Most people don’t lose to the market

They lose to their own timing
Traders Union surveyed 1,200 active retail crypto traders in a study published this week
During downturns, 17 percent said they buy the dip
49 percent sell
34 percent hold and hope
On entries, 64 percent said they buy after a price has already risen
Only 23 percent buy the dip on the way down
Buy after the move already happened, not before
The study estimates 73 to 81 percent of retail traders have likely lost money as a direct result of that pattern
Here’s where the 2026 tape matches it
Search interest for Bitcoin peaked in February as price slid toward $60k
Attention said retail was returning
Positioning told a different story
Spot ETFs were roughly flat in February
Then in June, with Bitcoin back under $60k, ETFs posted their worst month since launch
A record outflow
Same price zone they were supposed to be buying
That’s the mechanism behind a lot of retail losses in crypto
It’s not always picking the wrong coin
It’s finding it after the move, buying once it’s loud, then selling when it goes quiet
Buying the dip requires acting while everyone else is scared
Calm isn’t just a personality trait in this market
It’s an edge almost nobody actually uses