Ethereum DCA calculator
What a fixed recurring Ether purchase would be worth today — and what buying more when Ether is cheap would have changed.
Calculator
| 83 monthly buys since 2020 | Plain DCA | Value-weighted |
|---|---|---|
| Paid in | $8,300 | $8,300 |
| Ether bought | 8.2709 ETH | 8.3378 ETH |
| Cash not yet spent | – | $290 |
| Average price | $1,004 | $961 |
| Worth today | $14,626 | $15,035 |
| Total return | +76% | +81% |
| Return per year | +16% | +17% |
Plain DCAValue-weighted (incl. cash)Paid in
Buys on the first daily close on or after each date, at today’s price $1,768 (14 Nov 2026). No fees. “Return per year” is the yearly rate at which the payments would have grown to today’s value.
By start year
| Start | Paid in | Worth today | Total return | Per year | Value-weighted per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | $12,600 | $208,915 | +1,558% | +50% | +51% |
| 2017 | $11,900 | $92,024 | +673% | +39% | +41% |
| 2018 | $10,700 | $33,737 | +215% | +25% | +29% |
| 2019 | $9,500 | $27,502 | +189% | +26% | +27% |
| 2020 | $8,300 | $14,626 | +76% | +16% | +17% |
| 2021 | $7,100 | $5,803 | −18% | −6.8% | −4.5% |
| 2022 | $5,900 | $4,771 | −19% | −8.6% | −6.7% |
| 2023 | $4,700 | $3,618 | −23% | −13% | −12% |
| 2024 | $3,500 | $2,391 | −32% | −25% | −22% |
| 2025 | $2,300 | $1,661 | −28% | −30% | −29% |
$100 every month from 1 January of each year (2016 starts on 19 May, when the data begins).
Why a savings plan
Buying a fixed amount at fixed intervals means you never have to guess the right moment. You buy more Ether when it is cheap and less when it is expensive, and end up with an average price.
Buying more when it is cheap
The value-weighted plan saves the same amount every period but spends it according to where Ether sits between the bottom and the top line: 4× at the bottom, 1× at fair value and ¼× at the top, smoothly in between (multiple = 41 − position/50). Money it doesn’t spend stays as cash and is used later, when Ether is cheaper. It never spends more than it has saved.
Questions
What is DCA?
Dollar-cost averaging: buying a fixed amount at fixed intervals, whatever the price.
Has it worked for Ether?
For $100 a month since 2020: $8,300 paid in, $14,626 today. Of the start years 2016–2025, 5 are in profit and 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 are below what was paid in.
Weekly or monthly?
Over several years the difference is small. Weekly smooths the entry slightly; monthly means fewer purchases and fees.
Does value-weighted DCA do better?
It finished ahead of plain DCA in 10 of 10 start years. This flatters the rule, because the bottom and top lines were fitted to the same past prices: the direction is plausible, the exact numbers are optimistic.
Model estimates; no fees or taxes. Past returns are no guarantee for the future. Not financial advice.