Dollar-Cost Averaging Fails to Save Ethereum and Cardano Investors

A study by KuCoin found that Bitcoin, XRP, Solana, and Tron outperformed Ethereum and Cardano using dollar-cost averaging (DCA) since 2022.

Investors who used DCA placed $100 into each asset every month from January 2022 to August 2026. The results showed that TRX, Bitcoin, XRP, and Solana gained more than 40%, while Ethereum and Cardano experienced losses.

The strongest returns were built during the 2024 crypto rally, when portfolios accumulated through the previous two years surged in value. By the end of 2024, the hypothetical Solana portfolio had reached $17,728, XRP stood at $14,345, Bitcoin at $10,193 and Cardano at $7,251.

The subsequent market downturn erased much of the wealth those recurring buyers had accumulated. Solana's portfolio fell from $17,728 to $8,025 by August 2026, wiping out nearly 55%. XRP dropped by $5,880 from its 2024 level to $8,465, while Cardano surrendered $4,635 to finish at just $2,616.