Chainlink DCA calculator
$100 a week into Chainlink for the last three years turned $15,700 into $14,633, a -6.8% return. Change any input to test your own plan.
Daily closes from Jan 16, 2019 to Oct 19, 2026. Buys execute at the day's close. Fees are not included.
A lump sum on day one would have finished $11,550 ahead of DCA over this period. DCA traded some upside for a smoother ride: its worst drawdown was 63.2%.
What common Chainlink DCA schedules returned
Each row replays the schedule against real daily closes, ending Oct 19, 2026.
| Schedule | Started | Invested | Value today | Return | Avg cost | Worst drawdown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10 a day for 1 year | Oct 19, 2025 | $3,660 | $4,333 | +18.4% | $10.29 | -27.1% |
| $100 a week for 1 year | Oct 19, 2025 | $5,300 | $6,253 | +18.0% | $10.32 | -29.0% |
| $100 a week for 3 years | Oct 19, 2023 | $15,700 | $14,633 | -6.8% | $13.07 | -63.2% |
| $100 a week for 5 years | Oct 19, 2021 | $26,100 | $29,868 | +14.4% | $10.64 | -68.0% |
| $500 a month for 3 years | Oct 19, 2023 | $18,500 | $17,429 | -5.8% | $12.93 | -64.2% |
| $500 a month since the data starts | Jan 16, 2019 | $47,000 | $130,679 | +178.0% | $4.38 | -88.6% |
Reading the Chainlink numbers
The three-year weekly schedule made 157 purchases and accumulated 1201.2986 LINK. The average cost of $13.07 sits above today's price of $12.18, so the position is underwater by $1,067.
Along the way the portfolio fell 63.2% from its peak at the worst point. That is the number to sit with before committing to a plan: if a drop that size would make you stop buying, the schedule is too aggressive.
Starting date changes everything
The table above shows the same LINK at different start dates. Returns swing widely because a schedule that begins near a market top spends its first year buying into a decline, while one that starts in a trough compounds from a low base. Use the date pickers to test a start you actually have in mind.
Frequently asked questions
- Is now a good time to DCA into Chainlink?
- Nobody knows. What the data shows is that over the last three years a $100 weekly buy of LINK returned -6.8% with a worst drawdown of 63.2%. 4 of the 6 schedules tested here are in profit today.
- How much LINK would $100 a week have bought?
- Over three years, 157 purchases accumulated 1201.2986 LINK at an average cost of $13.07 per coin, against a current price of $12.18.
- Did DCA beat a lump sum in Chainlink?
- Over the last three years, no. A lump sum on day one would be worth $26,183 against $14,633 for weekly buys. DCA gave up some return for a smaller worst drawdown.
- Where does the price data come from?
- Daily closing prices for LINK/USDT from Binance, from Jan 16, 2019 to Oct 19, 2026, refreshed weekly.