Sawcruhteez Strategies: Advanced Dollar Cost Averaging Methods
Disclaimer: If you are primarily interested in copying other people’s trades then this is not for you. However, if you are willing to put in the work that it takes to learn how to trade for yourself then you have found the right place! Nevertheless please be advised that you can give 10 people a profitable trading strategy and only 1-2 of them will be able to succeed long term. If you fall into the majority that tries and fails then I assume no responsibility for your losses. What you do with your $ is your business, what I do with my $ is my business.
Click here for my Comprehensive Trading Strategy | Click here for my Comprehensive Trading Process
In the previous post I outlined two strategies for How to BUY THE DIP. Both approaches are quite hands on, requiring consistent analysis and actively managing orders. They are primarily meant for individuals who actively buy and sell on an intra month or week basis.
This post is for individuals with the hodler mentality, who simply want to implement a structured plan to buy BTC before planning on hodling for multiple years. This person is almost always going to find a dollar cost averaging approach as the best way to achieve his or her goal.
If you are convinced that the next bull market is here, and you have money waiting patiently on the sidelines, then the goal is to convert the fiat into BTC as safely as possible. The goal is not necessarily to get the very best price, instead the objective should be to maintain a cost basis that is lower than the spot price. Dollar Cost Averaging into a bull market is a very simple and effective way to make that happen. If it is a bull market then the price will be consistently appreciating and after enough time consistent purchases are expected to result in an average cost basis than is lower than the current spot price.
Dollar Cost Averaging is an approach that allows someone to regularly buy the same dollar amount of an asset. There are two ways to Dollar Cost Average, by time or by price. Anyone with a retirement account is Dollar Cost Averaging into the investment by time. Generally a specific dollar amount will be invested on a monthly basis, regardless of the price of the underlying asset.
The other way to Dollar Cost Average (DCA) is by price. For example if an individual has X to invest then that person can enter 10% every time that the price appreciates 10%. This is a more aggressive approach and is done to ensure that a certain amount of exposure is achieved at a certain price point. When Dollar Cost Averaging by price it is possible to go months, or years, without making an entry. Conversely it would also be feasible to make multiple entries during the same month if the volatility warrants it.
Both approaches are completely valid. The preferred method will be determined by an individuals circumstances and objectives. If one has disposable income on a monthly basis then using some of it to regularly buy BTC can be a very good option (DCA by time). On the other hand if an individual has a lump sum of cash waiting on the sidelines then it may be preferred to scale in as price appreciates (DCA by price). This can be done to ensure that the full lump sum is entered before the price gets to high and / or if a certain amount of the underlying asset is desired. Some businesses will implement this approach if they require a certain amount of a commodity to operate profitably. Those sitting in fiat may choose this route if they want to make sure they get at least X amount of Bitcoin.
Dollar Cost Averaging by Time
This approach is ideal for individuals whose monthly income exceed his or her expenses. A portion of this disposable income can be earmarked to buy BTC as long as the market is bullish. This post will go in depth about how to determine if the trend is bullish or bearish. However there are many technical tools that can be used to accomplish this goal. My preferred method is Consensio. The Ichimoku Cloud is also very powerful.
When utilizing this approach it is very important to have a gameplan for what to do if the price declines for an extended period of time. If the value of the investment declines each month after buying more it can be very difficult to cope with mentally and financially. This is especially true if there is no backup plan for putting the purchases on a moratorium or executing a stop loss and exiting the position all together.
Dollar Cost Averaging when the price is declining in a bull market is generally the best time to buy. That is because the same dollar amount buys more of the underlying asset. This improves the cost basis and is a primary advantage to the approach. However if the price continues to decline for months, or even years, then buying more of the underlying asset only increasing exposure to something that is depreciating.
This is why it is very important to have a plan, and stick to it. If Dollar Cost Averaging by time then it could make sense to implement a stop loss system that is based on time.
For example: if price depreciates for one quarter then stop adding to position for one quarter. If price continues to decrease for two quarters in a row then exit the position entirely. On the other hand if price increases during the second quarter then resume Dollar Cost Averaging in the third quarter.
It would also be possible to implement a stop loss system based on price.
For example: If price declines 15% then Dollar Cost Averaging is placed on a moratorium. If price declines 30% then stop loss is executed and position is exited. This approach is very tricky with Bitcoin. It will often decline 45% in the middle of a bull market. Therefore if this is the preferred strategy then it is important to backtest the percentages that an asset can decrease while remaining in a bull trend. This needs to be done for every asset individually before starting the purchasing program.
Dollar Cost Averaging is usually done by those who intent to buy and hodl the investment long term. Most will do this blindly and that is very dangerous. It is very important to have a plan for profit taking, even if planning to hodl for years, or decades.
The profit taking strategy can also be done based on time or price. Retirement accounts have a built in profit taking approach that is based on time. Most IRA’s will not allow one to withdraw until they are 59 ½ without severe penalties. Therefore the gameplan is generally to contribute on a monthly basis and start withdrawing / profit taking after enough time has passed to avoid paying penalties.
If someone is Dollar Cost Averaging into Bitcoin, or another speculative investment, then it could be a good idea to implement a time horizon for withdrawing / profit taking.
A generic gameplan would be to buy Bitcoin with 1% of monthly income, every month, for the next 5 years. Afterwards the plan could be to hodl for a minimum of 5 more years. 10 years from now it will be time to take profit, if all goes well then it could be possible to withdraw a small percentage (~ 5%) per year indefinitely.
The main idea with this approach is to figure out the minimum time frame that you wish to hold onto the investment and at what point would you be able to consistently withdraw for the rest of your life without depleting the account.
Another approach would be to take profit 1 year after each halving. Enough to cover the initial investment and then hold the rest for 10+ years.
This can be an effective approach, but I believe it is inferior to taking profit based on price. That is because it is often best to sell when the price is high, opposed to waiting for a certain date. This is true for almost every investment class, Bitcoin might be a different story due to the depreciating supply. However taking profit based on price can be very tricky, especially for people with a set strategy that employs consistent buying. That is why I believe that it is crucial to learn how to identify the trend and have an incremental process for stopping the buys and then exiting. This is where Consensio works so well, it is a step by step process for recognizing trends and reversals.
Dollar Cost Averaging by Price
This approach is for individuals who have a lump sum of money on the sidelines who want to ensure gets entered by a certain price. Let’s use a hypothetical individual who has $25,000 in cash. That person, who we will call Dollar Bill, wants to make sure that they can get at least 2 BTC with that money. However, this person is relatively smart and does not want to get overexposed too early. Instead he intends to enter in pieces and only when the price is appreciating.
Bitcoin currently is trading at $7,981 and Bill has decided that he cannot sit on the sidelines any longer. Insteading of FOMO’ing in he takes a step back to reevaluate the landscape and come up with a gameplan. He starts by analyzing the charts. Using prior highs he is able to identify major areas of established resistance and he notices three key price points where he wants to enter.
The major areas of horizontal resistance are as follows: $8,219 | $9,619 | $11,491
If those levels are broken then the protagonist wants to make sure that he become known as Bitcoin Bill. He is telling all of his friends to buy right now and has grown tired of his moniker after learning about the perils of fiat money. To realize his dream of owning 2 Bitcoin he has implemented an initiative to scale in slightly above each level of resistance.
The target entries are: $8,501, $10,251 and $12,251
This won't get the best possible price but it will ensure that he only adds to the position if the market is moving in his favor. Entries are set slightly higher than the levels of resistance as a way to try to avoid fake breakouts, otherwise known as bull traps. Our hero used to be known as Billy Bull Trap and he is determined to make sure that doesn’t happen again.
Now he must calculate how much to enter at each level to ensure that he gets at least the 2 BTC that his heart so desires. Since there are three entry points he decides to separate his $25,000 desired exposure into thirds.
The calculation goes as follows:
$25,000 / 3 = $8,333
Enter $8,333 at $8,501 (target entry #1) = 0.9802 BTC
Enter $8,333 at $10,251 (target entry #2) = 0.8128 BTC
Enter $8,333 at $12,251 (target entry #3) = 0.6801 BTC
Total = 2.4731 BTC
Average Price / Cost Basis: $10,108 per BTC
After going through the calculations he immediately enters the orders, using Good-Until-Cancel Stop Market Buy orders. A Stop Market Buy order will not trigger until a certain price is reached. Good-Until-Cancel means that it will remain active unless Bill changes his mind and manually cancels the orders.
This type of order allows traders and investors to enter positions as soon as the price reaches his or her desired level. This can be very beneficial for those who do not want to wait at a computer all day and night for the right time to enter. They also work very well in volatile markets that are open 24/7 for people who like to sleep without a price alert alarm.
By inputting the orders right now Bill knows that he will be able to buy Bitcoin at the prices he wants regardless of when it happens or where he might be. This is a great option for Bill, who is an avid golfer that spends all of his spare time working on his short game in hopes of earning another new moniker. He despises being called Double Bogey Bill by his golfing friends.
It is important to note the difference between a Stop Market Buy order and a Stop Limit Buy order. As the name suggests a Stop Market will trigger a market order to buy as soon as the price is reached. This guarantees a fill, but means that there will often be some slippage. If markets are moving fast and breaking through resistance then there may be a relatively small amount of liquidity available in the order books. If that is the case then it is possible to pay a much higher price than expected.
For example: if a stop market order to buy 0.97 BTC is triggered at $8,501 then there needs to be at least 0.97 BTC available to be sold at $8,501 on that individual exchange. If not then slippage will occur and a higher price will be paid. It is entirely feasible that the market order will go all the way up to $8,600+ before filling. This is especially true for large orders and / or exchanges with lower liquidity.
Individuals that want to avoid slippage will use Stop Limit Buy orders instead. This will trigger a limit order that will only get filled if someone else market sells at that price. If there are enough market sellers at that price then the full order will get filled. If not there the limit order will be in danger of getting blown right through.
When price has a legitimate breakout there is generally an overwhelming amount of buyers and very few sellers. If there are few sellers then it means a buy limit order has a high risk of not getting filled.
There are pros and cons to each order type. As is often the case it will come down to an individual to determine what is best. Stop Market orders will always get filled but can often be at a worse price than expected. This risk is greatly minimized for smaller position sizes and / or higher liquidity exchanges / assets. Stop Limit orders will never experience slippage but they will be at risk of getting skipped over. This risk is greatly increased for highly volatile markets.
Bill is determined to buy a minimum of 2 BTC for the $25,000 that he has available. Using Stop Limit orders is out of the question for Bill because the risk of getting skipped over is much greater to him than the risk of paying a slightly worse price. Furthermore his calculations show that he can expect to get 2.47 BTC based on his target entries, therefore he feels confident that he will end up with a minimum of 2 BTC even if he experiences significant slippage.
With a gameplan in place and orders on the books it is possible to be prepared for upcoming price action before it happens. Being proactive instead of reactive is the primary differentiator between emotional investors and the proverbial smart money. Being able to execute that plan is what separates the pros from the wannabes.
Dollar Cost Averaging by price is not designed to buy in at the cheapest price. Instead it is meant to ensure that a certain amount of the underlying asset is acquiring and that you are buying into a market that is appreciating.
This approach should absolutely be combined with a profit taking strategy. Many who buy in based on certain price levels will prefer to exit at certain price levels as well. For example Bill might decide to sell 0.5 BTC at $20,000 and
0.5 BTC at $100,000. After recouping more than his initial investment he may choose to let the rest of the position ride indefinitely since he now has a negative cost basis (withdrawn more than was originally invested, while still maintaining some of the original exposure). This is by far my preferred approach, and is very possible in a crypto bull market with the right plan and execution.
Daily Dollar Cost Averaging
A very effective way to Dollar Cost Average by time is to buy a very small amount every day until the desired amount of exposure is achieved. This can be a good strategy for individuals with a disposable income as well as for those who have a lump sum to invest.
Those with a lump sum can enter 0.25% - 0.5% of the capital on a daily basis. This will process would take 200 - 400 days to get fully entered. If that is too long for an individual’s taste then it is possible to enter a higher percentage, however I would not consider doing more than 1% per day.
Individuals with disposable income on a monthly basis can enter 3.33% per day. That will enter the full amount before the month is over. Then the following months surplus is used to continue buying the same amount per day.
Exchanges like Coinbase and Gemini have an option to set a recurring purchase for x amount. This can be a great option for individuals who do not want to Dollar Cost Average by time, however this could obfuscate valuable lessons.
Manually doing a Daily Dollar Cost Average can be a tremendous learning experience, especially for those who are uninitiated to active buying and selling. If you decide to use this approach then pay very close attention to the emotions that you are feeling when making the purchase.
Are you motivated to buy when price is down 10% over the last 24 hours?
Do you feel like buying more than the predetermined amount when the price is up 5 - 10%+ over the last 24 hours?
I would strongly suggest keeping a journal that details emotions when implementing the Daily Dollar Cost Average approach. This will enlighten you to when the market is controlling your emotions and when you are prone to making poor decisions.
Combining Dollar Cost Averaging with Buying the Dip
In the first post I outlined multiple strategies for How to BUY THE DIP. In this post we covered multiple Dollar Cost Averaging methods. It is important to note that these two approaches are not mutually exclusive. In fact they can complement each other quite nicely.
I love buying dips in Bitcoin bull markets. If done properly it be extremely rewarding. However it is highly risky and can be very costly if not done effectively. The risks include:
1) Buying a dip that is only the tip of a major selloff
2) Buying a dip and getting whipsawed out of the position right before the market explodes to the upside
3) Waiting for a dip that never comes and letting price get away to the upside
As is generally the case when presented with multiple desirable options I prefer to use a combination of Dollar Cost Averaging and Buying the Dip. I find this to be very beneficial to my pocketbook as well as my psyche. Being stuck on the sidelines waiting for a dip can cause a lot of anxiety. That stress can be greatly alleviated by knowing that there is a Dollar Cost Averaging approach in place. Buying small amounts as the price appears to be running away also helps to be patient about waiting for a dip.
I like to set a portion of my fiat aside to buy dips and I will use the remainder to start Dollar Cost Averaging. I prefer a ratio somewhere along the lines of 60% for buying dips and 40% is used for Dollar Cost Averaging.
I may go as high as 70% / 30% with that ratio depending on market conditions. For individuals who have less experience, or those who do not have the time available to analyze charts on a daily basis, I would suggest a much different ratio. Something along the lines of 10% - 25% for buying dips and the rest set aside to Dollar Cost Average.
I think it is always good to have something available to buy when the price dips. The best buying opportunities often occur when Bitcoin drops 30% - 40% while remaining in a bull trend. Having at least 10% of your desired exposure set aside for times like this can be very beneficial. Therefore even if I was committed to a Dollar Cost Averaging approach I would still want some set aside to buy when Bitcoin is oversold in a bull market.
While this approach will never get you fully entered in at the bottom, it will be a reliable way to gain exposure into markets that are moving in your favor. My goal is to minimize risk and maximize strike rate. Utilizing an approach that combines buying dips with Dollar Cost Averaging is the best way that I have found to do that.
The last puzzle pieces are learning how to identify the trend and manage stop losses. I use the 50 and 200 Day EMA’s to determine the trend. If the 200 EMA is moving up, with the price above and a golden crossover with the 50, then it is a bull market. When Bitcoin is in a bull market then I want to establish a significant amount of exposure while staying flexible and properly attending to my risk.
I also use the 50 and 200 Day EMA’s to determine my stop loss. As long as price is above and the trend is up then I want to be in. As soon as the price falls below and the direction of the EMA starts rolling over then I want to start scaling out. If a death cross occurs then I want to be fully out of the position. Another effective way to manage stop losses is with the Bill Williams Fractals on the daily and weekly charts.
Through learning how to identify the trend and properly manage risk it is possible to consistently beat the markets average rate of return of a statistically significant sample size.
Click here for my Comprehensive Trading Strategy | Click here for my Comprehensive Trading Process
In the previous post I outlined two strategies for How to BUY THE DIP. Both approaches are quite hands on, requiring consistent analysis and actively managing orders. They are primarily meant for individuals who actively buy and sell on an intra month or week basis.
This post is for individuals with the hodler mentality, who simply want to implement a structured plan to buy BTC before planning on hodling for multiple years. This person is almost always going to find a dollar cost averaging approach as the best way to achieve his or her goal.
If you are convinced that the next bull market is here, and you have money waiting patiently on the sidelines, then the goal is to convert the fiat into BTC as safely as possible. The goal is not necessarily to get the very best price, instead the objective should be to maintain a cost basis that is lower than the spot price. Dollar Cost Averaging into a bull market is a very simple and effective way to make that happen. If it is a bull market then the price will be consistently appreciating and after enough time consistent purchases are expected to result in an average cost basis than is lower than the current spot price.
Dollar Cost Averaging is an approach that allows someone to regularly buy the same dollar amount of an asset. There are two ways to Dollar Cost Average, by time or by price. Anyone with a retirement account is Dollar Cost Averaging into the investment by time. Generally a specific dollar amount will be invested on a monthly basis, regardless of the price of the underlying asset.
The other way to Dollar Cost Average (DCA) is by price. For example if an individual has X to invest then that person can enter 10% every time that the price appreciates 10%. This is a more aggressive approach and is done to ensure that a certain amount of exposure is achieved at a certain price point. When Dollar Cost Averaging by price it is possible to go months, or years, without making an entry. Conversely it would also be feasible to make multiple entries during the same month if the volatility warrants it.
Both approaches are completely valid. The preferred method will be determined by an individuals circumstances and objectives. If one has disposable income on a monthly basis then using some of it to regularly buy BTC can be a very good option (DCA by time). On the other hand if an individual has a lump sum of cash waiting on the sidelines then it may be preferred to scale in as price appreciates (DCA by price). This can be done to ensure that the full lump sum is entered before the price gets to high and / or if a certain amount of the underlying asset is desired. Some businesses will implement this approach if they require a certain amount of a commodity to operate profitably. Those sitting in fiat may choose this route if they want to make sure they get at least X amount of Bitcoin.
Dollar Cost Averaging by Time
This approach is ideal for individuals whose monthly income exceed his or her expenses. A portion of this disposable income can be earmarked to buy BTC as long as the market is bullish. This post will go in depth about how to determine if the trend is bullish or bearish. However there are many technical tools that can be used to accomplish this goal. My preferred method is Consensio. The Ichimoku Cloud is also very powerful.
When utilizing this approach it is very important to have a gameplan for what to do if the price declines for an extended period of time. If the value of the investment declines each month after buying more it can be very difficult to cope with mentally and financially. This is especially true if there is no backup plan for putting the purchases on a moratorium or executing a stop loss and exiting the position all together.
Dollar Cost Averaging when the price is declining in a bull market is generally the best time to buy. That is because the same dollar amount buys more of the underlying asset. This improves the cost basis and is a primary advantage to the approach. However if the price continues to decline for months, or even years, then buying more of the underlying asset only increasing exposure to something that is depreciating.
This is why it is very important to have a plan, and stick to it. If Dollar Cost Averaging by time then it could make sense to implement a stop loss system that is based on time.
For example: if price depreciates for one quarter then stop adding to position for one quarter. If price continues to decrease for two quarters in a row then exit the position entirely. On the other hand if price increases during the second quarter then resume Dollar Cost Averaging in the third quarter.
It would also be possible to implement a stop loss system based on price.
For example: If price declines 15% then Dollar Cost Averaging is placed on a moratorium. If price declines 30% then stop loss is executed and position is exited. This approach is very tricky with Bitcoin. It will often decline 45% in the middle of a bull market. Therefore if this is the preferred strategy then it is important to backtest the percentages that an asset can decrease while remaining in a bull trend. This needs to be done for every asset individually before starting the purchasing program.
Dollar Cost Averaging is usually done by those who intent to buy and hodl the investment long term. Most will do this blindly and that is very dangerous. It is very important to have a plan for profit taking, even if planning to hodl for years, or decades.
The profit taking strategy can also be done based on time or price. Retirement accounts have a built in profit taking approach that is based on time. Most IRA’s will not allow one to withdraw until they are 59 ½ without severe penalties. Therefore the gameplan is generally to contribute on a monthly basis and start withdrawing / profit taking after enough time has passed to avoid paying penalties.
If someone is Dollar Cost Averaging into Bitcoin, or another speculative investment, then it could be a good idea to implement a time horizon for withdrawing / profit taking.
A generic gameplan would be to buy Bitcoin with 1% of monthly income, every month, for the next 5 years. Afterwards the plan could be to hodl for a minimum of 5 more years. 10 years from now it will be time to take profit, if all goes well then it could be possible to withdraw a small percentage (~ 5%) per year indefinitely.
The main idea with this approach is to figure out the minimum time frame that you wish to hold onto the investment and at what point would you be able to consistently withdraw for the rest of your life without depleting the account.
Another approach would be to take profit 1 year after each halving. Enough to cover the initial investment and then hold the rest for 10+ years.
This can be an effective approach, but I believe it is inferior to taking profit based on price. That is because it is often best to sell when the price is high, opposed to waiting for a certain date. This is true for almost every investment class, Bitcoin might be a different story due to the depreciating supply. However taking profit based on price can be very tricky, especially for people with a set strategy that employs consistent buying. That is why I believe that it is crucial to learn how to identify the trend and have an incremental process for stopping the buys and then exiting. This is where Consensio works so well, it is a step by step process for recognizing trends and reversals.
Dollar Cost Averaging by Price
This approach is for individuals who have a lump sum of money on the sidelines who want to ensure gets entered by a certain price. Let’s use a hypothetical individual who has $25,000 in cash. That person, who we will call Dollar Bill, wants to make sure that they can get at least 2 BTC with that money. However, this person is relatively smart and does not want to get overexposed too early. Instead he intends to enter in pieces and only when the price is appreciating.
Bitcoin currently is trading at $7,981 and Bill has decided that he cannot sit on the sidelines any longer. Insteading of FOMO’ing in he takes a step back to reevaluate the landscape and come up with a gameplan. He starts by analyzing the charts. Using prior highs he is able to identify major areas of established resistance and he notices three key price points where he wants to enter.
The major areas of horizontal resistance are as follows: $8,219 | $9,619 | $11,491
If those levels are broken then the protagonist wants to make sure that he become known as Bitcoin Bill. He is telling all of his friends to buy right now and has grown tired of his moniker after learning about the perils of fiat money. To realize his dream of owning 2 Bitcoin he has implemented an initiative to scale in slightly above each level of resistance.
The target entries are: $8,501, $10,251 and $12,251
This won't get the best possible price but it will ensure that he only adds to the position if the market is moving in his favor. Entries are set slightly higher than the levels of resistance as a way to try to avoid fake breakouts, otherwise known as bull traps. Our hero used to be known as Billy Bull Trap and he is determined to make sure that doesn’t happen again.
Now he must calculate how much to enter at each level to ensure that he gets at least the 2 BTC that his heart so desires. Since there are three entry points he decides to separate his $25,000 desired exposure into thirds.
The calculation goes as follows:
$25,000 / 3 = $8,333
Enter $8,333 at $8,501 (target entry #1) = 0.9802 BTC
Enter $8,333 at $10,251 (target entry #2) = 0.8128 BTC
Enter $8,333 at $12,251 (target entry #3) = 0.6801 BTC
Total = 2.4731 BTC
Average Price / Cost Basis: $10,108 per BTC
After going through the calculations he immediately enters the orders, using Good-Until-Cancel Stop Market Buy orders. A Stop Market Buy order will not trigger until a certain price is reached. Good-Until-Cancel means that it will remain active unless Bill changes his mind and manually cancels the orders.
This type of order allows traders and investors to enter positions as soon as the price reaches his or her desired level. This can be very beneficial for those who do not want to wait at a computer all day and night for the right time to enter. They also work very well in volatile markets that are open 24/7 for people who like to sleep without a price alert alarm.
By inputting the orders right now Bill knows that he will be able to buy Bitcoin at the prices he wants regardless of when it happens or where he might be. This is a great option for Bill, who is an avid golfer that spends all of his spare time working on his short game in hopes of earning another new moniker. He despises being called Double Bogey Bill by his golfing friends.
It is important to note the difference between a Stop Market Buy order and a Stop Limit Buy order. As the name suggests a Stop Market will trigger a market order to buy as soon as the price is reached. This guarantees a fill, but means that there will often be some slippage. If markets are moving fast and breaking through resistance then there may be a relatively small amount of liquidity available in the order books. If that is the case then it is possible to pay a much higher price than expected.
For example: if a stop market order to buy 0.97 BTC is triggered at $8,501 then there needs to be at least 0.97 BTC available to be sold at $8,501 on that individual exchange. If not then slippage will occur and a higher price will be paid. It is entirely feasible that the market order will go all the way up to $8,600+ before filling. This is especially true for large orders and / or exchanges with lower liquidity.
Individuals that want to avoid slippage will use Stop Limit Buy orders instead. This will trigger a limit order that will only get filled if someone else market sells at that price. If there are enough market sellers at that price then the full order will get filled. If not there the limit order will be in danger of getting blown right through.
When price has a legitimate breakout there is generally an overwhelming amount of buyers and very few sellers. If there are few sellers then it means a buy limit order has a high risk of not getting filled.
There are pros and cons to each order type. As is often the case it will come down to an individual to determine what is best. Stop Market orders will always get filled but can often be at a worse price than expected. This risk is greatly minimized for smaller position sizes and / or higher liquidity exchanges / assets. Stop Limit orders will never experience slippage but they will be at risk of getting skipped over. This risk is greatly increased for highly volatile markets.
Bill is determined to buy a minimum of 2 BTC for the $25,000 that he has available. Using Stop Limit orders is out of the question for Bill because the risk of getting skipped over is much greater to him than the risk of paying a slightly worse price. Furthermore his calculations show that he can expect to get 2.47 BTC based on his target entries, therefore he feels confident that he will end up with a minimum of 2 BTC even if he experiences significant slippage.
With a gameplan in place and orders on the books it is possible to be prepared for upcoming price action before it happens. Being proactive instead of reactive is the primary differentiator between emotional investors and the proverbial smart money. Being able to execute that plan is what separates the pros from the wannabes.
Dollar Cost Averaging by price is not designed to buy in at the cheapest price. Instead it is meant to ensure that a certain amount of the underlying asset is acquiring and that you are buying into a market that is appreciating.
This approach should absolutely be combined with a profit taking strategy. Many who buy in based on certain price levels will prefer to exit at certain price levels as well. For example Bill might decide to sell 0.5 BTC at $20,000 and
0.5 BTC at $100,000. After recouping more than his initial investment he may choose to let the rest of the position ride indefinitely since he now has a negative cost basis (withdrawn more than was originally invested, while still maintaining some of the original exposure). This is by far my preferred approach, and is very possible in a crypto bull market with the right plan and execution.
Daily Dollar Cost Averaging
A very effective way to Dollar Cost Average by time is to buy a very small amount every day until the desired amount of exposure is achieved. This can be a good strategy for individuals with a disposable income as well as for those who have a lump sum to invest.
Those with a lump sum can enter 0.25% - 0.5% of the capital on a daily basis. This will process would take 200 - 400 days to get fully entered. If that is too long for an individual’s taste then it is possible to enter a higher percentage, however I would not consider doing more than 1% per day.
Individuals with disposable income on a monthly basis can enter 3.33% per day. That will enter the full amount before the month is over. Then the following months surplus is used to continue buying the same amount per day.
Exchanges like Coinbase and Gemini have an option to set a recurring purchase for x amount. This can be a great option for individuals who do not want to Dollar Cost Average by time, however this could obfuscate valuable lessons.
Manually doing a Daily Dollar Cost Average can be a tremendous learning experience, especially for those who are uninitiated to active buying and selling. If you decide to use this approach then pay very close attention to the emotions that you are feeling when making the purchase.
Are you motivated to buy when price is down 10% over the last 24 hours?
Do you feel like buying more than the predetermined amount when the price is up 5 - 10%+ over the last 24 hours?
I would strongly suggest keeping a journal that details emotions when implementing the Daily Dollar Cost Average approach. This will enlighten you to when the market is controlling your emotions and when you are prone to making poor decisions.
Combining Dollar Cost Averaging with Buying the Dip
In the first post I outlined multiple strategies for How to BUY THE DIP. In this post we covered multiple Dollar Cost Averaging methods. It is important to note that these two approaches are not mutually exclusive. In fact they can complement each other quite nicely.
I love buying dips in Bitcoin bull markets. If done properly it be extremely rewarding. However it is highly risky and can be very costly if not done effectively. The risks include:
1) Buying a dip that is only the tip of a major selloff
2) Buying a dip and getting whipsawed out of the position right before the market explodes to the upside
3) Waiting for a dip that never comes and letting price get away to the upside
As is generally the case when presented with multiple desirable options I prefer to use a combination of Dollar Cost Averaging and Buying the Dip. I find this to be very beneficial to my pocketbook as well as my psyche. Being stuck on the sidelines waiting for a dip can cause a lot of anxiety. That stress can be greatly alleviated by knowing that there is a Dollar Cost Averaging approach in place. Buying small amounts as the price appears to be running away also helps to be patient about waiting for a dip.
I like to set a portion of my fiat aside to buy dips and I will use the remainder to start Dollar Cost Averaging. I prefer a ratio somewhere along the lines of 60% for buying dips and 40% is used for Dollar Cost Averaging.
I may go as high as 70% / 30% with that ratio depending on market conditions. For individuals who have less experience, or those who do not have the time available to analyze charts on a daily basis, I would suggest a much different ratio. Something along the lines of 10% - 25% for buying dips and the rest set aside to Dollar Cost Average.
I think it is always good to have something available to buy when the price dips. The best buying opportunities often occur when Bitcoin drops 30% - 40% while remaining in a bull trend. Having at least 10% of your desired exposure set aside for times like this can be very beneficial. Therefore even if I was committed to a Dollar Cost Averaging approach I would still want some set aside to buy when Bitcoin is oversold in a bull market.
While this approach will never get you fully entered in at the bottom, it will be a reliable way to gain exposure into markets that are moving in your favor. My goal is to minimize risk and maximize strike rate. Utilizing an approach that combines buying dips with Dollar Cost Averaging is the best way that I have found to do that.
The last puzzle pieces are learning how to identify the trend and manage stop losses. I use the 50 and 200 Day EMA’s to determine the trend. If the 200 EMA is moving up, with the price above and a golden crossover with the 50, then it is a bull market. When Bitcoin is in a bull market then I want to establish a significant amount of exposure while staying flexible and properly attending to my risk.
I also use the 50 and 200 Day EMA’s to determine my stop loss. As long as price is above and the trend is up then I want to be in. As soon as the price falls below and the direction of the EMA starts rolling over then I want to start scaling out. If a death cross occurs then I want to be fully out of the position. Another effective way to manage stop losses is with the Bill Williams Fractals on the daily and weekly charts.
Through learning how to identify the trend and properly manage risk it is possible to consistently beat the markets average rate of return of a statistically significant sample size.
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