Does sitting underwater change how you hold Bitcoin?

[bhadz]

if you bought around 88k and finally got back there, would you still think “ok, I'm out” or would you probably just keep holding by then?

I am going to bias obviously and will say that I am not out and will continue to hold. Breaking even is normally seen to those who are tired for waiting. But, I've waited long enough to sell on the last bull run after experiencing the mistake that I've made in the past bull runs because I didn't sold during those times. So, I've seen people who bought at the peak and there's the same reaction from them that if the price goes back to their buying price, they're okay breaking even and will have an exit. In the end, if they are going to study the cycles they'll realize that bitcoin always breaks the former ATH that it has reached in the past.

[OcTradism]

I am going to bias obviously and will say that I am not out and will continue to hold. Breaking even is normally seen to those who are tired for waiting. But, I've waited long enough to sell on the last bull run after experiencing the mistake that I've made in the past bull runs because I didn't sold during those times. So, I've seen people who bought at the peak and there's the same reaction from them that if the price goes back to their buying price, they're okay breaking even and will have an exit. In the end, if they are going to study the cycles they'll realize that bitcoin always breaks the former ATH that it has reached in the past.

Panic sell in bull market drawdowns or bear market crashes are very common and easily to remember as well as explained by people but people sell their bitcoin for losses in another type of market situation.

Some people did not panic sell with drawdowns and even crashes but they sold coins when market recovering from bear market bottom area. They thought like the market already recovered very strongly and considerably from bottom area, it would have a retest. With such thinking, they sold their bitcoins, waited for considerable pull backs and retests which did not come. So eventually they sold bitcoins after many months of holding through hardest times but failed to hold it  a little bit more months for harvesting profit.

It's a big trap in Disbelief phase in the market.

https://priceactionninja.com/wall-street-cheat-sheet-the-psychology-of-market-cycles/

[Peanutswar]

That's the part of handling a proper risk management now if you getting trapped with the price of 88k you didn't anticipate this already in the bigger picture the bitcoin tries to survive the price at the top but apparently it does not last long so basically there is a huge support there to respect now still you have the bitcoin you bought at that time but you see is the price value of the bitcoin reason why you get down right now, now if you look forward in a long term basis there is still potential for the price re-visit that range but of course takes so long now another factor is.. if you see already a bigger opportunity to earn in other coins, investment and asset you will take the risk to sell your bitcoin and buy those so by this you have a fast recovery, or another lose. There is always a risk.

[Wind_FURY]

I am going to bias obviously and will say that I am not out and will continue to hold. Breaking even is normally seen to those who are tired for waiting. But, I've waited long enough to sell on the last bull run after experiencing the mistake that I've made in the past bull runs because I didn't sold during those times. So, I've seen people who bought at the peak and there's the same reaction from them that if the price goes back to their buying price, they're okay breaking even and will have an exit. In the end, if they are going to study the cycles they'll realize that bitcoin always breaks the former ATH that it has reached in the past.

Panic sell in bull market drawdowns or bear market crashes are very common and easily to remember as well as explained by people but people sell their bitcoin for losses in another type of market situation.

Some people did not panic sell with drawdowns and even crashes but they sold coins when market recovering from bear market bottom area. They thought like the market already recovered very strongly and considerably from bottom area, it would have a retest. With such thinking, they sold their bitcoins, waited for considerable pull backs and retests which did not come. So eventually they sold bitcoins after many months of holding through hardest times but failed to hold it  a little bit more months for harvesting profit.

It's a big trap in Disbelief phase in the market.

https://priceactionninja.com/wall-street-cheat-sheet-the-psychology-of-market-cycles/

It's Disbelief AND those people who want a DIP because they definitely missed a Golden Opportunity this early Bull Cycle.

Although, if the Federal Reserve does two more rate hikes, they MIGHT get what they want.

   ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[drangos]

I believe what matters is whether or not someone purchased Bitcoins with a strategy in mind or just because they had heard a rumour regarding the cryptocurrency. The price at which a stock enters trades can turn into a psychological barrier. But it's not always a wise choice to sell when the stock hits the break even point. The real question is. Does the initial purchasing need remain and is the money required for other purposes? Doing. Nothing when the market is down does not necessarily mean that a strategy is working well. And buying when it's down does not necessarily mean a mistake was made.

[AprilioMP]

[edited out]

if you bought around 88k and finally got back there, would you still think “ok, I'm out” or would you probably just keep holding by then?

The minimum holding period is 4 years. As long as it hasn’t reached 4 years yet—or is currently in its second year—fluctuations in the estimated price aren’t a serious issue for those who thoroughly understand how the market works, since holders aren’t trading but are instead trying to accumulate Bitcoin. Traders, on the other hand, might experience wavering confidence, and it’s understandable for those new to the market who don’t yet fully grasp how prices fluctuate from moment to moment to start panicking about whether to sell or continue holding.

[BlackBoss_]

It's Disbelief AND those people who want a DIP because they definitely missed a Golden Opportunity this early Bull Cycle.

Although, if the Federal Reserve does two more rate hikes, they MIGHT get what they want.

   ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Might or might not and if they are seriously with their investment, they will not bet with probability that their predicted entry price will be reached by Bitcoin. It together with belief that Bitcoin will rise more later, make new all time highs in a next market cycle, any price bargain along a bear market and even early phase of market recovery does not make any sense.

If they can buy bitcoin, they have bitcoin, then if they can hold bitcoin till a next market cycle, bull run will bring very good profit. Hesitate too much, bargain price with the market too much, be so confident with their price calculation and prediction will only cause them missing golden opportunities. Let's say, not a single opportunity, but many because a bear market lasts a long time enough for gradual accumulation with many entries.

[Marvelockg]

if you bought around 88k and finally got back there, would you still think “ok, I'm out” or would you probably just keep holding by then?

If you bought at $88k and did not buy again even when bitcoin price went down, then selling back at $88k later on after a long while will almost mean a loss because relative to the time you continued holding the asset, you are supposed to have been at a profit. There is always a start price for any real investor after which continuous accumulation still allows him to buy at a much cheaper rate .

sitting under water for so long naturally presents an opportunity to buy at a cheaper rate. and if you are waiting till you get back to the first price you  bought your bitcoin without buying at a cheaper rate, then you are still going to be at a disadvantage. making a single buy is not enough to guarantee a good returns on investment, you have to know how to also buy at a DIP.
 

[M47AK16]

I am going to bias obviously and will say that I am not out and will continue to hold. Breaking even is normally seen to those who are tired for waiting. But, I've waited long enough to sell on the last bull run after experiencing the mistake that I've made in the past bull runs because I didn't sold during those times. So, I've seen people who bought at the peak and there's the same reaction from them that if the price goes back to their buying price, they're okay breaking even and will have an exit. In the end, if they are going to study the cycles they'll realize that bitcoin always breaks the former ATH that it has reached in the past.

Panic sell in bull market drawdowns or bear market crashes are very common and easily to remember as well as explained by people but people sell their bitcoin for losses in another type of market situation.

Some people did not panic sell with drawdowns and even crashes but they sold coins when market recovering from bear market bottom area. They thought like the market already recovered very strongly and considerably from bottom area, it would have a retest. With such thinking, they sold their bitcoins, waited for considerable pull backs and retests which did not come. So eventually they sold bitcoins after many months of holding through hardest times but failed to hold it  a little bit more months for harvesting profit.

It's a big trap in Disbelief phase in the market.

To be fair there isn't really any one correct way to trade, but back in the day Bitcoin did drop a lot more before it started to go up, and that is what confused people. Normally, when we reach peak and then start to have a bear year, on that bear year we drop 70%+ and; in this bear year, we did not had that, and this has caused a lot of people to make mistakes.

Because they believed we would go towards 40k at the bottom, that should have been the bottom if we draw a parallel to old days. Because of this, whenever the price recovered, they sold and waited to buy again when the price dropped to 40k, which was expected. That did not happen and this confused a lot of people and because of that, a lot of people had to buy back a lot larger and higher than they wanted. Not really that complicated because historical patterns are there for a reason and mostly they are right, it was just this one time when it was not correct, unfortunately.

[Ever-young]

You mean if bitcoin fall from $88000 back to $84000 just as it fall even to $83000 now, or maybe it will fall more than that? I did not buy bitcoin to be panic and sell at a lower price. Even if bitcoin fall more and get to $70000 or below, I am not planning to sell. I know how bitcoin can be, so I know selling is a wrong decision right now. I will prefer to buy more bitcoin at a lower price instead.

What you said is true. That's why we always preach that one should know why they're buying before putting their money on Bitcoin. People who are shaked by short-term market swings are the ones that entered the market because they saw Bitcoin was pumping and decide to join the trend.

Bitcoin isn't a get-rich-quick asset, you have to have the long-term mindset strategy to not be disturbed by short-term market dips which will make you worry and sometimes sell below your entry point.

Your ideas about bitcoin are all correct and I must commend the knowledge that has been passed. But it seem like you’re both dividing away from the initial question the OP asked, or maybe there is a misunderstanding as the question might have lacked proper detailing.
The idea isn’t not about how you react to market dips but how you’ll react to a rise. i.e, if bitcoin should rise to 88k will you see it as an opportunity to sell out and be done with it or will you hold still?.

if you bought around 88k and finally got back there, would you still think “ok, I'm out” or would you probably just keep holding by then?

To answer your question, this is a longterm investment, so if there is a rise, then it is in my Favour. And the best way I’ll think of utilizing the opportunity is to keep holding. We’re literally talking about a rise in value, which is like to people at the verge of giving up, and more motivation to the strong holders.
If I never gave up during the dips, I see no reason the sell my holdings be of a rise.

[Hamza2424]

Some people did not panic sell with drawdowns and even crashes but they sold coins when market recovering from bear market bottom area. They thought like the market already recovered very strongly and considerably from bottom area, it would have a retest. With such thinking, they sold their bitcoins, waited for considerable pull backs and retests which did not come. So eventually they sold bitcoins after many months of holding through hardest times but failed to hold it  a little bit more months for harvesting profit.

It's a big trap in Disbelief phase in the market.

Yep, I have experienced this, haha. But gladly, I did not lose much because I did not book all of it, and that's why when we book or buy, we do that in parts. So if the market does not move according to our analysis, we are at least on the safer side. I call that a safety lock. But if the plan is to hold for the long term, like holding BTC for the long term, then we should never go for small sats that we can earn by doing this. Because even if we were able to successfully identify the retest and buy the dip again, how much could we even buy, and how much profit could we even make? This calculation is necessary because it's like a risk to reward ratio.

[Powerjumboo]

saw this today https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/10/07/bitcoin-s-recovery-stalls-just-short-of-rescuing-its-last-underwater-cohort and kinda liked the angle more than the price itself.

2025 buyers are apparently the only yearly BTC group still underwater, with an average cost around $88k. btc got close to that level and then dropped back below $84k.

and idk, it made me think... after sitting in red for that long, do you still see your entry price as the place to finally sell? some probably just want their money back and move on. but I guess others spend so long holding that by the time break-even comes, selling there doesn't even feel that important anymore 😄

kinda feels like being underwater for months can change the holder too, not just portfolio.

if you bought around 88k and finally got back there, would you still think “ok, I'm out” or would you probably just keep holding by then?

I never worry about Bitcoin investment, it's not just me, there are many others like me who are not worried about Bitcoin investment. They know that the price of Bitcoin will definitely increase, even though its price has been dumped a lot from its peak. Those who bought Bitcoin at $88,000 are never afraid, and even if the price of Bitcoin returns to $88,000, I think no one will sell at this price, they will definitely plan to hold it. My Bitcoin investment is done through the DCA method and as per the current price I am in profit, but despite being in profit I am not selling my Bitcoin, because if not needed I will not sell Bitcoin and I have arranged the funds separately according to my needs, from there I met my needs and made this decision because of Bitcoin.