Do you make much money trading off TA? If everyone is looking at the same patterns, do they become a self-fulfilling prophecy or do they get competed away?
What I'm trying to ask is, is this more profitable than a buy and hold strategy?
TA is indeed a self-fulfilling prophecy. I think if you want to short when you think bitcoin goes down, that can help you make more bitcoin during those long bear periods. Then you can just hold during bull phases. This strategy alone will result in a better than buy and hold strategy.
Bitcoin is not a company stock or index where buy and hold is the best strategy. It fluctuates wildly. There are many other better strategies.