When to buy crypto: what is the best time to get in?

Updated on: 1 June, 2026

“Don’t miss the boat!” is a well-known expression in the investment world. But in reality, there are always new opportunities. Investing is better compared to waiting for a train: if you miss one, another will come along eventually.

In this article, we explain what you can pay attention to if you are considering investing in crypto. This way, you will be well prepared on the platform of the crypto station.

Your situation determines your best moment

There is no universally perfect day to get in. What is right for you depends on your goals and your strategy.

Short-term investment, less than 1 year

Do you need the money soon, for example for a house, a trip, or something else? Then crypto is probably not suitable. The price can easily halve within a year.

Medium-term investment, 1 to 3 years

A reasonable horizon for crypto. Market cycles, see below, play a bigger role over this time frame.

Long-term investment, 3 years or more

Historically, Bitcoin has delivered a positive return over any random period of four years or longer. Those who have the time to wait benefit the most from a simple strategy: invest regularly and do not sell in panic. The longer your horizon, the less it matters exactly when you get in!

💡 Golden rule: Never invest more than you can afford to lose. Crypto is volatile, you can lose your investment.

Bull market and bear market: the two flavours of the crypto market

Crypto does not move randomly. The market goes through recognisable cycles. This is the foundation you need to understand before making timing decisions.

Bull market: everyone wants in

A bull market is a period of rising prices and growing enthusiasm. More people buy, the news is positive, and crypto pops up in conversations at birthday parties. Your neighbour suddenly has an opinion about it.

You can get in, but you pay higher prices. And the further the bull market progresses, the greater the risk of a correction.

Bear market: nobody wants to talk about it

A bear market is the opposite. Prices can fall sharply, often 50 to 80 percent from the peak, and the news is full of “Bitcoin is dead” headlines. Most people no longer want to hear anything about crypto.

That sounds bad, but bear markets have historically been the best entry moments. The tricky part: nobody knows exactly when the bottom has been reached. You always buy a little in the dark.

How do you recognise the market phase?

Look at the yearly price chart. Has the price fallen by more than 50% over the past 6 to 12 months? Then you are probably in a bear market or just past the bottom. Has everything already risen sharply and is everyone talking about it? Then you are probably far into a bull market.

Dip or crash? That makes a big difference

As a beginner, every price drop can scare you and make you sell at the wrong moment. Learn the difference:

A dip is a temporary, relatively small decline within a broader upward trend. Think of a drop of 10 to 25%. This is completely normal, even during bull markets. A dip is not a disaster, it is a correction.

A crash is a fast, sharp drop of 40% or more, often within a few days or weeks. This happens because of external shocks: major regulation, a hack at a well-known exchange, economic panic, or the collapse of a major player in the market.

The Bitcoin halving

If there is one pattern beginners should know, it is the Bitcoin halving.

Every four years, the reward for miners, the people who keep the Bitcoin network running, is cut in half. That means that suddenly, only half as much new Bitcoin enters the market each day. Less supply with stable or growing demand: the price rises. The months before a halving are also interesting: anticipation pushes buyers into the market early.

Important note: past returns are no guarantee for the future. The halving pattern is a historical observation, not a guaranteed recipe.

Below, you can view the historical bitcoin price yourself.

Pay attention to sentiment

Quote for your crypto scrapbook: “Buy when others are fearful, and sell when others are greedy.”

This is a translation of a quote by Warren Buffett, a well-known investor. In other words? Do exactly the opposite of the market, and you will make a profit! But be careful, this too sounds easier than it is.

You probably recognise it. When crypto prices go through the roof, suddenly everyone is talking about digital currencies. Your neighbour, the barber around the corner, and your old friends from high school. That is actually a moment to think about selling.

And the other way around? When prices fall, journalists and politicians completely tear crypto apart: “Bitcoin is dead.” At the same time, your friends laugh at you because you are still trading crypto. That is exactly a good moment to buy.

Fear or greed?

It is difficult to determine for yourself which phase we are currently in. The “Fear and Greed Index” can help you make an estimate.

0 stands for extreme fear, and 100 for extreme greed. The index number is based on several factors. Think of price volatility, trading volume, and market sentiment. This index number is updated every day.

How do you read it?

Extreme fear means that investors are worried or fearful. If you move against the market, that can actually be a good buying opportunity.

Extreme greed is a sign of too much euphoria. Turn it around? Then this can be a sign to sell.

Together with the price chart, this index number can therefore be a useful tool to determine whether you should buy or sell now.

Macroeconomics: the world outside crypto influences the price

Crypto does not exist separately from the rest of the world. This is rarely explained to beginners, but it is truly relevant.

The American central bank, the FED
When the FED lowers interest rates, borrowing becomes cheaper and investors often look for higher returns in risky assets, such as crypto. Historically, Bitcoin has risen alongside interest rate cuts. Conversely: interest rate hikes draw capital away toward safer alternatives such as savings and bonds.

Inflation
With high inflation, some investors position Bitcoin as “digital gold”: a scarce asset that, unlike ordinary euros or dollars, cannot simply be printed. That can increase demand.

The strength of the dollar, also called the DXY
A weak US dollar has historically correlated with rising Bitcoin prices. A strong dollar often pushes risky assets down.

What do you do with this as a beginner? You do not have to become an economist. But it helps to know: if the FED is going to lower interest rates, or if the dollar weakens, those have historically been favourable signals for crypto. Combine this with the market phase and the Fear & Greed Index and make your own assessment.

Bitcoin leads, altcoins follow

Not all cryptos move at the same time. There is a recognisable pattern in how a bull market unfolds:

Step 1: Bitcoin rises first
A new bull run almost always starts with Bitcoin. Large capital and institutional investors move into Bitcoin first. You can see this reflected in Bitcoin dominance, which is the percentage of the total crypto market represented by Bitcoin. In the early phase of a bull market, this percentage rises.

Step 2: Ethereum follows
Once Bitcoin stabilises at higher levels, capital flows through to Ethereum. In bull markets, Ethereum sometimes rises faster than Bitcoin, because it has a large ecosystem of apps and applications.

Step 3: Altcoins rise sharply
In the late phase of a bull market, smaller altcoins rise the hardest, sometimes by hundreds of percent in a short time. But they also fall the fastest and deepest once sentiment turns.

What does this mean for you? Many investors start with Bitcoin or Ethereum because of their relatively greater familiarity and liquidity, but this is not a recommendation. Are you also considering altcoins? Then check whether Bitcoin dominance is falling while the market is rising. That is a signal that capital is rotating into altcoins.

Zoom out

Zooming out: one of the pieces of wisdom when it comes to investing in crypto. And yet most people do not act on it, simply because emotion takes over.

It is tempting to check prices every hour. But by doing that, you lose sight of the bigger picture. Pull up the yearly chart and see whether you can spot bottoms and tops. The further you zoom out, the clearer the pattern becomes.

Many investors use the historical price chart to place the current price in context, whether it is relatively high or low compared with earlier periods. What you then do with that information depends on your own strategy and risk appetite.

And be patient. Crypto moves 24/7, which creates the illusion that you constantly have to trade. In reality, patience is one of the most powerful tools. After a purchase, calmly take your time, weeks, sometimes months, before taking your next step.

The danger of waiting forever

Many beginners wait for “the perfect entry moment.” The result? They never get in, or only when the price has already risen sharply.

This is also called analysis paralysis: the amount of information and the fear of making the wrong decision lead to no decision at all.

Behavioural economic research shows that people experience a loss of €100 as twice as painful as a gain of €100 feels pleasant. As a result, investors sell too early after a small profit, and hold on too long when they are at a loss. Being aware of this helps you make better choices.

A calculation example: Suppose you had invested €100 in Bitcoin every month 12 months ago, simply automatically, without looking at the price. Then you would now have bought €1,200 worth of Bitcoin at an average price that smooths out both peaks and dips. No stress about timing, no following the news, no doubts.

That is exactly the power of the strategy below.

When to sell crypto? The exit strategy

In addition to the question of when buying crypto can be interesting, many investors wonder when the right moment is to sell. Determining a selling moment depends on personal goals, the risk you are willing to take, and your own investment strategy.

Some investors choose to set a price target in advance. When a cryptocurrency reaches a certain value, you decide to sell part or all of your position. Others base their decision on changes within a project, market conditions, or their own financial situation.

Because the crypto market can fluctuate strongly, it is difficult to determine the perfect selling moment. Prices can both rise and fall, and past results are no guarantee for the future. That is why some investors choose to gradually reduce their position, while others hold on to their investment for the long term.

It is important to remember that investing in crypto involves risks. The value of cryptocurrencies can fluctuate strongly and it is possible to lose part or all of your investment. Always do your own research and make decisions that suit your personal situation.

DCA: buy periodically, regardless of the price

Do you not know when to get in? Then consider Dollar Cost Averaging, DCA: you buy a fixed amount at a fixed time, for example €50 or €100 every month, regardless of the price.

Benefits:

You automatically get an average entry price
You do not have to find the perfect moment
Your portfolio is less sensitive to extreme peaks and drops
Easy to maintain, also for beginners

Points to keep in mind: DCA only works well over the long term. You must be willing to leave your coins untouched for several years. In crypto language: HODL.

DCA is not a guarantee of profit, but for many beginners it is the most manageable way to start without too much stress about timing.

Only invest what you can afford to lose

Please note: investing in crypto involves risks. Prices are highly volatile and you can lose your entire investment. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment or tax advice. BLOX B.V. has a licence from the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets, AFM, as a provider of crypto-asset services, MiCAR licence.