FOMO stands for "fear of missing out". In crypto, it is the feeling that grips people when prices rise fast and everyone else seems to be making money. Many are then tempted to buy in a hurry, without thinking it through.
What does FOMO look like?
FOMO is most common in a bull marketBull marketA long period when market prices mostly rise and investors are optimistic.. Prices rise day after day, friends talk about their gains and social media fills up with stories of quick profits. The thought becomes: if I don't buy now, I'll miss my chance.
The problem is that when the excitement peaks, prices are often already high. People who buy out of FOMO tend to buy near the top and then sell in fear when prices fall.
The risks
FOMO is one of scammers' favourite tools. In a pump and dumpPump and dumpA scam in which the price of a small coin is hyped up so the organisers can sell high and leave others with the losses., the price of a small coin is pushed up and people are told they must buy right away. The organisers then sell at the top and leave the buyers with the losses. Investment scamsInvestment scamA scam that promises big, safe returns on an investment, often in crypto, while the scammers simply take the money paid in. promising high, fast returns play on the same feeling.
A few ways to resist FOMO:
- Take your time. If an offer demands that you decide immediately, treat it as a warning sign.
- Decide in advance how much you want to put into crypto, and never more than you can afford to lose.
- Some people use dollar-cost averagingDollar-cost averaging (DCA)Buying the same amount at regular intervals, for example monthly, instead of investing everything at once. to buy to a plan rather than a feeling.
The opposite of FOMO is FUDFUDFear, uncertainty and doubt: negative news or rumours, true or not, that make people want to sell., the fear, uncertainty and doubt that push people to sell.
Everything in Myntkaup Learn is written and regularly reviewed by the Myntkaup editorial team. It is for education and is not investment advice. Editorial policy. Updated 18 October 2026.