What Was Happening in 2015
Bitcoin started 2015 at around $217, deep in the post-Mt. Gox bear market. It was the quietest year in Bitcoin's history. Trading volumes were low. Media coverage had dried up. The loudest voices declared that the experiment had failed.
For a DCA investor, 2015 was a gift. Prices hovered between $217 and $430 all year. Your $100/week bought enormous quantities of bitcoin at what would later look like generational lows. There were no exciting headlines, no viral moments, no reason to check the price every day. Just quiet accumulation.
Starting a DCA in 2015 required belief in something most people had written off. The reward for that patience was buying bitcoin at an average cost well under $300 for an entire year before the next bull cycle began in 2016.
The Crashes You Survived
Starting near the bottom in 2015 spared you from the worst of the Mt. Gox bear market, but everything after was still on the table. The 2017 rally to $14,156 and subsequent 74% crash. The COVID sell-off. The 2022 collapse to $16,547. The current correction. Four major drawdowns, each one a test of conviction. The DCA kept buying through all of them.
- 2017 Bubble Pop: -74% ($14,156 to $3,709)
- COVID Crash: -27% ($8,780 to $6,430)
- Mid-2021 Correction: -39% ($57,878 to $35,040)
- 2022 Bear Market: -71% ($56,994 to $16,547)
- 2025-2026 Correction: -41% ($115,758 to $68,000)
Run your own scenario
Try different amounts, frequencies, and start dates with real historical data.
Open DCA Calculator →Ready to start your own plan? Read our Bitcoin savings plan guide. Wondering if you should invest all at once instead? See our DCA vs lump sum analysis. Not sure how much to allocate? Our sizing guide walks through practical frameworks.