What is Bitcoin DCA?
DCA (dollar-cost averaging) means buying a fixed amount on a fixed schedule, for example $100 on the first of every month, no matter what the price is doing. When the price is low your $100 buys more Bitcoin, when it is high it buys less. Over time this pulls your average buy price toward the middle of the range.
The main benefit is not a higher return. It is that you never have to guess the right moment to buy, which is the part most people get wrong.
How this calculator works
- It uses the monthly closing price of BTC/USDT on Binance, available from August 2017.
- Each month you "buy" your amount at that month's closing price, minus the fee.
- The value is your total BTC × the price at the end month. If the end is the current month, that is today's price.
- Lump sum shows what would have happened if you had invested the same total in one go at the start.
- Worst moment is the month when your portfolio was furthest below what you had put in. It shows how much patience the plan needed.
Why DCA and lump sum give different results
If you start right before a long rise, buying everything at once wins, because all of your money catches the whole move. If you start right before a crash, DCA wins, because most of your buys happen at lower prices. Try starting in December 2017 or November 2021 (both near market tops) and compare with January 2019 or January 2023.
Frequently asked questions
What is DCA in Bitcoin?
Buying a fixed dollar amount of Bitcoin on a regular schedule, regardless of the price. You buy more BTC when it is cheap and less when it is expensive.
Which prices does the calculator use?
Monthly closing prices of BTC/USDT on Binance, starting in August 2017. When your browser can reach Binance, the page loads the latest prices automatically. Otherwise it uses a saved copy.
Why can't I start before August 2017?
That is when BTC/USDT trading started on Binance, which is the price source used here. Older prices come from different exchanges and are not directly comparable.
Can I do weekly DCA?
This version uses monthly buys. Weekly DCA usually lands very close to monthly over long periods, because the average buy price ends up similar.
Does it include taxes?
No. It shows the value before any taxes on gains, which depend on your country.
Related calculators
Past prices do not predict future results. This calculator shows a historical what-if based on monthly closing prices and is not financial advice.