rather a quiet selection of reliable players who can be entrusted with real money for the long term.

The rules are very clear: deposit USDC or USDT into the vault to earn Venus Flux floating interest, with an additional 120x XP stacking; then, place single options trades ≥ $10 or Dual Investment ≥ $100 to earn extra AP rewards, which are usually credited the next day.

But the real cost has never been money. The first level of screening is discipline—choosing the right chain, not giving permissions randomly, not over-authorizing to save effort. In the world of fixed-rate lending, these small details directly determine whether you can understand and play with the predictability of these three words.

The second level of screening is patience. XP and AP don't jump instantly; when the page refreshes and nothing moves for a while, that's when panic sets in. I’ve observed this myself. Later, I realized that protocols dealing with interest rate structures are not meant to be flash sales; they require people who can stay calm and steady.

Looking at the product line as a whole—from fixed-rate to no-liquidation options, RWA collateral, and then to stablecoin yield integration—it's clear they are moving toward professional on-chain capital planning. This approach can't be sustained by short-term traffic; it needs people willing to engage seriously over the long term and truly understand.

Higher thresholds will indeed block some newcomers, but this kind of screening is the toughest risk control. When the market is so chaotic, seeing a protocol that genuinely focuses on predictable yield makes me feel more secure.

When a protocol starts demanding discipline, patience, and consistent serious participation from you, do you find it troublesome or finally feel like you’ve found something reliable?

Cold start isn't about jumping into the hype; it's the first gate for those truly interested in long-term play. Are you willing to step through?