Was DCA better than a lump sum for Cardano since 2025?

Investing the same $9,500 in one go on 1 January 2025 would be worth $2,222 today (-76.61%), so spreading the buys out came out ahead over this particular period. Which wins depends heavily on the start date.

How long was Cardano DCA underwater since 2025?

The plan was worth less than the money invested on 81.5% of days, with the longest stretch lasting 378 days (ending 22 Oct 2026).

DCA history · Cardano

Cardano DCA since 2025: $100 weekly

Investing $100 every week into Cardano since 1 January 2025 (95 buys, $9,500 in total) would be worth $5,696 today (-40.04%).

Backtest 1 January 2025 to 22 October 2026 · USD · no fees · live price. Change the amount, dates or fees →

Dollar-cost averaging

Winner

$5,696

-40.04% · -46.47%/yr

Invested: $9,500.00
Buys: 95
Average cost: $0.3566

Lump sum, day one

$2,222

-76.61%

Invested: $9,500.00
Bought at: $0.9140
Max drawdown: 87.36%

Perfect timing (hindsight)

$14,106

+48.49%

Bought on: 25 Jun 2026
At a price of: $0.1440
Not a plan you could follow

How it would have felt

Over this period the plan was worth less than the money you’d put in on 81.5% of days, with the longest unbroken stretch lasting 378 days (to 22 Oct 2026). The worst moment was 25 Jun 2026, when it was down 66.9% on what had been invested. The average cost per unit was $0.3566 against a price today of $0.2138 (-40.04%). The cheapest buy was $0.1480 on 24 Jun 2026 and the priciest $1.08 on 15 Jan 2025.

Year by year

As of	Invested	Worth	Return
31 Dec 2025	$5,300	$2,650	-50.01%
22 Oct 2026	$9,500	$5,696	-40.04%

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Try a different start

Weekly $100 into Cardano, by start year:

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025

Does the start year really matter? Best and worst time to start DCA or DCA vs lump sum, tested on every start month.

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Frequently asked questions

How much would $100 every week in Cardano since 2025 be worth today?: Investing $100 every week into Cardano since 1 January 2025 (95 buys, $9,500 in total) would be worth $5,696 today (-40.04%).
Was DCA better than a lump sum for Cardano since 2025?: Investing the same $9,500 in one go on 1 January 2025 would be worth $2,222 today (-76.61%), so spreading the buys out came out ahead over this particular period. Which wins depends heavily on the start date.
How long was Cardano DCA underwater since 2025?: The plan was worth less than the money invested on 81.5% of days, with the longest stretch lasting 378 days (ending 22 Oct 2026).

A historical simulation, not financial advice. Past performance does not predict future results; cryptocurrency is highly volatile and you can lose your entire investment. Figures use daily closing prices with a live quote for today, USD, and no fees.