What Was Happening in 2016
Bitcoin opened 2016 at $370, quietly recovering from its two-year bear market. The biggest event of the year was the second halving in July, when the block reward dropped from 25 BTC to 12.5 BTC. For anyone paying attention, this was a structural shift: the rate of new bitcoin entering circulation was cut in half.
The price response was slow but steady. Bitcoin climbed from $370 in January to $952 by December, a 157% gain that barely registered in mainstream media. Your weekly $100 purchases accumulated bitcoin through this entire recovery phase, with an average cost well below $600.
Starting DCA in 2016 meant catching the early stages of what would become the most explosive bull run in Bitcoin's history. By the end of 2017, your accumulated bitcoin would be worth many multiples of what you paid.
The Crashes You Survived
From 2016 onward, you lived through the 2017 bubble and 74% crash, the COVID sell-off in March 2020, the mid-2021 correction, the brutal 2022 bear market (down 71%), and the current drawdown from $115,758. Each crash felt like the end. None of them were. Your DCA kept buying at lower prices every time.
- 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.