The most common pitfalls in the crypto world are often not technical issues, but the word "trust."

A few years ago, superstar Jay Chou fell victim to this—he entrusted his friend Cai Weize to invest in Bitcoin, only for the other party to disappear, resulting in losses of over 100 million New Taiwan Dollars. Similar stories happen every day in the crypto space. These so-called "trusted third-party investments" seem simple: you send the money, a friend manages the trades, and profits are shared. But the problem is that most of these arrangements are only based on verbal agreements, making it impossible to hold anyone accountable if something goes wrong.

Why are delegated investments so prone to problems? Essentially, it's an incentive mechanism issue. The trader doesn't care whether you profit or lose; they take a 30%-40% commission from the profits. If you lose money? That's your problem. Under this model, traders have no constraints to operate conservatively and are more likely to take risks. Ultimately, the entrusted party bears 100% of the risk and losses.

There are also so-called "gurus' predictions" and "signal providers." Short-term market movements are inherently unpredictable, but these individuals still dare to boast. Their common tactic is to highlight successful predictions repeatedly, creating the illusion that they have special insight. In reality? Some analysts even cooperate with market manipulators, promoting "hundredfold coins" while quietly selling off their holdings.

To protect yourself, you must rely on your own judgment. First, avoid blindly copying trades; learn to make independent assessments. Read project whitepapers, check on-chain data (such as distribution of coin holdings)—these are the real ways to evaluate a coin's true value. Don't be led astray by hype and propaganda.

Second, self-custody of assets is crucial. Store your private keys in a cold wallet and do not grant permissions to third parties casually. If you must delegate, sign formal agreements that clearly specify risk responsibilities and profit-sharing arrangements.

The harsh reality is that the 2025 GUCS virtual currency case alone affected 29,000 people, with losses totaling over 1.7 billion yuan. An expert once said—"There are no true friends in the crypto world, only interests and risks." Instead of trusting others' promises, it's better to trust your own judgment and technical defenses.