How different is trading from just gambling? I know there seems to be a big difference with technical analysis and whatnot, but in the end aren't you just betting on something completely random?
They are similar, but there is one key difference.
If you throw your money up in the air and hope it lands a certain way, you are gambling.
If you check the wind and the weight of the money before throwing, you are trading.
If after all your calculations or speculations, your prediction has failed, then that's just reality.
The wind can change anytime. In trading, anyone can dump the market. A coin can be dumped and never get recovered. The dev can also destroy their coin. There are other stuffs that can affect the coin like the coin's popularity, random investor, etc. All I can say that everything in trading is purely random. Even if you do your research, you're still gambling your money. There's still no assurance that the future holds something good for you.
There is risk in anything, but the difference is between smart and stupid risk.
A smart person looks at the terrain, tries not to ignore any information, does not want things to be only chance, but wants to improve on things by adding some learning.
For sure karma, luck, wind are all factors. Same as driving to work. If you close your eyes while driving you might get there, but the chances are better if you drive with eyes open.
You should know difference between "Dumb money" and "smart money" . Smart money isn't looking for short-term profit, it needs edge over the long term. Big banks and hedge funds are looking for 10%(!) profit in one year. They dont put all eggs in one basket: Portfolio investing, future contracts It is all about risk management and skill. In gambling you need luck and little bit experience.