What did the initial learning focus prioritize in the first month?

The initial focus prioritized understanding how crypto infrastructure actually works, including centralized vs decentralized exchanges, hot vs cold wallets, how MetaMask functions, and gas fees; the emphasis was on building technical literacy rather than reading endlessly about crypto.

What key realization changed the approach to crypto?

The key realization was that crypto requires technical literacy first; without technical understanding, every action becomes risky.

How were crypto assets categorized to reduce chaos?

Crypto assets were structured into clear groups: Bitcoin as the base asset, Ethereum as infrastructure, Layer 2 solutions, DeFi, AI + crypto, and memecoins.

What was the first investment mistake and its lesson?

The first mistake was buying an asset solely because it was trending on X with no research or fundamentals, resulting in a 27% loss in one week; the lesson was that if you cannot clearly explain why a project exists, you are gambling, not investing.

What portfolio allocation was adopted in month two?

The adopted portfolio allocation was 40% Bitcoin + Ethereum, 30% strong infrastructure altcoins, 20% DeFi + AI narrative, and 10% high-risk plays.

Why was dollar-cost averaging (DCA) implemented and what effect did it have?

Dollar-cost averaging was implemented to stop trying to time perfect entries; it reduced emotional swings by buying during market drops and staying calm during pumps, and was described as one of the smartest decisions made.

Which DeFi activities were tried in practice and what perspective did that give?

Lending, staking, and yield farming were tried, which revealed crypto as a functional financial system rather than merely a speculative market.

How was a loss on a fake project characterized and what hierarchy of evaluation emerged?

The loss came from a project with a beautiful website, aggressive marketing, and grand claims; the resulting evaluation hierarchy became whitepaper > on-chain data > product > hype.

What information-filtering habits were adopted to improve decision-making?

Information-filtering habits adopted included stopping the chase for '100x gems', ignoring trading signals and reactive trading, and instead tracking on-chain metrics, following smart money, and watching where capital actually flows.

What are the main lessons and next steps after three months in crypto?

Main lessons: crypto is a learning curve rather than fast money; most losses stem from emotions; systems outperform impulsive decisions; and real growth follows initial mistakes. Next steps include diving deeper into on-chain analytics, expanding DeFi strategies, testing advanced portfolio models, and continuing to document the journey.

My First 3 Months in Crypto

Three months ago, crypto felt like pure chaos. Bitcoin, altcoins, DeFi, Web3, on-chain data — everything blended into one endless stream of hype, noise, and conflicting opinions.

Today, I have:

a structured crypto portfolio,
a clear investment strategy,
real mistakes behind me,
and a much better understanding of how this ecosystem actually works.

This article is a practical breakdown of what I learned, what I did, what went wrong, and what truly worked.

Month 1 — Learning the Foundations

Understanding the infrastructure

Instead of endlessly reading about crypto, I focused on understanding how things actually work:

centralized vs decentralized exchanges
hot wallets vs cold wallets
how MetaMask works
gas fees and why transactions can cost $30+

Key realization: Crypto is not about investing first. It’s about technical literacy. Without it, every action becomes risky.

Learning asset categories

I structured the market into clear groups:

Bitcoin — base asset
Ethereum — infrastructure
Layer 2 solutions
DeFi
AI + crypto
memecoins

This instantly removed a lot of chaos and emotional decision-making.

First mistake — chasing hype

I bought one asset purely because it was trending on X. No research. No fundamentals.

Result: –27% in one week.

Lesson: If you can’t clearly explain why a project exists, you’re not investing — you’re gambling.

Month 2 — Strategy and Portfolio Building

Building a balanced portfolio

I abandoned the idea of “catching 100x” and started thinking long-term:

40% — Bitcoin + Ethereum
30% — strong infrastructure altcoins
20% — DeFi + AI narrative
10% — high-risk plays

This dramatically reduced emotional swings.

Starting DCA

I stopped trying to time the perfect entry and switched to dollar-cost averaging.

This was one of the smartest decisions I made.

Market drops → I buy. Market pumps → I stay calm.

Exploring DeFi in practice

I tried:

lending
staking
yield farming

For the first time, I saw crypto as a functional financial system, not just a speculative market.

Month 3 — Mistakes, Filters, and Confidence

Losing money on a fake project

Classic scenario: beautiful website + aggressive marketing + “revolutionary tech”.

Loss was small — lesson was huge.

Takeaway: Whitepaper > on-chain data > product > hype.

Learning to filter information

I stopped:

chasing “100x gems”
trusting trading signals
reacting to every pump

And started:

tracking on-chain metrics
following smart money
watching where capital actually flows

Gaining confidence

The biggest change: confidence in my decisions.

I’m no longer afraid of:

volatility
corrections
sideways markets

Because now I understand what’s happening.

Key Lessons After 3 Months

Crypto is not fast money. It’s a learning curve
Most losses come from emotions, not the market.
Systems always outperform impulsive decisions.
Real growth starts after your first mistakes.

What’s Next

Over the next three months, I plan to:

dive deeper into on-chain analytics
expand DeFi strategies
test more advanced portfolio models
keep documenting this journey

If you’re just entering crypto — confusion and fear are part of the process.

Just keep moving forward.

— Azalea ❤