What Is a Crypto Bull Run? How to Prepare for the Next One

A bull run is a period of sustained price increases across the crypto market. Bitcoin might double or triple. Altcoins might 10x or 100x. Fortunes are made — and lost — in weeks. Knowing how to prepare for a bull run is the difference between life-changing gains and devastating losses.

Signs a Bull Run Is Starting

• Bitcoin breaks previous all-time high
• Mainstream media starts covering crypto positively
• New users flood into exchanges (app downloads spike)
• Trading volume increases significantly
• Institutional buying accelerates (ETF inflows, corporate treasury purchases)
• New narratives emerge (DeFi Summer, NFT boom, AI tokens)
• Friends and family start asking about crypto

How to Prepare Before It Starts

1. Accumulate during the bear market. The best gains come from buying when nobody cares. DCA through the bear.
2. Have your portfolio ready. Core BTC/ETH positions established. Some stablecoins for dip buying.
3. Know your targets. Before the excitement starts, decide: at what prices will I take profits? Write it down.
4. Set up accounts. Have exchange accounts verified, wallets set up, and everything ready to move quickly.
5. Educate yourself. Learn about the emerging narratives. What’s the next big thing? Position early.

During the Bull Run

• Take profits along the way. Sell 20-25% of a position when it 2x. Another 20-25% at 3x. Let the rest ride.
• Don’t FOMO into pumps. If something already went up 1000%, you’re late. There will be other opportunities.
• Move profits to stablecoins. Lock in gains by converting to USDT/USDC. This also gives you dry powder for dips.
• Resist greed. “Just a little more” has ruined more crypto investors than any bear market. Take profits!
• Diversify your exits. Don’t try to sell everything at the absolute top. Nobody times the top perfectly.

When to Expect the Bull to End

No one knows exactly when, but warning signs include:

• Everyone you know is buying crypto (including people with no financial knowledge)
• Projects with no product are raising billions
• Leverage reaches extreme levels
• Media coverage becomes euphoric and uncritical
• You feel like you can’t lose — that’s the most dangerous feeling in investing

When you feel maximum greed, it’s usually close to the top. Take profits and protect your gains. The next bear market will test everyone. Those who took profits will survive. Those who didn’t will learn a painful lesson.