That is just plain stupud. Investing a small amount first to see how it does is the reason that most ponzis get so successful. They do indeed give a payout on the small investments and bail with the big ones.
Intelligent investors will never invest in such shit in the first place and will invest in things with real businessplan and a proven trackrecord.
Assumptions..
Who said anything about ponzis here?
I was saying about any investment. From your own perspective it's always better to just put your finger in the boiling water than to jump in it.
Even if it says about itself that its a legit service you can never know who is a scammer, so by default investing small amounts in something is better than large amounts.
Intelligent investors dont throw around 26.000$ worth of BTC to unaccountable people, even if they promise the stars for them.
Dumb investors will put their entire life savings in a get-rich-quick scheme, and then cry about it later when they lose it all.