“Oops. The market started spiking recently, and I panicked. I had that familiar, sickening thought: ‘I don’t have enough XRP.’ So, I bought it at $2.30.”
That confession, shared by a private retail investor, reflects a pattern many in the cryptocurrency market quietly recognise. The token has since slipped closer to $2, leaving the buyer with a higher entry point than planned and a renewed reminder of how emotion often drives decision-making in volatile markets.
The investor, whose average purchase price for XRP still sits at $1.39, described the latest trade as another example of buying on a strong upward move. “I bought emotionally, out of FOMO, and at the top of a wave that’s since rolled back,” they said, admitting the decision felt like a textbook mistake.
Market analysts say this behaviour is common. Retail investors often stay cautious during long periods of falling prices, then rush in once assets begin rising sharply. By that point, early buyers and larger players are already positioned to reduce their exposure.
“It’s a pattern that repeats over and over again,” the investor said. “And I still fall for it.”
To counter this cycle, the individual has started automating weekly purchases of small amounts of XRP and Bitcoin. The strategy was adopted after completing a Wealth Accelerator programme with Mark Moss, a US-based entrepreneur and investment educator known for promoting long-term, rules-based investing.
The aim is to remove emotion from timing decisions. Rather than waiting for the “perfect” moment, fixed purchases are made regardless of daily price movements. The investor says the approach has also challenged another common belief in crypto circles: that meaningful participation requires large sums of money.
“You don’t need a lot of money to start investing. You just need to start,” they said.
The investor recalled a moment from a TikTok live stream three years ago, when a young Bitcoin commentator urged viewers to “stack your sats” — a reference to buying small fractions of Bitcoin known as satoshis. The advice, they said, now feels painfully relevant.
Even with strong conviction in digital assets, the investor admits discipline remains difficult when prices fall. That emotional pull, market observers note, is exactly what institutional players understand and often anticipate.
The same behaviour can be seen in stocks, commodities and precious metals, contributing to a widening wealth gap. According to analysts, the biggest advantage wealthy investors hold is not only capital, but consistency and emotional control.
The investor says they now try to keep one well-known principle in mind, often attributed to Warren Buffett: “Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful.”
It is a reminder, they say, to resist chasing rallies and to stay engaged when markets are quiet — a lesson learned, once again, the hard way.
