$BTC
Why You Can Buy the Bottom but Can’t Sell the Top
Buying the bottom of a low-cap coin is often easier than selling the top because of how markets actually work behind the scenes. When you buy at the bottom, there is usually plenty of liquidity because early sellers are desperate to exit and there are few buyers. Your small order gets filled smoothly and you feel like you timed it perfectly.
The problem starts when the price goes parabolic. A 100x move attracts thousands of retail traders and early investors who all want to sell at the same time. At the “top,” liquidity becomes very thin. There are far fewer real buyers willing to absorb massive sell pressure. When you hit the market sell button, your order eats through the available buy orders and creates instant slippage. The first sell fills at the high price, but the rest fills much lower, crashing the price in seconds.
Another reason is order book manipulation. Whales and market makers often pull their large buy walls right when price peaks, creating a fake sense of support. When you try to sell, those “buyers” disappear, leaving a liquidity gap. Your order either stays unfilled or gets filled far below your expected price.
There’s also psychology at play. Everyone is greedy at the top and no one wants to buy anymore. Smart money distributes slowly into strength, while late buyers become exit liquidity. That’s why charts often form violent wick candles at the top.
In crypto, making money isn’t just about buying low. It’s about slowly scaling out as price moves up, using limit orders, and respecting liquidity. The top is always chaotic — and that’s why most traders can buy bottoms but rarely sell perfect tops.
