In this article, we will look at why most investors miss the start of a crypto bull run. We will discuss where they go wrong while trading and how to avoid common mistakes.
Even through years of repetitive behavior within crypto, the majority of investors still miss out on the early stages of a bull run. The market will quietly start to change, but most will only act post price jumps. At that point, the significant returns are often gone.
As we approach 2025, signs of recovery are showing once more. Understanding why many miss the start of each bull cycle will assist long-term investors to position themselves better again.
Bull Runs: A Recurring Pattern
Crypto markets move in cycles, and the structure is often the same. There is a quiet buildup phase, then an expansion period, and finally a parabolic rally that brings mass attention. The most significant gains tend to happen before the public fully realizes a bull run has started.
In 2017, Bitcoin began climbing early in the year, but headlines only picked up after it passed $10,000. By then, the rally was near its peak. In 2020, Ethereum stayed around $200 for months before surging past $4,000. Solana followed a similar trajectory, staying under $3 before exploding to nearly $250 in 2021.
These examples prove that market cycles reward those who can act early, not those waiting for social media confirmation or media coverage.
Early Signals Most Investors Ignore
The early stages of a bull market are not loud. They appear in charts and blockchain data before they show up in headlines. Some of the key signals include:
Bitcoin crossing and holding above the 200-day moving averageEthereum gaining strength against Bitcoin (ETH/BTC ratio rising)Large stablecoin inflows to exchangesRising activity on Layer 2 networks and DeFi platformsSmart money accumulation visible through on-chain data
All of these are appearing again in 2025. As we highlighted in our crypto bull run 2025 breakdown, the foundations of a new cycle are forming. Yet many investors remain on the sidelines, uncertain or unaware of what is unfolding.
Why Most Investors Miss the Start of a Bull Run
There are psychological reasons why people hesitate. After experiencing painful losses during the previous bear market, many investors become overly cautious. They are afraid to re-enter, even when conditions improve.
Others simply do not trust slow growth. If a coin moves up 20 or 30 percent in a month, it may seem insignificant to someone expecting 10x returns. Ironically, these early movements are often the beginning of much larger trends.
Another common issue is anchoring. People remember the lowest prices and assume the market will return there again. While they wait, prices recover, volume rises, and early movers are already positioning.
This mindset keeps investors reactive instead of proactive. By the time the uptrend is obvious, most of the early upside is gone.
Where Most Go Wrong: Buying the Top, Selling the Bottom
One of the most damaging mistakes in crypto is jumping into projects after they have already surged. The fear of missing out creates a rush to buy, but it often leads to poor timing and emotional exits.
Take OM (MANTRA) as a real example. It quietly traded below $0.02 throughout much of 2023 before gaining traction. Early investors who understood its focus on real-world tokenization saw major returns. By February 2024, OM reached $7.90. Many newcomers bought at that level without considering the fundamentals. Since then, it has fallen back to around $0.20. A large number of retail investors lost money by entering at the top and exiting during the correction.
This is not unique to OM. Even XRP followed the same path in past. It happens across every cycle.People ignore assets when they are undervalued, then rush in when the hype arrives. Without planning and patience, they end up buying high and selling low.
Recognizing strong fundamentals and real momentum early is what separates long-term winners from emotional traders. Ethereum, Solana, and even rising projects like Hexydog have shown structured growth before mainstream attention arrives. Those who study and act early are the ones who benefit.
Conclusion
Missing the start of a bull run is not just bad luck. It is often the result of hesitation, emotional bias, or waiting for external validation. The most profitable moves are usually made before the masses catch on.
In 2025, early indicators are already in place. This cycle may reward those who take a disciplined and data-driven approach. Instead of chasing headlines, investors would be better off studying signals and positioning with intent. The next leg up may already be starting — just not where most are looking.
Why Most Investors Miss the Start of a Bull Run was originally published in Coinmonks on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.