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