A cryptoanalyst revealed that the timely XRP investment from Bull cycle 2017 turned into a $130 million missed opportunity, highlighting how execution failures can derail even the most promising strategies. reception, divided publicly on Xu, has reignited the debate about discipline, timing and emotional control in long-term crypto investing.
XRP’s perfect entry, failed exit
The investment started with a disciplined entry. In early 2017, two participants jointly invested $1,200 in XRP at approximately $0.007, accumulating 171,428 tokens. From a market timing perspective, the entry was almost optimal. XRP later rose during the cyclebriefly trading near its high and bringing the value of the position to approximately $770,000.
Related reading
At this stage, the trade has already achieved what most investors aim for: an asymmetric gain achieved within one market cycle. However, the position never panned out. Despite clear signs of market euphoria and dramatic price growth, gains remained unrealized. The analyst later admitted that hesitation and emotional attachment prevented decisive action, effectively turning a winning trade into a missed opportunity.
This hesitation exposed the structural weakness of the strategy: there was none forced exit discipline. While the entry was carefully planned, the decision to sell it depends on the moments when emotional pressures are strongest and risk perception is most distorted. The scenario highlights a recurring problem in crypto markets, where many investors focus heavily on asset selection and timing entries, but underestimate how psychologically demanding exits can be during periods of rapid price growth.
Missed rotation and the compound effect of inactivity
The second failure made the first worse. The analyst explained that selling XRP near its peak would have freed capital to redistribute into Bitcoin while BTC was trading around $1000. The move could have turned XRP revenue into approximately 771 Bitcoins, effectively positioning the portfolio to benefit from the next major phase of the market cycle.
Related reading
Holding those Bitcoins through the later highs—approaching $170,000 CAD—would lead to a total profit of more than $130 million. The strategy was simple and systematic: take profits from assets that perform better and rotate into another with asymmetrical growth potential. It required no leverage, no complex instruments, and no precise market timing other than a broad understanding of overall market cycles.
However, hesitation, second thoughts and attachment to the original position prevented decisive action. By delaying the rotation, the investor lost the benefit of holdings, leaving the portfolio largely static while the broader market continued to advance.
Analysts’ reflection underscores how the crypto market consistently rewards preparation and disciplined execution, but punishes hesitation. This experience serves as a powerful reminder that the ability to act decisively at critical moments is often the true determinant of long-term success in crypto investing.
Featured image created using Dall.E, chart from Tradingview.com
About the Author
