Definition

ATL (All-Time Low) is the lowest price that an asset has ever fallen to throughout its entire existence.

ATL in Cryptocurrency Context

For major cryptocurrencies, ATL usually occurs at the very beginning of trading:

  • Bitcoin: $0.0008 (2010)
  • Ethereum: $0.42 (2015)
  • Solana: $0.50 (2020)

Why ATL Matters

  1. Reference point — shows growth potential
  2. Historical context — even at bear market "bottoms," prices are above ATL
  3. Relative valuation — helps understand how much an asset has grown

ATL vs Local Bottom

It's important to distinguish:

  • ATL — historical minimum for all time
  • Local bottom — minimum within the current cycle

For example, Bitcoin's local bottom in 2022 (~$15,500) was far from ATL, but became a reversal point.

Best Time to Buy?

In practice:

  • Buying at ATL is nearly impossible — it's only known in hindsight
  • Local bottoms are also hard to predict — markets are unpredictable
  • DCA solves the problem — you buy regularly and don't guess

Tip

Instead of trying to catch the bottom, stick to a DCA strategy — you'll automatically buy more when prices are low.