Crypto and DeFi

A crypto trading basics track: how to separate spot from perpetual, how not to lose an account to phishing, and how to think about BTC and ETH and on-chain data without a cult of the sure thing. Crypto has its own risk infrastructure — keys, exchanges, funding — and a chart alone will not fix that.

Seed phrases and phishing kill accounts more often than a bad RSI reading. That is why the order is firm: security and understanding the product first, then size, then analysis. A 24/7 market additionally tests your psychology — the absence of a session close does not release you from a plan or a daily risk limit. There is no promise of a hundredfold gain here; there is the language of the product and discipline.

The material is educational. We do not recommend tokens, exchanges or leverage. We do not teach altcoin alpha. The goal is a safe understanding of the products and the process before you increase exposure.

Who this is for

For people who already have the market language, risk in R and want to enter crypto without social media myths. Also useful if you trade perpetuals but do not understand the funding rate, or you keep your seed phrase in your phone’s notes.

It will suit someone who wants to move from spot to leveraged products deliberately — or the other way round, back to spot, because leverage destroys a process faster than a bad pattern. If you do not have a risk journal yet, go back to the risk track before you increase exposure. The track also helps people who confuse a token’s popularity with the quality of their trading process.

What you will learn

• Crypto without myths: what is a product and what is a marketing story
• The difference between spot and perpetual futures, and the consequences of leverage and funding
• Account security, scams, seed phrases and typical attack vectors
• The basics of Bitcoin and Ethereum in the context of a trader’s decisions
• On-chain for beginners: what to read and what not to overrate
• How to combine size and psychology with high 24/7 volatility
• How not to confuse a token’s popularity with the quality of your process
• How to record funding and the result in R as carefully as on any other market

Prerequisites

In course order: after Stocks and ETFs. Minimum subject matter: Risk and psychology and Market foundations. In crypto, operational mistakes such as losing keys or picking the wrong product are sometimes more expensive than a bad setup. Technical analysis is also useful for describing price structure on liquid pairs.

Security and the product come first, spot versus perpetual, and analysis comes after. Not the other way round. To start, stick to BTC/ETH and a small size — expanding your universe without a process is the fastest route to chaos.

Glossary

• Perpetual
• Funding rate
• Leverage
• Margin
• Spread

FAQ

Is a perpetual the same as classic futures?

It is a contract without an expiry date and with a funding mechanism. Different economics from classic futures with expiry — do not assume the products are identical. Before you use leverage, read the instrument terms on your platform.

Does on-chain data predict price?

Not as a prophecy. It is additional context on flows and activity. You still need a risk plan and a size limit. On-chain data does not replace a journal or the 1–2% rule.

Where should I keep crypto while learning?

For learning the process, a small account on a regulated platform with 2FA is often enough. Learn self-custody separately, before you move larger amounts. Operational security is part of crypto trading, not an add-on.