3. what would be your advice to the newbie still trying to figure things out?
My advice to crypto beginners is to focus on knowledge first, not money. I know that people get into crypto because they want to make money, crypto is a game changer but it has a big risk if you don't know what you are doing especially if you don't have the right experience.
You don't just enter the futures immediately if you want to trade, just go to the spot first so you can develop your edge and avoid potential losses. Don't trade futures if you are not profitable yet in spot. Small funds are enough just to determine that your trading plan is profitable before increasing your capital.