Crypto DCA Calculator

Estimate where a dollar-cost-averaging strategy would put you today.

Total invested
Coins acquired
Current value
Avg cost / coin

How to Use

  1. Enter the coin ticker (BTC, ETH, etc.) — used as a label only.
  2. Enter your monthly investment in USD (the recurring amount you would have bought).
  3. Enter the number of months you have been DCAing.
  4. Enter an average buy price over the period (rough mean of weekly close prices is fine).
  5. Enter the current price and read your total invested, coins acquired, and current value.

Calculation Method

True DCA backtest needs historical prices. For an MVP we accept an average buy price as a stand-in — this works well when prices were roughly mean-reverting over the period.

total_invested = monthly_investment × months
coins_acquired = total_invested ÷ avg_buy_price
current_value = coins_acquired × current_price
profit = current_value − total_invested
pct_return = profit ÷ total_invested × 100
monthly_investment
— recurring USD purchase each month.
avg_buy_price
— stand-in for the time-weighted average of your monthly buys.
current_price
— today's USD spot price.
profit
— mark-to-market gain or loss (unrealized).

Source / Last updated: Standard DCA accounting identity, MVP approximation. Last reviewed for SmartCryptoCalcs in May 2026.

Examples

Example 1 — $500/mo into BTC for 36 months

$500 × 36 = $18,000 invested. Average buy price $45,000 over the period → 0.4 BTC acquired. At current price $68,450, value = $27,380. Profit ≈ $9,380 (+52%).

Example 2 — $100/mo into ETH for 24 months in a down market

$100 × 24 = $2,400 invested. Average buy price $3,200 → 0.75 ETH acquired. If current price is $2,800, value = $2,100. Loss ≈ −$300 (−12.5%). DCA cushions a bumpy entry but does not protect against trend declines.

Frequently Asked Questions

DCA is investing a fixed dollar amount on a recurring schedule (weekly, monthly) regardless of price. You buy more coins when the price is low and fewer when it is high, smoothing your average entry. It is the most common retail strategy for volatile assets.
A true DCA backtest needs the exact price at each monthly buy. We use a single average buy price as a stand-in, which is accurate when prices were roughly mean-reverting but understates results when prices trended sharply (the actual time-weighted average buy can differ).
Empirically the difference is tiny over multi-year horizons. Monthly is easier to manage (one transaction, lower fees on most exchanges). Weekly is a reasonable compromise. Daily mostly just adds friction.
DCA reduces timing risk but does not change the fundamental risk of the asset. For volatile altcoins, position sizing matters more than buy timing — DCA a small allocation rather than a large one. Many alts go to zero regardless of entry timing.
Each monthly buy incurs a fee (typically 0.1%-1.5%). Over 36 months at 1% per buy that is ~1% of total invested, reducing coins acquired by the same amount. Use a fee-free recurring buy product if your exchange offers one.

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Not financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency is highly volatile and you can lose all your invested capital. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor. Full disclaimer →