What If You DCA'd $100/Month into Bitcoin Since 2020?

Try your own numbers

I'd have put in $8,200, and it would be worth today

$21,853

+$13,653 profit2.67x

The same $100 a month in an S&P 500 index fund: $14,296

Aftertax on the gain, you’d keep$19,805

US federal long-term rates: 15% for most people, 0% on lower incomes, 20% + 3.8% on high incomes. Buys from the last 12 months would be taxed as income. No state tax included.

Compare with

Growth Over Time

Performance Metrics

Total Invested

$8,200.00

Current Value

$21,853.28

Total Profit

$13,653.28

Multiplier

2.67x

CAGR

15.5%

Max Drawdown

-54.2%

Inflation-Adjusted

$17,348.56

Benchmark Comparison

How does $100 a month since 2020 compare when put into other assets on the same schedule?

Asset	Value Today	Return
Bitcoin	$21,853.28	2.67x
S&P 500	$14,295.62	1.74x
Gold	$15,441.26	1.88x
Savings (2% APY)	$8,779.91	1.07x

Historical Context

Dollar-cost averaging (DCA) is the strategy most financial advisors recommend — and it's particularly interesting in the context of Bitcoin's extreme volatility. Starting in January 2020 at ~$7,200, a disciplined $100/month Bitcoin buyer would have navigated the COVID crash, the 2021 bull run, the 2022 bear market, and the 2024 recovery.

The beauty of DCA is that it removes the timing question. You don't need to guess bottoms or tops. When Bitcoin crashed to $16,500 in late 2022, the DCA buyer was accumulating more Bitcoin per dollar than ever — effectively loading up at discount prices while lump-sum investors agonized over their unrealized losses.

Since January 2020, the buyer has put in $100 every single month — the running total and today's value are calculated above. The DCA approach meant buying at $7,200, at $60,000, at $16,500, and everywhere in between — resulting in a blended average cost that smooths out Bitcoin's wild swings.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much would $100/month in Bitcoin since 2020 be worth today?

Dollar-cost averaging $100/month into Bitcoin from 2020 through October 2026 would have totalled $8,200.00 in contributions. At current prices, that position would be worth approximately $21,853.28 — a 2.67x return and $13,653.28 profit.

What was Bitcoin's compound annual growth rate (CAGR) since 2020?

Bitcoin's CAGR from 2020 to October 2026 was 15.5% per year. For comparison, the S&P 500 has historically averaged around 10% annually. Bitcoin significantly outperformed traditional equity markets on an annualized basis.

How does Bitcoin compare to the S&P 500 since 2020?

The same $100/month invested in an S&P 500 index fund in 2020 would be worth approximately $14,295.62 today. Bitcoin outperformed the index by $7,557.66 — 1.53x the return of the S&P 500.

What is dollar-cost averaging (DCA)?

DCA means investing a fixed dollar amount at regular intervals regardless of price. For Bitcoin, this means buying $100 worth every month whether Bitcoin is at $7,000 or $60,000. This strategy reduces the impact of volatility and removes the need to time the market.

Is DCA better than lump sum for Bitcoin?

Historically, lump-sum investing beats DCA roughly 2/3 of the time in traditional markets because markets tend to go up. However, Bitcoin's extreme volatility makes DCA psychologically easier and protects against buying the top. The best strategy depends on your risk tolerance and conviction.

What is the average cost basis for DCA Bitcoin since 2020?

The average cost per Bitcoin when DCA'ing since 2020 depends on the exact monthly prices. The blended average cost is well below the current price, meaning the position is in profit despite accumulating during both bull and bear markets.

Methodology & Sources

Price data: Historical prices are the January 1 opening price (midnight UTC) on major US exchanges (Coinbase, Kraken, Bitstamp), or CoinGecko and CoinMarketCap where a coin wasn’t yet trading on US exchanges. Current prices come from Yahoo Finance (CoinGecko as a backup) and refresh hourly; if that source is unavailable, the last saved price is used.

Calculation: One purchase on the 1st of every month from January 2020 through the current month. We store one price per year, so each month's price is estimated on a steady path from one year's starting price to the next (or to today's price). Checked against real month-end prices, this lands within a few percent for stocks and funds and within about 10% for crypto. No fees or taxes are included.

Benchmarks: The S&P 500 comparison uses the S&P 500 Total Return index (dividends reinvested, like an index fund) at the start of2020 and today. Gold uses the price per troy ounce. Savings account assumes a 2% APY compounded annually.

Inflation adjustment: Uses U.S. CPI-U annual averages from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The 2026 CPI value is estimated.

Educational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Not financial advice.