Patience, not hype, is key in volatile crypto markets

As millions of tokens vanish into obscurity, investors are being reminded that crypto is not just about chasing price charts. Industry leaders warn that without purpose and discipline, projects collapse quickly – and so do portfolios.

That warning resonates against the backdrop of CoinGecko figures showing over half of nearly seven million cryptocurrencies launched since 2021 have already failed, with most collapses occurring in 2024 and 2025. Speaking on an X Space with The Crypto Radio last Tuesday, experts said market turbulence exposes weak projects and underlines the need for investor education and caution.

Theo Valich, ECOBLOX CEO, emphasized that a coin becomes weak when there’s no clear purpose and it takes a long time to see its true potential.

“The moment you have an idea for a token or coin, you need to see what you want to achieve, and whether the project is good or bad,” Valich said.

“The token should be a byproduct and the sources of marketing and funding,” Abdul Rafay Gadit, Zignaly Co-founder, added.

Gadit stressed that a coin becomes weak when founders prioritize making money from the token itself. “Founders focus heavily on the price yet little on liquidity. What is the use of a token that has $100 million market cap but does not even have 500 million in liquidity?”

Spotting weak crypto projects

Gadit highlighted the importance of checking the project team’s execution ability, transparency, communication, and the actual delivery timeline as key indicators of a project’s potential. 

“Some projects are always in a build mode where they never deliver. You don’t want to invest there,” he warned.

Valich stressed the need to look beyond flashy displays of wealth and instead focus on founders’ dedication, real-world partnerships, and actual project development. 

“If you see that the founders walk the path of one, which means live, breathe, and sleep for the project to be a success, then you really see where the achievement comes from,” he said.

How volatility exposes strong and weak coins

Gadit said the market acts as a natural filter, distinguishing between projects with long-term determination and those focused on short-term gains, particularly during volatile periods. 

“If you look at it from a data perspective, there are few months or weeks every year where everyone is doing good. Otherwise, it’s either choppy or It's not so good, at least for 99% of the projects. And this is where the market really tests out the patience,” he explained.

Valich added that the market is maturing and moving towards more legitimate funding sources and solutions. 

“Where we are with crypto right now is where the stock market was in late 1980s before the whole penny stock or dollar stock market came into fruition,” he said.

“Making a quick buck through scams is fading as crypto now has access to institutional funding and grants, reducing the need to rely on public money,” he explained.

Tools and resources for crypto self-education

Investors are turning to resources like Binance Academy and AI tools to sharpen their decision-making. Photo: Unsplash / Christin Hume

 

Gadit recommended Binance Academy, DeFi, AMA, Messari, and AI tools like ChatGPT as effective resources for crypto education and decision-making. 

“Use AI shamelessly, where ChatGPT can be your best friend. It can really help you filter out the good things from the bad things. You can ask the right questions about the right things and get the answer,” he said.

Valich stressed the importance of understanding personal financial goals, avoiding hype, and continuously learning as key steps for investors to protect themselves.

“We really need to learn how to handle money. What do we want to achieve? What are our objectives? And we shouldn’t be afraid to investigate things where we’re a little bit on the weaker side,” he stressed. 

“Don't just go for the hype... don't ever be afraid to go and explore what new you can learn.”

What experts expect for Q4 2025

Gadit suggested the market will be good in the remaining period of 2025, but not everyone will profit, and investors should focus on established projects with potential catalysts in emerging technologies.

“I’m bullish on the market, starting all the way from institutional capital to the theatre,” he said. 

“So, the markets will be good, but would everyone make money? Absolutely not,” he stressed.

“Many people don’t make money because they chase green candles one after another, while they should keep an eye on those tokens that survived more than one cycle,” he added.

“There are also good catalysts [emerging] around RWA tokenization or AI agent tech. Those things do well; we don’t have to go only after newer projects.”

Valich proposed focusing on projects with real-world traction, institutional adoption, and potential for enterprise growth.

“I would like you guys and ladies to think about which projects are starting to ride the wave of institutional adoption. Learning and seeing which token-based companies are using real world liquidity, like real world assets tokenization.”  

“If founders stay the course, there is going to be a well-established enterprise within three to four years, and this is where the opportunity lies. When business-to-consumer funds come in, and business-to-business funds follow, this is where companies usually spread their wings.”