Be Grateful for the Losses

Louis Sykes
July 27, 2022

From the Desk of Louis Sykes @haumicharts

There's no denying the fact that it's been a rough time being a crypto investor lately.

From our work, crypto market participants are closely approaching their maximum pain thresholds.

In real terms, losses realized on-chain reached their highest values going back to 2011. In nominal terms, Bitcoin holders realized the most amount of losses in USD terms in crypto's entire history.

We've gone from 95% of all market participants holding unrealized profits to a measly 50% in the space of a few short quarters.

This is, by most measures, one of the most severe bear markets by loss realization, capital leaving the ecosystem, and contagion among even the largest and most sophisticated of players.

Despite this destruction of wealth, it's important to be grateful for our losses.

If you get to participate in public markets, you are among the most privileged people in the world.

Participating in public markets will always be a privilege, not a right. Never forget that.

There are far worse predicaments to be in than losing money in fake internet money.

To the struggling minimum-wage worker wrestling to make ends meet, the homeless person looking for scraps, or the aspiring teenager who had the unfortunate luck of being born in a penurious society, even the mere consideration of wealth beyond basic necessities is a luxury.

To make all this possible, you need to live in a wealthy society where laws and order permit the existence of transparent markets. You likely grew up in a safe neighborhood with a loving family. You grew up with access to education, food, shelter, and culture.

I think this only underscores our responsibility to be humble as investors. Trading isn't a God-given right, and your next trade could very well be your last. We only have a long line of incredibly smart and sophisticated traders losing everything in this bear market as a shining testament to humility.

There's no denying that it can be difficult to step away from day-to-day life in this echo chamber and realize how privileged we are. But the more we actively try to make a conscious effort to grasp how blessed we are to participate in public markets, the humbler we'll be.

It might be tough out there in this sloppy tape. But be grateful you have the capacity to lose money through trading and investing.

We're fortunate beyond belief to do what we do. And we need to appreciate that more.

Thanks for reading, and please reach out if you have any questions.

 

 

Filed Under