Once among digital exchange platforms like a dazzling gold coin in a field of copper, cryptsy sat. It started as a little but busy market where users might exchange hundreds of digital assets. Back in 2013, Cryptsy ascended the ranks based just on diversity. Chances were Cryptsy provided a home for your odd coin. Discover here.

But enormous variation also brings great uncertainty. The user interface of the platform looked like a spaghetti bowl placed over a computer screen. Every corner was loaded with wallet addresses, jumbled numbers, lists of coins—some heard of, others sounding like someone’s WiFi password. Some people found the anarchy appealing. Every day, wannabe treasure seekers joined on, quickly swapping unusual coins and dream of the next moon shot.

The cracks then first began to emerge. Regular complaints started to center delayed withdrawals. Support tickets stacked high like unopened emails following a two-week vacation. Whispers of whether monies were safe emerged. Is this another example of the wild crypto west consuming itself alive? A few shrugged and gripped tightly. Others pulled their coins out more quickly than animals fleeing a vacuum.

One story stuck: A user claimed he observed his account balance change from joyous to haunting over night. Support? Silent radio. His discussion entries on forums seem to be a campfire ghost tale——”Cryptsy ate my Bitcoin”. Friends and onlookers had their own stories as well. A few dropped a few bucks. Others far more.

Then came the actual unwinding. Early in 2016, Boom froze the site. Drawdowns deactivated. The grapevine went crazy with fright. There was an announcement: Long ago, the trade had been hacked for millions of dollars As it turns out, someone had entered, grabbed money, and left consumers carrying the digital bag. Under piles of grievances and lawsuit pressure, the behind-the-scenes workers disappeared.

The aftermath produced a lesson still to learn. Though experience and trust might bring catastrophe, crypto can promise riches. Some dismissed their losses—”tuition in the school of blockchain,” they would say. Others never made another touch on an exchange.

Today, message forums and Reddit threads include Cryptsy’s story handed about like an old folk ballad. That is a red flag. Remember those users looking at empty login screens when you find a shiny new exchange offering the moon. Though it may not recur, history does definitely reverberate.

Digital money turns out to be a crazy trip ultimately. Trust a platform not only because everyone else does. Remember, doubt is free—and occasionally it pays off in more than one way.