David Mondore entered crypto markets in 2020 with a practical goal: to replace lost income after the pandemic shut down New York City’s restaurant industry. What began as a temporary pivot became a full-time pursuit. Mondore now trades digital assets daily, focusing on high-liquidity opportunities while staying grounded in risk management.
Before entering crypto, Mondore spent over a decade in the food industry. He began as a prep cook and steadily advanced into leadership roles, eventually overseeing operations and supply chains for a multi-location restaurant group. When the industry paused, he explored alternative income streams—first through flipping sneakers, then through NFTs and blockchain assets.
Early trades on platforms like NBA Top Shot introduced him to the mechanics of decentralized markets. As more participants entered the space, Mondore adapted quickly—shifting from NFTs to tokens that allowed for faster execution and clearer exits. By 2022, his attention was fully on meme coins and low-cap Ethereum assets.
Meme coin trading offers speed but comes with high volatility. According to Mondore, most newly launched tokens are either unsustainable or outright fraudulent. To navigate that environment, he relies on real-time blockchain tools to assess smart contract structure, wallet behaviors, and liquidity flows before making a move.
“The hype comes fast, but so do the exits,” he said. “If you don’t know what to look for in the contract, you’re likely the exit liquidity.”
He filters hundreds of token launches, avoiding those with suspicious tokenomics, uneven distributions, or signs of insider manipulation. His process emphasizes precision: if a trade doesn’t meet strict technical and behavioral criteria within minutes, it’s discarded.
Mondore does not follow influencers or social media chatter. His edge comes from monitoring wallet patterns, launch timelines, and on-chain data—not from reacting to noise. “There’s no edge in trading sentiment after it goes public,” he said. “By then, the move has already happened.”
Security is central to his methodology. He uses hardware wallets for asset storage and avoids centralized exchanges. For Mondore, self-custody is non-negotiable. “If you don’t control the keys, you don’t control the funds,” he said.
He also adheres to tight trade discipline—defining entry and exit plans, limiting position sizes, and walking away when criteria aren’t met. “Emotional decisions burn your bankroll,” he said. “You need structure and limits.”
While many newcomers chase momentum and hype, Mondore operates on patience and preparation. He spends most of his time scanning contracts and waiting for setups rather than actively trading. “Profits in this market don’t come from activity,” he said. “They come from timing and restraint.”
Mondore is independent—he doesn’t promote tokens, sell courses, or operate paid groups. He shares observations and technical insights, but makes clear that responsibility lies with the trader. His core objective remains simple: protect capital and find asymmetric opportunities.
“There are still openings,” he said. “But crypto punishes mistakes faster than any other market.”
Mondore continues to trade full-time, operating anonymously and on-chain with a consistent emphasis on discipline, privacy, and data-driven decision-making. For him, success in crypto isn’t about hype cycles—it’s about staying in the game.
