DCA Backtest

Weekly DCA historical backtest → invested vs current value / ROI

What is the DCA Backtest?

The DCA Backtest simulates a fixed-amount weekly/monthly buying strategy against real historical weekly data: total invested, current value, return and number of buys at a glance.

How do I use the DCA Backtest?

Comparing backtests with different start dates shows vividly how DCA smooths cost basis — even starting at a bull-market top, DCA usually beats a lump-sum buy at the same point. Use it to validate your plan, then minimize fees with the Rebate Calculator.

What should I watch out for?

Backtests follow one historical path; a different future path gives different results. Fees and slippage are excluded — and over years of DCA, fees compound meaningfully, which is exactly where rebates help.

How the DCA Backtest works

The DCA Backtest shows what a fixed weekly purchase of a crypto asset over the last 1 to 8 years would be worth, using historical weekly closes. It helps beginners understand dollar-cost averaging, total invested and the resulting gain or loss.

What you enter

  • Coin: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, BNB, Dogecoin or Cardano
  • Weekly DCA amount in USD (default 50, minimum 1)
  • Backtest years: 1, 2, 3, 5 or 8 (default 3)

What it shows

  • Current value of the accumulated holdings and ROI %
  • Total invested, profit or loss (USD), coins accumulated and current price (the latest weekly close in the data)
  • Line chart of portfolio value versus cumulative amount invested

How to use it

  1. Pick a coin.
  2. Enter the weekly DCA amount in USD.
  3. Select the backtest length (1, 2, 3, 5 or 8 years).
  4. Read current value, ROI, total invested and coins accumulated.
  5. Compare the value line with the invested line to spot periods spent underwater.

Formula

For each weekly close p_i: coins += amount ÷ p_i; invested += amount. Value = coins × latest weekly close. P/L = value − invested. ROI = P/L ÷ invested × 100.

Worked example

$50 a week for four weeks at prices of $100, $80, $50 and $100: coins = 0.5 + 0.625 + 1 + 0.5 = 2.625. Invested = $200. Value = 2.625 × 100 = $262.50. ROI = 62.50 ÷ 200 = +31.25%.

How to read the result

  • DCA buys more units when price is low, so the average cost lands below the simple average price.
  • The gap between the value and invested lines shows the drawdowns endured along the way, not just the end result.
  • Changing the number of years can flip the result, which shows how much the start date matters.

Limits and cautions

  • Past returns do not predict future returns.
  • Trading fees, spreads and taxes are not included.
  • Younger coins have less history: if you pick more years than exist, the result covers only the available period.

Common questions

What is DCA in crypto?

Dollar-cost averaging means buying a fixed amount on a regular schedule regardless of price, spreading your entry over time instead of investing all at once.

Where do the DCA backtest prices come from?

Weekly closing prices from exchange kline data (Binance first), with CoinGecko as a fallback, cached by the site.

Does the DCA calculator include fees?

No. It assumes the full weekly amount buys coins at the weekly close. Real results are lower after exchange fees and spreads.

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