7 Profit Paths for Professional Players in a Bear Market

This is how you survive at the current stage and "gain an edge" when the next real trend arrives.

Written by: CyrilXBT

Translated by: Saoirse, Foresight News

When the market crashes, most people only do one of two things:

• Panic sell and then exit the market completely;
• Go all-in with leverage, trying to "win the money back".

However, professionals act completely differently. They shift from "directional speculation" to "replicable cash flow and edge building".

Here are 7 strategies that allow you to profit in a downtrend without having to catch the exact bottom.

Strategy 1: Make the Assets You Truly Want to Hold Generate Yield

If you are ultimately going to hold bitcoin, Ethereum, or other top mainstream cryptocurrencies, you might as well let these assets "work for you".

Earn yield through the following methods:

• Staking / Liquid staking
• Blue-chip DeFi lending (such as Aave, Compound, etc.)
• CEX yield products with transparent terms

Why is this effective in a crashing market?

• As long as you are willing to hold the underlying asset, volatility will not cause you substantial harm.
• You can earn yield by "waiting" instead of emotionally trading every candlestick wick.

How to operate smartly?

• Stick to "top assets + top protocols".
• Avoid suspicious tokens promising double- or triple-digit annual percentage yields (APY).
• Treat the yield as an "extra reward", not the core reason for holding the asset.

The professional mindset is: "I will hold it anyway, the yield is just to offset the pain (of the market downturn)."

Strategy 2: Points and Airdrop Farming (How Experienced Players Operate)

Farming players who profit in the current market do not randomly click on messy projects; their targets are highly specific.

Earn points, scores, experience (XP), and other non-token rewards from protocols that meet the following criteria:

• Potential to issue a token;
• Already have real application scenarios and financial backing;
• Favor long-term active users rather than one-time "check-in" visitors.

Why is this effective in a crashing market?

• Even if prices fall, protocols still need user participation.
• Most people stop paying attention to the market, greatly reducing competition.
• A single lucrative airdrop can exceed the total profit from months of small trades.

How to operate smartly?

• Focus on "infrastructure and core DeFi sectors" (such as Layer2, perpetual contracts, cross-chain bridges, restaking, wallets, etc.).
• Invest a small but consistent amount of effort: complete the same actions every week.
• Use a simple spreadsheet to record the projects you are farming and the reasons why.

Professionals view airdrops as a "stable source of income", not a "lottery ticket".

Strategy 3: RFQ/Arbitrage: Profit from Market Inefficiencies

If you are only capturing pricing discrepancies, you do not need to predict market direction.

• Arbitrage: Buy low on one platform and sell high on another.
• RFQ (Request for Quote): Execute large OTC orders at a certain spread.

This strategy includes both simple "CEX and DEX pricing arbitrage" and more complex "cross-exchange arbitrage".

Why is this effective in a crashing market?

• Volatility = frequent pricing errors.
• Panic volatility causes temporary price differences between different platforms and trading pairs.

How to operate (even with small capital)?

• Basic version: Track several trading pairs on 2-3 major CEXs + 1-2 DEXs, watch for recurring 0.5%-1% spreads that can be profitably exploited with low fees.
• Advanced version: Use bots or tools that alert you to spreads, keep trade sizes reasonable, and focus on "execution speed and fees".

You do not need to guess "up or down"—you are paid for "narrowing market spreads".

Strategy 4: Providing Liquidity (Avoid Becoming the "Bag Holder")

When liquidity providers (LPs) operate carelessly, they often suffer huge losses; but professionals treat it as a "business".

Provide liquidity to DEX pools, including:

• Uniswap-style automated market makers (AMM)
• Concentrated liquidity (such as Uniswap V3 style)
• Stablecoin pairs or highly correlated asset pairs

The yields you can earn include:

• Trading fees
• Sometimes token/points incentives

Why is this effective in a crashing market?

• Even if the market crashes, people will still trade, and trading volume may even surge.
• If you "strategically select trading pairs", fee income can offset losses from asset price declines.

How to avoid liquidation?

• Start with "stablecoin-stablecoin" or "highly correlated pairs" (such as ETH-stETH).
• Only use narrow liquidity ranges after understanding the "rebalancing mechanism"; otherwise, keep it simple.
• Track the balance between "impermanent loss (IL)" and fees: if IL consistently exceeds fee income, adjust your strategy immediately.

Think like a market maker, not a gambler: "Is the reward I receive enough to cover the price risk I am taking?"

Strategy 5: Light Market Making on a Few Pairs

You do not have to become a large market maker like Jump; just "systematize your operations".

Place both buy and sell orders around the current price to achieve:

• Capture the bid-ask spread
• Earn trading fees
• Provide depth to the market

Ways to operate include:

• Manual operation (suitable for small accounts)
• Using simple bots/grid bots
• Focusing on 1-3 trading pairs you are very familiar with

Why is this effective in a crashing market?

• Highly volatile and thinly traded markets mean wider bid-ask spreads.
• Whenever people FOMO chase highs or panic sell through the spread, you profit.

How to operate smartly?

• Choose "liquid mainstream coins" or large-cap tokens, avoid "ghost coins" (tokens with extremely low trading volume).
• Determine your "inventory range": the maximum amount of an asset you are willing to hold.
• No need to overcomplicate: as long as the range and size are reasonable, even a basic grid strategy can be profitable.

This is not a game of "predicting candlesticks", but the logic of "selling shovels during a gold rush".

Strategy 6: Content Creation: Earning from Clear Thinking When Others Panic

Attention has never disappeared; it has just shifted from "memes that only go up" to "what should I do now?"

Create the following content:

• Tweet threads, newsletters, in-depth analysis;
• Loom explainer videos / YouTube Shorts;
• Spaces audio live streams, podcasts, niche updates.

And monetize through:

• Brand sponsorships
• Affiliate marketing links
• Premium membership subscriptions
• Consulting service orders

Why is this profitable in a crashing market?

• People urgently need "clear information" and "screening criteria".
• When market hype fades, projects still need content distribution (customer acquisition/brand exposure).
• Your research is already for yourself—the content just amplifies this value.

How to operate smartly?

• Choose a niche (such as AI + crypto, Layer2, real-world asset tokenization RWA, perpetual contracts, restaking, etc.).
• Publish content at a fixed rhythm: for example, 2 tweet threads + 1 newsletter per week.
• Focus on "clear frameworks", reject hype—this is your core difference from "noise content".

In a bear market environment, "effective information" is more valuable than "emotional stimulation"—money will flow here.

Strategy 7: Consulting Services and "Think Tank" Subscription Services

Once you can maintain clear thinking and express yourself well, people will pay for "access to your insights".

Get paid through the following services:

• Help teams develop narrative strategies, design token models, or go-to-market (GTM) plans;
• Provide industry and project analysis advice for funds/OTC desks;
• Support founders with brand positioning, deck creation, and community strategy planning.

Charging methods include:

• Monthly service fees
• Growth sharing
• Token allocation/consulting agreements

Why is this effective in a crashing market?

• Quality teams do not stop building because of a market downturn.
• When retail investors exit, teams value "narrative, research, and strategy" (rather than pure hype) more.
• They are more willing to pay "market-savvy professionals" than random agencies.

How to position yourself?

• Use your content as a "portfolio of thought" (to prove your expertise).
• Clarify your core strengths (such as research, tokenomics, storytelling, business development BD, etc.).
• Start with "a few high-value projects": 1-2 quality clients are far better than 10 low-value, time-wasting ones.

You will transform from a "struggling trader" to an "industry participant paid by multiple parties".

The Core Mindset of Professionals at This Stage (Global Perspective)

When the market crashes, professionals do not:

• Chase every candlestick
• Triple their leverage
• Pray for a "miracle bottom"

They tighten their strategies and consider the following questions:

• "How can I profit from 'market activity' rather than just price direction?"
• "Which skills can compound in the next cycle?"
• "How can I stop being the 'bag holder' and become part of the 'market infrastructure'?"

If you do not want to lose money with the majority, choose 2-3 of the above 7 strategies, then:

1. Start with small-scale investments;
2. Systematize your operations;
3. Stick with it for months, not just days.

This is how you survive at the current stage and "gain an edge" when the next real trend arrives.