while HODL is easier (and riskier too).
I find it hard to agree with this point, HODL is a lot less risky, you just need a proper hardware wallet to "store" the coin, your risks are limited, predictable, and avoidable, with mining, however, I can name tens of risks associated, many of which are not controllable by any means, people have no clue how hard is it to maintain a mining farm, but worrying about theft, fire, damaged PSUs, dead fans, heatsinks falling and all that is a lot of headaches and a lot of risk to be taken.
It still depends, not every holders are ready to hold for years to come, some are holding for quick up trend in crypto market for few dollars more, for them HODL is more risky, my friend was forced to hold BTC in 2018 after buying at ATH, he has no choice but to hold but he wasn't prepared for it