That night, snow fell gently outside the window of a small, dimly lit apartment. Johan, a 34-year-old trader, sat in front of his computer monitor with a blank stare. The lights of the cryptocurrency market flickered like gloomy Christmas lights. All year long, he had worked hard to accumulate capital, hoping to give the best gift to his wife and children on Christmas Eve.
But hours earlier, the market had crashed. An unexpected event—the announcement of stricter regulations by global governments—sent the price of Johan’s favorite coin, which he held most of his savings, into a freefall. From thousands of dollars to just a few cents, Johan’s account balance was down to a few cents. He tried to hold on, buying more as the price dropped, but that only made things worse.
In the living room, the Christmas tree stood tall with simple decorations. His children were already asleep, hoping that Santa Claus would come with presents. His wife, Clara, sat on the sofa, looking at Johan with a worried look but not saying a word. She knew Johan had worked hard, but tonight, there was an invisible wall between them.
Johan wasn’t the only one devastated that night. Around the world, thousands of other traders were experiencing the same thing. In a community chat group that was usually full of jokes and cheer, the night turned into a place to share grief. “I lost everything,” wrote one trader from Germany. “This is my son’s school fees,” said another from India. Johan read all the messages without being able to respond.
An old Japanese trader wrote, “Maybe we forget, this market is like a gambling game. We put too much heart into it.” The message stuck in Johan’s mind.
The night was getting late. Johan turned off his computer screen, letting the red numbers disappear into the darkness. With heavy steps, he walked towards the living room. Clara was still waiting for him.
“I lost everything,” Johan whispered hoarsely. Clara approached him, taking his hand. “You didn’t lose everything. We’re still here.”
Johan looked at Clara with wet eyes, realizing that what really matters can never be bought with money. In silence, they sat together under the Christmas tree.
