2022: Not Panic — Opportunity
2022 was a brutal year for investors. Central banks hiked rates aggressively, the S&P 500 fell roughly 25%, and Bitcoin dropped 65%. Most people either sold or froze entirely.
What did the people who stayed calm and kept investing $500 every month find at the start of 2025?
March 2022 – January 2025 DCA Results
AssetStarting priceJan '25$500/mo → 34 months
₿ Bitcoin$44,000~$98,000~$37,000 (+118%)
📈 S&P 5004,500 pts~4,850 pts~$21,200 (+25%)
🍎 Apple$174$229~$21,500 (+26%)
Total invested (34 months × $500) = $17,000. In the Bitcoin scenario, that stack is now worth ~$37,000.
Why Continuing Through a Dip Is Rational
When Bitcoin dropped to $15,000 in July 2022, many investors sold. But the people who invested $500 that month accumulated Bitcoin at a fraction of the previous cost. When the recovery came, those cheap units compounded powerfully.
- When a store runs a 30% off sale, you don't leave — you buy more
- When Bitcoin drops 50%, the same $500 buys twice as much BTC
- The key to maintaining DCA discipline is internalizing this mindset