Trading and holding of 2026 first half

[shawonngp]

I have been holding for the last 2 years and to be honest I have seen any profit, I am actually down approx 50% over 4 coins

Holding profits comes from a long time of waiting that is why we often say that investment in cryptocurrency like Bitcoin should be done with a long time frame in mind because that is the only way you are going to see the remarkable profits from Bitcoin investment.


You said you are holding 4 coins in your portfolio, but if I am to advice you, I think holding only Bitcoin should be the safest option, if you are holding Bitcoin for that two years, there is no way you be down with that 50% negative record in your portfolio.

Long-term investment is a safer, less risky way to make money. But it’s a matter of patience; it is very difficult for everyone to hold out for 2 years in a Bitcoin or an altcoin investment. BTC is a long-term holding coin; you cannot expect good profit from it in the short term, so if you can hold it for 2 years, it can be said with certainty that it is easy to make a significant profit. Trading is not for everyone, because it is very risky. But many of us trade altcoins for quick profits because we can't be patient enough for long-term holding.

[Gozie51]

I know many of us are not yet making money from bitcoin holding, but if you compare it to trading, which one have you liked the most that you have done in the first half of 2026?

But the both are different thing and one has lesser or no risk at all while you have enough of risk trading. As it stands now with the way price of bitcoin is slowing down, a trader who understands the market and taking low risk can still make out something. Hodling btc definitely is a low risk investment no doubt especially a long term investment but trading is different and not everybody will make profit in trading just like in gambling.

[Olatundespo]

I expect traders to also be holders, but greedy traders may just focus on trading and probably be losing because of impatience. I think I prefer the coin I have held this year than trading.

What I noticed is that I make only little amount of money from trading, that is just because I do not want to lose much, but not making enough profit is the problem now. I do not want to be greedy, not I noticed that with the DCA and other investment strategy, investing in bitcoin is kind of better, I am not making money there right now, but I know bitcoin will get to $70000 which is close to my average buy.

I know many of us are not yet making money from bitcoin holding, but if you compare it to trading, which one have you liked the most that you have done in the first half of 2026?

Everyone will agree that trading is more destructive. Long-term investment is comfortable. You expect traders to be holders. The reality is that I started with trading but I clearly understood through market analysis that short-term trading is as risky as gambling. I am now a long term Bitcoin investor.

Although it may be possible for experienced traders to make a profit from trading, it is not guaranteed and it may be possible to make a profit with high capital investment but there is also high risk. Instead of taking the risky way of trading to make money from Bitcoin, a long-term holding strategy is a better strategy.

Bitcoin price has started to fall since October last year. It is not stable yet, the price is in a state of volatility. In fact traders are going through a difficult time and now is the time to buy more Bitcoin because the price is still very low.

[EL MOHA]

But the both are different thing and one has lesser or no risk at all while you have enough of risk trading. As it stands now with the way price of bitcoin is slowing down, a trader who understands the market and taking low risk can still make out something. Hodling btc definitely is a low risk investment no doubt especially a long term investment but trading is different and not everybody will make profit in trading just like in gambling.

Yes both are different thing and I think in general term rge holding of the a coin in this duration of time that OP has actually asked its question with. I think the answer will be heavily dependent on the type of trader in question because if it was a trader that is actually quite successful they might have actually earned more in the first half of the year than holding, since the first half has been filled with predominantly bearish periods which was actually what was expected since it’s a bearish year,

But for an unsuccessful trader I think they would have been hoping they didn’t trade at all and that amount was actually invested into bitcoin they would still be having their bitcoin rather than the funds been eaten up by the market. This is the reason why you will see that the advice is if you’re not actually making profit from trading desist from it and start holding permanently but if you’re actually making profit then you could still actually be trading and using most of the profit to invest into bitcoin

[fredericktaylor]

I think it is much better to investment systematically with a long-term plan than to trading. The risk of losing money through trading is relatively high because it is very important to understand the volatility of the market. In addition, it is very important to use strategies and enter the market at the right time with patience and control greed. If we start trading without following the right rules and regulations, the risk of losing money is manifold. wrong decision through trading can cause money loss.

I prefer to invest consistently with a long-term plan because it has less chance of losing money because Bitcoin is a long-term asset value that increases gradually and by holding the investment for a long time, inflation can be avoided in the future and there is a possibility of making money.

[icebar]

I know many of us are not yet making money from bitcoin holding, but if you compare it to trading, which one have you liked the most that you have done in the first half of 2026?

There are many investors who, without knowing much about Bitcoin, invested only on the words of others and later lost. Even though they held, they sold Bitcoin before the stipulated time due to their lack of time knowledge. It is not possible to make profit by holding if it is not possible to hold it till the stipulated time. Those who trade tend to get very excited if they make a temporary profit, but later when they realize it, it is difficult to come back from that situation. There are many traders who have faced losses after trading for a long time, but for those who hold for a long time, the chances of profit are very high. I gave more importance to trading at the beginning of the investment, but later it could not give me anything positive. Later I realized the importance of holding well.

[Bushdark]

I know many of us are not yet making money from bitcoin holding, but if you compare it to trading, which one have you liked the most that you have done in the first half of 2026?

But the both are different thing and one has lesser or no risk at all while you have enough of risk trading. As it stands now with the way price of bitcoin is slowing down, a trader who understands the market and taking low risk can still make out something. Hodling btc definitely is a low risk investment no doubt especially a long term investment but trading is different and not everybody will make profit in trading just like in gambling.

Investing in Bitcoin can be seen as a low risk investment to when you decided to trade. Traders can make so many mistakes that can make them to lose money but when you invest, you can only lose money when you sell early when the price of Bitcoin has gone down ending up in loses. Any investor that is patient with his investment will surely make profits not like some that are only after making some profits before they decide to sell and make little or no profit. People that can not trade should better end up investing since trading can quickly end in loses.

[bitgolden]

Long-term investment is a safer, less risky way to make money. But it’s a matter of patience; it is very difficult for everyone to hold out for 2 years in a Bitcoin or an altcoin investment. BTC is a long-term holding coin; you cannot expect good profit from it in the short term, so if you can hold it for 2 years, it can be said with certainty that it is easy to make a significant profit. Trading is not for everyone, because it is very risky. But many of us trade altcoins for quick profits because we can't be patient enough for long-term holding.

I do agree that it is going to be clear to everyone holding is better if they look at the historical charts. However, most of them deny this and don't do it, and I have no idea why.

I think it's clear that we are going to end up with bad results if we are not careful, and for some reason people still yet to not realize trading isn't good for newbies. If you end up with just holding, then you can be starting today for the first time ever, or could be here for past 10 years, you will do fine.

[Jegileman]

I know many of us are not yet making money from bitcoin holding, but if you compare it to trading, which one have you liked the most that you have done in the first half of 2026?

I have focused more on trading than investing in the first half of 2026 and I haven’t regret it so far. Not that trading has become profiting as one wanted it to be, but little progress is still progress to watch out on to become better than before. Trading has been really not bad but it requires a lot of knowledge and also some time dedicated into it to go far and achieve greatness. Either trading or investing, anyone that works for you should be what you focus more on if you’ve understood both and know the potential of them.

[Rengga Jati]

Deciding to do trading in cryptocurrency industry is not easy. Trading is of course high risk, as you stated. But no wonder that many people get big profits from trading. Some of them get bigger profits form trading. So basically, we ourselves that know exactly who we are and how we are ability. But of course, this is as long as we truly understand the risk of trading, probably higher. Trading requires several more complex elements. However, it's also something that can be learned by doing, and it's also possible, as long as you don't become FOMO about trading.

I know many of us are not yet making money from bitcoin holding, but if you compare it to trading, which one have you liked the most that you have done in the first half of 2026?

As I stated earlier, holding and trading actually provide opportunities for us. As long as we truly have the capacity for it. So, we trade Bitcoin not only because of the hype but also because we truly understand how they are. Me, I prefer to choose holding so far.

[Issa56]

I expect traders to also be holders, but greedy traders may just focus on trading and probably be losing because of impatience. I think I prefer the coin I have held this year than trading.

some traders do always have a wallet which they always use it for holding coin also, they don’t tamper with the coins in the wallet no matter what happen, and they always have a wallet which they do use for trading. I think it’s a good idea for a trader to also be a holder, I don’t really think there is anything bad in that, but just few people are able to do that.

What I noticed is that I make only little amount of money from trading, that is just because I do not want to lose much, but not making enough profit is the problem now.

As a trader you should be prepared to take risk,  if you are scared to take risk, then you not going to be making much money from trading. If you are trading, you should always have it in mind that you can lose at any moment, and you should be prepared for it.

[BitMaxz]

I have focused more on trading than investing in the first half of 2026 and I haven’t regret it so far. Not that trading has become profiting as one wanted it to be, but little progress is still progress to watch out on to become better than before. Trading has been really not bad but it requires a lot of knowledge and also some time dedicated into it to go far and achieve greatness. Either trading or investing, anyone that works for you should be what you focus more on if you’ve understood both and know the potential of them.

The problem is there are many people diving into trading that think they can immediately make profit by just following some YouTuber guys, but the fact is they are following a sample way of how to do a trade and perform a strategy. If you are trading the same tactics and apply it on a different chart or not the same scenario or model, you might get a different result. That is why years of experience are required because you know the next possible market move and do not rely heavily on the strategy. Traders must have rules and conditions to follow; without them, you will be unable to profit because you simply do not have a system to follow.

Trading is fun, honestly. I learn a lot from my mistakes. If you are trading, you should do a journal; I promise this journal will make you improve because you will need to review it and learn how you made a mistake and why you made a profit.

Investing and holding are totally different; the result is for the long term, but it still has some risk, but if you have a mindset to buy and hold, then forget go back after 4 years; you can't be affected by any FUDs spreading around you. You should be able to end up seeing the market and your portfolio in profit after the block halving, where the price is approaching a new ATH. Remember, if you know the Bitcoin history and value, the price of Bitcoin should always take the new ATH, and if you understand the block halving, which reduces the supply, you should understand how the price is driven by supply and demand.

[laspol65]

I know many of us are not yet making money from bitcoin holding, but if you compare it to trading, which one have you liked the most that you have done in the first half of 2026?

Traders may not have made much profit in 2026, but the current position is a perfect time to hold Bitcoin because holding is much less risky. At this time, it is best to buy Bitcoin and hold it for a long time, if you want to make yourself more profitable, then you can definitely hold it. However, I have converted some of my trading money into holding, because I had the possibility of making some profit but this month I have more locations. So I am thinking of holding it for a long time.

[EarnOnVictor]

I know many of us are not yet making money from bitcoin holding, but if you compare it to trading, which one have you liked the most that you have done in the first half of 2026?

There will always be choices between trading and investing, and the one you go for should represent your kind of experience in the field. Still, nothing is bad in diversifying in the two, which I see as most reasonable, but of course, no one should be losing in trading and remains there, as investing is a safer option.

However, experience will always make some people choose trading because what they make from trading is uncomparably bigger than what investing can afford them.

[TheUltraElite]

Since the price drop at the end of 2025, price has remained at the same level over the last months of 2026. I see very little opportunity for buy low sell high at these ranges and hence staying put would have been what most diligent traders would have done if not anyone selling because they needed the money.

There are people who may have made profits from the short term ups and downs, but I find it mentally safer to pursue the price during severe dips and rises.

The economic condition has been bad over the world and a lot of other things which may have contributed to this stagnancy. Lets hope better prices over the rest of the year.

[Mpamaegbu]

But the both are different thing and one has lesser or no risk at all while you have enough of risk trading.

It's good you noted that. A lot of people tend to misplace both activities, one for the other just the way it's with imminent and eminent or advice and advise.

Anyway, as an investor, it's a given that it's safer to buy and hodl Bitcoin a year before halving (pre–halving) or also two or three years after halving (post–halving). However, it's not so to buy a year after halving if you're a shrewd investor looking at maximizing your ROI. The year after halving is the year to experience price spike or ATH. Those who buy during such time only indulge in FOMO. It's chasing price.

[Karl_3000]

I traded this year, but the outcome has been awful for me. As I was trading I was losing my money, which has let me know that people that are saying trading is gambling are correct despite that trading is not exactly gambling. It is better I hodl my money in bitcoin which is not stressful than to stress myself in trading which caused me to lose time and money at the same time.

[Mpamaegbu]

It is better I hodl my money in bitcoin which is not stressful than to stress myself in trading which caused me to lose time and money at the same time.

Whenever you consider hodling as a better way out, remember that they were people who bought Bitcoin to hodl when it was around $126k, right? Those people didn't buy to trade it. They just bought and hedl for their supposedly peace of mind. Yet, from that price till now, Bitcoin has lost over 50%. What are we going to say to such a situation? In summary, whether we trade or hodl, generally business isn't an easy endeavour. There must be casualties. Losses are a deep rooted part of business. We can't run away from it, except we aren't into it.

[Karl_3000]

It is better I hodl my money in bitcoin which is not stressful than to stress myself in trading which caused me to lose time and money at the same time.

Whenever you consider hodling as a better way out, remember that they were people who bought Bitcoin to hodl when it was around $126k, right? Those people didn't buy to trade it. They just bought and hedl for their supposedly peace of mind. Yet, from that price till now, Bitcoin has lost over 50%. What are we going to say to such a situation? In summary, whether we trade or hodl, generally business isn't an easy endeavour. There must be casualties. Losses are a deep rooted part of business. We can't run away from it, except we aren't into it.

Good hodlers know what they are doing. If bitcoin has increased significantly, do not buy it anymore until another big fall, I have said this times without number on this forum but not everyone will be reading what I am posing.

You can also read this
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5563148.msg65953177#msg65953177

You will see DCA and averaging as the price fall there.

Holding is far better.

[Mpamaegbu]

Holding is far better.

Well, this argument is a old as when Bitcoin and the entirety of the crypto industry became active. Hodling might've worked better in the early stages of this industry when Bitcoin was at a giveaway prices. We can't say that now that price is hitting the roof where small amounts invested hardly matter much anymore.

Until will put side by side a good hodler like you said, with a good trader and then expose both of them to the same capital and time duration, we aren't going to have an end to this debate.