Selecting coins, to be honest, is not as complicated as you think. Many people lose money not because they don't know how to choose, but because they are misled by all kinds of fancy indicators.

Over the past few years, I've summed it up into just three moves. They work in both bull and bear markets, and for spot and futures trading.

Move one: Look at volume, not price.

Prices can be painted, and K-lines can be faked, but trading volume can't be fooled. A sudden big green candle with volume lower than previous days is basically a pump and dump—don't chase it. Conversely, if the price is low and volume is gradually increasing while the price can't drop, that's real accumulation. Remember one thing: a rise without volume is a trap; a drop with volume: don't rush to buy the dip.

Move two: Only trade coins with active participation.

What does "active participation" mean? It means stable trading volume and an active market. Browse the gainers list, pick out coins with consistently high trading volume over the long term, and add them to your watchlist. Avoid those obscure coins with only a few hundred thousand USDT in daily volume—once they pump and no one buys, you'll be the one left holding the bag. Liquidity is far more important than technology.

Move three: Determine the direction on the higher timeframe, and find entries on the lower timeframe.

First, look at the weekly chart. As long as the weekly chart is flat at a low level or starting to turn upward, it has potential for participation. If the weekly chart is heading downward, no matter how cheap it is, it's a trap. Then switch to the 4-hour chart to see if the structure has stabilized and the moving averages are aligned before considering an entry. That way, you won't get the direction too wrong.

In short, these three moves essentially help you filter out 80% of the junk coins.

You don't need complexity to pick coins; the key is to stay disciplined and not be swept away by emotions.

In a bull market, follow the hype; in a bear market, follow liquidity. Always remember this: Picking volume is better than picking coins; reading the trend is better than reading the price.