There is a hard and fast rule in this circle—the bonus window only opens once. If you miss that ride, no matter how hard you chase later, you'll mostly just be helping others carry the sedan.

Let me tell you a few heartbreaking stories so you understand.

During the投放狂潮 from 2020 to 2023, projects like DYDX, ARB, ENS, OP, STRK, just a few taps and interactions could get you tens of thousands or even millions of free tokens. I know someone who made enough from airdrops to buy a house. But what happened when the trend shifted? The thresholds became absurdly high, the rules so complex they were like a maze, and sometimes even the gas fees were wasted. Early birds eat worms; latecomers can only smell the scent.

During the inscription craze, it was even more exaggerated. Those who first grasped ORDI and SATS in 2023 saw their few thousand dollars grow into millions. But by the end of the year, everyone rushed in. The market was already cooling down. Those who bought on the secondary market lost so much they started doubting their own IQ.

When the AI track first emerged, most people thought it was just a money-grabbing scheme and didn’t dare to touch it. Who knew WLD would rise tenfold, FET twentyfold, ARKM thirtyfold? When retail investors were worn out by the gains and flooded in, they got caught and are still stuck with losses after two years.

Now look at Meme coins. In early 2024, any Meme on-chain could create a thousandfold myth—PEPE, WIF, BOME, PNUT—all legends. Some people turned hundreds of dollars into millions back then. But now? The market cap for new coins is capped at two hundred million, many projects go to zero immediately, and scams are as numerous as an endless harvest of chives.

Get it now? The bonus in this circle is always a one-time commodity. By the time everyone is shouting about it, the opportunity has already evaporated.

Sometimes, seasoned players are actually worse off than newcomers. Old chives are burdened, haunted by bear market shadows and psychological price points—they dare not chase high or go all-in. Newbies, on the other hand, don’t know anything but still dare to blindly jump on hot topics, and surprisingly, they often make the most profit.

So, the chance to make money is always hidden in the "first wave," not in the phase where everyone is discussing it. Falling half a beat behind in cognition or hesitating a couple of seconds in action, and the bonus is gone for you.

Do you think there are still undiscovered "first waves" in the market today? Or has the most exciting window already closed forever?