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Is FOMO making you invest in crypto at the wrong time?
Strong beliefs feel reassuring, but it’s automated habits that quietly shape better investing outcomes over time
- PUBLISHED: Fri 16 Jan 2026, 12:12 PM
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Oops. The market started spiking recently, and I panicked. I had that familiar, sickening thought: “I don’t have enough XRP.” So, I bought it at $2.30.
As of this writing, it’s hovering closer to $2. My average buy price is 1.39, but still. I bought on a green day. Again.
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And if you’ve been around the block in crypto, you probably know what that means: I bought emotionally, out of FOMO, and at the top of a wave that’s since rolled back. I don’t love this tendency in myself — it makes me feel like the stereotypical retail investor everyone warns about.
But I’m also trying to understand it. Because if I’ve learned anything through all my years of self-education, conversations, research, and mistakes, it’s this: discovering and altering our emotional patterns about money is “the work”.
The thing I’ve noticed about myself — and my friends — is that when it comes to investing in crypto, we treat it like a project we’ll get to once we’re fully ready, we know enough, have enough saved, and it feels just right.
And then what happens? The market starts heating up and we start spiraling. Suddenly it feels like we’re already too late. We’ve missed the boat. If we don’t act now, we’ll be left behind.
And that’s when we start making moves we’ll regret. This kind of panic is legendary in the crypto world. It’s what institutional investors count on. Retail investors staying away during bear markets — and then piling in at the top of bull runs, providing a nice soft exit for everyone who got in early. It’s a pattern that repeats. Over and over again. And I still fall for it.
But lately, I’ve been working on creating new systems — ones that help me stick to the principles I know work. One thing that’s helped: I’m finally automating my crypto buys.
I learned this in a Wealth Accelerator programme I did recently with Mark Moss, an American entrepreneur, Bitcoin enthusiast and investment educator. He’s big on sound money principles, macroeconomics and helping everyday people build lasting wealth through education and strategic thinking. One of his core teachings is to take the emotion out of it by making your financial habits automatic. So now, every week, small amounts of XRP and Bitcoin will be purchased on my behalf. Nothing major — I’m in a working transition and don’t have a lot of disposable income right now. But that’s one of the biggest myths I want to bust: You don’t need a lot of money to start investing. You just need to start.
I still remember watching a TikTok live three years ago, where this very young guy — some kind of Bitcoin expert — leaned into the mic at the end and said: “Stack your sats.”
That’s always stayed with me. For those who don’t know, sats (short for Satoshis) are the smallest unit of Bitcoin. You can buy Bitcoin with just a few dollars. You don’t need to buy a whole coin. And what if I’d taken his advice, which resonated with me so much? Well, I’d have a lot more Bitcoin.
Even with my strong belief in XRP and Bitcoin, I struggle to stick to my plan when prices drop. That’s how powerful our emotions are — even when the logic is clear. This is what the institutions and hedge funds understand. They know we’ll wait until everything looks safe, feels exciting and costs more.
It’s the same pattern across crypto, stocks, gold, silver — you name it. And it’s why the wealth gap keeps growing. The rich have three things most of us don’t: more capital, greater ability to leverage and arbitrage, yes — but also more emotional discipline.
As the saying goes — usually attributed to Warren Buffett: “Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful.”
I try to remember that every time I want to throw more money at a green day — or sit on my hands during a red one.
Do you have a question or a tip or a topic you’d like covered? Reach out at cryptochroniclescoverage@gmail.com
Ann Marie McQueen is a long-time Abu Dhabi resident, Canadian journalist and founder of Hotflash inc, a global media platform providing expert information for women in midlife.
