One Guy’s Crypto Journey: Can You Really Make Money with It?
Make money with crypto: When James Lim first dipped his toes into crypto back in 2019, he didn’t expect much. Maybe a few gains, maybe a quick loss. He was curious—skeptical, even—but like many, he couldn’t ignore the buzz any longer.
“I saw all these stories on Reddit,” he recalls, laughing. “Some guy turned $300 into six figures with Dogecoin. It sounded ridiculous… but also kind of possible?”
That curiosity launched James on a journey that thousands of others have taken—trying to make money with crypto, learning the hard way that for every flashy success, there are dozens of quieter failures.
How James Tried to Make Money with Crypto
James started with the basics—buy and hold, or “HODLing,” as the community calls it. He picked up a little Ethereum and some Litecoin, planning to sit on them and see what happened.
“I figured, if I lose it, I lose it. At least I’ll learn something.”
Then came trading. He read charts, joined Discord groups, and tried to time market dips. “It felt like playing a video game with my savings,” he admits. “Exciting, but… stressful doesn’t even begin to describe it.”
Later, he experimented with staking and yield farming—earning passive income by locking up crypto. The returns looked good on paper. But one protocol he joined vanished overnight in what’s known as a “rug pull.” Just like that, $700 was gone.
NFTs? He tried those too. Bought a cartoon monkey. Sold it months later for a loss. “I knew it was dumb. I did it anyway. Lesson learned.”
The Not-So-Pretty Reality Behind the Hype
The flashy side of crypto is everywhere—on social media, in group chats, even during sports broadcasts. But as James found out, most people don’t actually make money with crypto. At least, not consistently.
“There’s this illusion that it’s easy. But really, it’s chaos,” he says. “You’re either glued to your screen, or you’re waking up at 3 a.m. panicking because Bitcoin dropped 12% overnight.”
And scams? Everywhere. Fake tokens, phishing links, misleading influencers. “I almost lost everything clicking on what I thought was a MetaMask update.”
For James, it became clear: the people making money were either super early adopters, seasoned traders, or, frankly, lucky.
What He’d Tell Anyone Trying to Make Money with Crypto
Now, four years in, James has a few scars—and a few insights.
First, start small. “If you wouldn’t light it on fire, don’t put it in crypto.”
Second, don’t go in blind. Learn the difference between a hot wallet and cold storage. Understand gas fees. Know what a smart contract actually does.
Third, diversify and take profits. “When my portfolio went up 3x, I didn’t sell a thing. I thought it’d go 10x. It didn’t.”
Most importantly? Adjust your expectations. “Crypto isn’t a job. It’s not a plan. It’s a gamble with tech wrapped around it.”
So… Can You Really Make Money with Crypto?
For James, the answer is yes—but it came with bruises. “I made a little. I lost a little more. But I wouldn’t call it a failure. I learned a ton.”
He still holds a few coins today, but he’s far less active. “If it goes to the moon, great. If not, I’ve moved on.”
And that’s the bottom line for many trying to make money with crypto: possible, but unpredictable. Educational, but exhausting. Sometimes profitable… but rarely painless.
As James puts it, “You might make money. But don’t expect magic—and don’t bet your rent.”
Relevant News: HERE
