From Crypto Crash to Comeback: My 2017 Gamble Gone Right (and Then Left)
Back in beginning of 2017, before Bitcoin was the buzzword of every chai adda and YouTube guru, I had just wrapped up a solid run in software consulting. My partner-in-crime, Sanju, and I had pocketed a nice cheque — enough to think we were mini Warren Buffetts in the making.
Like many ambitious 20-somethings with a little money and a lot of overconfidence, I decided to “invest” ₹1.2 lakhs into the shiny new world of cryptocurrency. Spoiler alert: within the first week, I managed to lose ₹90,000 in a single glorious trade.
At that moment, I had two options:
- Quit and cry.
- Hustle and learn.
I chose option 2 — mostly because ₹30,000 was all I had left, and I couldn’t afford therapy.
The Comeback
Instead of rage-quitting, I took a step back and actually started to understand the fundamentals. I became a night owl researching blockchain whitepapers, reading Reddit threads like they were scriptures, and tracking Telegram pump-and-dump groups.
In less than a month, I clawed my way back and recovered all my money.
The high was real. I felt like a wizard — predicting trends, riding pumps, and hopping between coins like a caffeinated squirrel. Soon, I wasn’t just recovering losses; I was making serious gains.
But with that came something else: addiction.
Wonderland of ICOs and Imaginary Mansions
I didn’t put more money in, but I was constantly shuffling what I had into the next “hidden gem.” There were new coins every day. Each ICO promised to be the next Ethereum killer. I was living in a digital wonderland — convinced I’d own a Lambo before I turned 30.
But deep inside, a voice whispered:
“This doesn’t feel right.”
I began to see the cracks. Bitcoin had no intrinsic value. Nobody governed it. It was like the wild west — exciting, but dangerous. Every second guy on Twitter was launching their own coin. Scams were everywhere. ICOs were glorified PowerPoint presentations with slick websites.
One evening, I stared at my portfolio and said, “I’m done.”
No more heart palpitations every time the market dipped. No more gambling disguised as investing.
Enter: Stock Market – The Slow, Stable Friend
I sold all my crypto.
With the lessons I’d learned — about momentum, market psychology, and timing — I entered the stock market. I lost money initially (old habits die hard), but I had one key thing: experience. I wasn’t trying to chase 10x returns overnight anymore. I was learning to pick winners with patience.
Crypto gave me thrills. Stocks gave me purpose.
Looking Back
From a ₹90K loss to a full recovery and beyond, my 2017 crypto journey was like a fast-paced Netflix thriller. There were highs, lows, plot twists, and a satisfying ending.
Would I go back? No.
Do I regret it? Not at all.
Because sometimes, you have to burn a little to learn a lot.