What if I had DCA'd into BTC?

Dollar-cost averaging: same amount every month regardless of price. We run your scenario against real historical prices and show every purchase point on the chart.

Disclaimerpast ≠ future · crypto is volatile
01Asset
02DCA strategy
$
Jan 2022May 2026 · 53 monthly buys
$
Past performance is not predictive. Crypto is highly speculative.
03 · DCA result · BTC · Jan 2022May 2026
$80k$0$37.5k$75k$113k$150kAVG COST · $41.4kJan 2022Feb 2023Mar 2024Apr 2025May 2026
BTC price
Your monthly buys
Avg cost basis
Portfolio value today
$20,465
$10,600 invested ·+$9,865 (+93%)
Total invested
$10,600
BTC accumulated
0.25582
Avg cost basis
$41.4k
Current price
$80k
DCA vs buying all at once
Buying month by month (low of $16.5k in Dec 2022) put your average cost at $41.4k — vs $38k buying it all in Jan 2022.
In this window lump-sum would have won by ~17pp: the asset rose fairly steadily, so going all-in early paid more. DCA shines when deep dips are involved.
See full chart · purchase log · DCA vs lump-sum
02 · Historical example · BTC · Jan 2022May 2026

Your monthly amount, applied to real BTC prices

$80k$0$37.5k$75k$113k$150kAVG COST · $41.4kJan 2022Nov 2022Oct 2023Aug 2024Jul 2025May 2026

Illustrative example: we apply your $200/mo to BTC's monthly price path from Jan 2022 to May 2026. Prices are approximate — not your actual buys or a forecast — it shows how DCA averages the price over the window.

Example breakdown · how much BTC each contribution would buy
DateBTC price$ investedBTC boughtCum. BTC
Jan 2022$38,000$2000.005260.00526
May 2022$31,000$2000.006450.02607
Sep 2022$19,000$2000.010530.06582
Jan 2023$23,000$2000.008700.10840
May 2023$27,000$2000.007410.13855
Sep 2023$27,000$2000.007410.16721
Jan 2024$43,000$2000.004650.18791
May 2024$68,000$2000.002940.20028
Sep 2024$63,000$2000.003170.21325
Jan 2025$102,000$2000.001960.22228
May 2025$104,000$2000.001920.23115
Sep 2025$114,000$2000.001750.23825
Jan 2026$102,000$2000.001960.24650
May 2026$80,000$2000.002500.25582
03 · DCA vs lump-sum

Same $10,600 · two different entry strategies

DCA · monthly
$200/mo × 53 buys
Value today
$20,465
+93%· avg cost $41.4k
Buying month by month set your average cost at $41.4k. Volatility didn't help this time.
Lump sumWINS THIS WINDOW
$10,600 all in Jan 2022
Value today
$22,316
+111%· avg cost $38k
Bought it all at $38k in Jan 2022. A single cost basis means more exposure to entry timing.
DCA edge · this window
$1,850
In this window, lump-sum would have won by ~17pp: BTC rose fairly steadily, so going all-in early paid more. DCA shines when deep dips are involved.
Traditional version
Investment calculator
Same DCA idea but for index funds or any expected-return asset — the math is identical, the risk profile is not.
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Where the money comes from
Budget — find $200/mo
DCA only works if you actually commit the same amount each month. See where it fits in your budget.
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