The deep winter LP strategy: stacking SOL for the 2028/29 bull market.
How I use SOL-USDC fees on Meteora to stack SOL through the bear market: a three-tier range plan, rebalancing rules, and the pivot to the next bull.
In my personal opinion we are entering the early stage of a bear market. A lot of people think this is the "loss" phase, but for the LP Army, this is the Positioning Phase.
I wrote about getting ready for the bear last year. Today, our goal is simple: to get as much $SOL as we can by using SOL-USDC fees as our LP engine. We're not just holding, we're using the volatility of the downtrend to lower our cost basis to almost nothing.
You can also read my Bear Market preparation posts from 2025:
MichaelZogot@MichaelZogot
Aug 16, 2025View on X ↗Michael Zogotmichaelzogot.xyz · StrategyPost
The four year cycle works like a clock
As my chart here shows, the BTC peak follows the same pattern over and over again. Too many people always try to believe in super-cycles. We will use this pattern in the next chart below to time the possible "bottom" of the cycle.
MichaelZogot@MichaelZogot
Mar 21, 2025View on X ↗The technical target: the $35 to $40 bottom
We can see a structural breakdown right now when we look at the macro price charts. Today, SOL is holding steady around $85, but historical support levels and Fibonacci extensions point to a clear "Max Pain" zone:
- Main Bottom Target: the $25.00 to $40.00 area. This area is the previous major consolidation zone and around a 90% retracement from the ATH, same as the last one, if we exclude the FTX crash weakness that hit SOL very hard. I do not expect it this time. IMPORTANT: and of course I can't be completely sure at the moment about the targets, so the plan and targets will be adjusted on the way.
- The Plan: We don't "wait" to buy at $35. We LP our way down, so that if we hit $35 or $25, our bags are full and the fees we get during the $80 to $40 move pay for a large part of our entry price.
Strategy for executing a three-tiered range
A "set and forget" approach won't work for a multi-year accumulation period. You need a laddered strategy that balances safety with making a lot of money by using different bin steps to keep your prices from getting too high:
- The Anchor (Wide Range): This is what you need to build up over time. Use a wide bin step (like 100 to 200 bins) to cover a big price range, from $30 to $90. This position is meant to stay "in-range" for months at a time, giving you a low-maintenance safety net that slowly builds SOL no matter how volatile the market is.
- The Generator (Mid Range): This position balances steady DCA with higher fee returns. You can get tighter concentration by using a moderate bin step (like 20 to 50 bins) centered around the $60 to $95 zone. This lets you charge higher fees during the "chop" while still keeping a safe distance from going out of range. Here you need more rebalancing, try to be longer in the middle of the price range.
- The Scalp (Short Range): This is for printers who have been doing it for a while and want to get the most out of their work. Use a very small bin step (like 10 bins) that focuses on the price action right now, like $80 to $90. This position needs to be watched every day and rebalanced often, but the fees are much higher, so you can "hyper-farm" local bounces and put those profits back into your Anchor position.
You can read this post as an example:
Michael Zogotmichaelzogot.xyz · StrategyPost
Tip: If you are an experienced printer, use the Short Range to aggressively farm fees during local bounces and sideways moves, then funnel those fees into your Anchor position to compound your $SOL stack.
The bear market pulse: keeping an eye on things and rebalancing
"Lazy LPing" is punished in a bear market.
1. Downtrend Rebalancing: When the price gets close to the bottom of your range, your position becomes 100% SOL. This is a victory. Close the position, lower your range, and start the process of making money again.
2. Fee Compounding: Don't keep your fees in USDC. You can either turn all of your earned fees back into $SOL or add them to the "Bid" side of your next range.
3. Relative Strength: Keep an eye on SOL/BTC at all times. If SOL is holding its structure while BTC is going down, this is a sign that a floor is forming and you should increase your LP size.
The great pivot: moving to the bull (2027 to 2028)
The bear market won't last forever. Our goal with the "Deep Winter" strategy is to get to the market floor with a huge SOL treasury. When the trend changes, we go from Accumulation Mode to Strategic Growth Mode.
The change isn't about selling everything; it's about putting your "cheaply" earned SOL into the best opportunities of the new cycle.
Phase 1 (Now): Collect SOL, farm fees, and then reinvest.
Phase 2 (The Bottom): When we get to the $25 to $40 range, we slowly switch and prepare 100% SOL-side Bid-Ask positions.
Phase 3 (The Bull): We start "Selling into Strength." We use our SOL to LP into new ecosystem "memes" and then slowly sell them off at higher prices ($150+) using SOL-USDC pools, making a lot of money along the way.
Important:
- The "Cheap" SOL Treasury: You should keep a lot of the SOL you bought at the $35 to $40 bottom as "raw material." In the early bull market, new ecosystem projects and memes will come out with a lot of ups and downs. When you LP these pairs with your cheap SOL, your yield-on-cost goes through the roof.
- The Profit Engine (SOL-USDC Upside): Use another part of your stack to enter Ask-side positions on the move up. As SOL rises back toward $150 and higher, these positions will slowly change your SOL back into USDC. This will lock in huge capital gains and high fees during the breakout.
- Flexible Allocation: It's up to you how much you keep for "Moonbag LPs" and how much you switch to USDC. But the most important thing is to have the money ready before the story changes, so you don't have to spend a lot of money to chase the pump.
By the time the bull market is in full swing, you are not just a holder; you are a Market Maker who owns the underlying assets at a price much lower than their current value.
Next steps and resources
Here are some resources that help to level up your SOL/USDC game.
MichaelZogot@MichaelZogotMichaelZogot@MichaelZogotMichaelZogot@MichaelZogotThe "trench" reality: memes vs. macro
The meme trenches don't care about how much BTC is worth; they run on attention, hype, narratives and different stories. The trenches will have their own "seasons" even though the macro market is going down. This is why the SOL/USDC strategy is so important to you. It works like a reliable "Print Machine," making the fees and SOL you need to stay afloat while you play high-risk meme games.
Last but not least, level up in the winter
A bear market is a way to filter out bad investments. Use 2026 to learn how to do bin steps, ranges, and rebalancing while other people leave. You don't win the wealth of 2028; you earn it now by being disciplined and patient.
Keep being flexible, curious, and printing. The bear market rewards those who are disciplined.