Was DCA better than a lump sum for Ethereum since 2024?

Investing the same $3,500 in one go on 1 January 2024 would be worth $3,381 today (-3.40%), so putting it all in on day one came out ahead over this particular period. Which wins depends heavily on the start date.

How long was Ethereum DCA underwater since 2024?

The plan was worth less than the money invested on 52.3% of days, with the longest stretch lasting 232 days (ending 17 Sept 2026).

DCA history · Ethereum

Ethereum DCA since 2024: $100 monthly

Investing $100 every month into Ethereum since 1 January 2024 (35 buys, $3,500 in total) would be worth $3,063 today (-12.48%).

Backtest 1 January 2024 to 1 November 2026 · USD · no fees · live price. Change the amount, dates or fees →

Dollar-cost averaging

$3,063

-12.48% · -9.18%/yr

Invested: $3,500.00
Buys: 35
Average cost: $2,591.60

Lump sum, day one

Winner

$3,381

-3.40%

Invested: $3,500.00
Bought at: $2,348.01
Max drawdown: 67.6%

Perfect timing (hindsight)

$5,401

+54.30%

Bought on: 8 Apr 2025
At a price of: $1,470.01
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 52.3% of days, with the longest unbroken stretch lasting 232 days (to 17 Sept 2026). The worst moment was 8 Apr 2025, when it was down 47.5% on what had been invested. The average cost per unit was $2,591.60 against a price today of $2,268.24 (-12.48%). The cheapest buy was $1,612.54 on 1 Jul 2026 and the priciest $4,341.01 on 1 Oct 2025.

Year by year

As of	Invested	Worth	Return
31 Dec 2024	$1,200	$1,375	+14.58%
31 Dec 2025	$2,400	$2,503	+4.30%
1 Nov 2026	$3,500	$3,063	-12.48%

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Monthly $100 into Ethereum, by start year:

2016 2017 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 month in Ethereum since 2024 be worth today?: Investing $100 every month into Ethereum since 1 January 2024 (35 buys, $3,500 in total) would be worth $3,063 today (-12.48%).
Was DCA better than a lump sum for Ethereum since 2024?: Investing the same $3,500 in one go on 1 January 2024 would be worth $3,381 today (-3.40%), so putting it all in on day one came out ahead over this particular period. Which wins depends heavily on the start date.
How long was Ethereum DCA underwater since 2024?: The plan was worth less than the money invested on 52.3% of days, with the longest stretch lasting 232 days (ending 17 Sept 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.