The Truth About Cutting Leeks in the Crypto World: A Self-Hypnosis Game

After staying in the crypto world for a long time, I finally understand a cruel truth—those who get “cut” are never passive victims, but active participants.

The essence of “cutting leeks” is not a scam, but a psychological game

Many people think that “cutting leeks” is simple fraud, but that’s not the case. The brilliance of this game lies in: it doesn’t require you to believe lies, only to stimulate your inner greed.

You are not forcibly dragged in; you are gradually lured into jumping in yourself. The project team designs the entire process like a play, and only when you step onto the stage do you realize you are an audience, not the main actor.

Every step is carefully calculated: the standard script for “cutting leeks”

Step 1—The Big Pie Stage

Whitepapers are full of grand narratives like “technological breakthroughs” and “changing the world,” and the community atmosphere is cultivated to make you believe “this is a thousandfold coin opportunity.” You start imagining, and your future begins to shine.

Step 2—Creating Urgency

“Miss it and it’s gone” “Now is the cheapest entry” “It will be listed on exchanges soon”—FOMO (fear of missing out) is precisely triggered. You have no time to think calmly, only eager to get on board quickly.

Step 3—Seeking Endorsements to Increase Trust

A big V (influencer) reposts, rumors that an exchange will soon list, a well-known fund invests… These signals make you feel “this time is different,” and you think you’re not gambling but “investing.”

Step 4—Price Surge

The market starts, retail investors flock in. At this moment, you are full of joy, feeling you’ve finally made the right move. Little do you know, this is exactly the window for project owners and early players to dump.

Step 5—Direct Dump

Cash out at high prices, price plunges. Only then do you realize you have become the last bagholder. This is the final and most deadly step of “cutting leeks.”

Why smart people also get “cut”

I’ve seen many financially free individuals end up trapped in crypto. The reason is simple: Greed causes IQ to drop.

In this battlefield amplifying human desires, no one is completely immune. You may know the risks, but when you see others earning 10x, 100x, your rationality begins to waver. You tell yourself “this time is different,” and end up being that “leek” being harvested.

Why is calling signals so popular? Because it hits a pain point: most people would rather believe others’ judgments than bear the cost of thinking themselves. Once the illusion of a “big thigh” appears, your account becomes their liquidity.

How to avoid getting “cut”

Instead of trying to predict the market, learn to identify risks. Right now, I focus on three things:

Projects with practical applications are more reliable than just hype—those that solve real problems and have real users at least have a chance to survive.

Judgments based on logic are more trustworthy than “feeling it will rise”—being able to explain why you are optimistic, rather than making decisions based on intuition and FOMO.

Playing with risk control is smarter than going all-in—manage your positions well, don’t put all your chips into one project. This is the most basic and effective way to save yourself.

The crypto world has never been a zero-sum paradise but a magnifier of human nature. Whoever can control greed will live longer.