“Buy the dip” is a phrase often heard in the world of investment and trading, and it’s particularly popular among those active in the crypto market. Let’s take yesterday, Monday, 5 July, as an example: a sort of “Black Monday”. Anyone who didn’t feel queasy witnessing a BTC drop of over 18% must have heard the siren’s call. Dear Odysseus, shall we admit it? Buy the dip, Buy the dip, Buy the dip. This melody has echoed in the ears of those accustomed to the market’s slaps or who have nerves of steel.
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The last time we saw such a drop was two years ago. And in every crash, there are two faces: one of catastrophe and one of great opportunity. But, of course, not all dynamics can be under our control. Solid risk management is needed, as well as building diversified strategies over time to avoid being too exposed to the market. No one wants to be caught in a snowstorm in their underwear, even if we feel like superheroes (and no, don’t do it; it’s a mistake).
After all this preamble, the question is: what exactly is “Buy the dip”? Is it always worth following this “mantra“, or is it better sometimes to be more cautious? In this article, we will try to answer these questions, hoping to give you an extra sword and shield for the next battle. Our wish is that you may emerge victorious.
What does “Buy the Dip” mean?
The literal translation of “Buy the dip” is “buy the drop”. This trading practice involves purchasing an asset after its price has decreased, hoping this dip is temporary and the price will rise again soon. The idea is that the drop represents a buying opportunity at a discounted price, waiting for the market to rebound.
Advantages
- Profit opportunities: Buying during a dip can be very profitable if the market rebounds and prices rise.
- Average cost reduction: By adding positions during dips, an investor can lower the average purchase cost of an asset, improving the potential return.
- Access to discounted prices: Buying assets during a dip offers the chance to acquire them at prices that could be considered discounted relative to their long-term value.
Limitations and Risks
Despite the potential advantages, Buy the Dip also presents significant risks:
- No guarantee of rebound: An asset could continue to fall for various reasons, such as changes in economic fundamentals or company management. For example, a crypto that falls from $100 to $60 might seem a bargain, but if the project’s growth prospects are negative, it could drop even further.
- Difficulty assessing intrinsic value: It’s often hard to tell if a dip is temporary or a sign of further declines. Buying just because the price has fallen isn’t always a good idea if the reasons for the drop aren’t understood. One must ask: Is the drop due to internal issues or external factors? Is it a temporary situation? Is the project resilient? How long will the price correction last?
- Averaging down: If an investor already holds the asset and continues to buy during dips, they are adopting an “averaging down” strategy, which can be risky if the asset continues to lose value. This strategy, if not managed correctly, can lead to significant losses.
Risk management
When adopting Buy the Dip, we need a plan B—an escape route—something to avoid a fatal hemorrhage. What is it? Having a risk management plan. For example, setting a loss limit to avoid being trapped in a prolonged losing position. Some traders set an exit price to control losses. Suppose a crypto falls from $100 to $60, and the trader decides to sell if the price reaches $75 to limit losses.
Context
Buy the dip is often used in different contexts and can have varying probabilities of success depending on the situation.
- During an uptrend: Some traders use this strategy when the market is generally rising. Imagine a crypto increasing in value but experiencing a slight drop at some point. Traders who believe in the strength of this uptrend see this dip as an opportunity to buy at a lower price, expecting the price to rise again soon. It’s like taking advantage of sales during a period of high demand.
- Without a clear trend: Other traders use Buy the Dip even when there’s no evident uptrend. Here, the bet is that the asset’s current decline will increase. This can happen because they believe in the asset’s fundamentals or the project’s potential behind the crypto. It’s like buying a product at a flea market, hoping its value will increase over time, perhaps due to an improvement, a forthcoming novelty, or because the asset is currently undervalued.
“Buy the Dip” in the crypto market
Buy the Dip is a popular mantra in the crypto market, often promoted by influential traders and investors. However, it is important to remember that the cryptocurrency market is highly volatile, and dips can be significant and prolonged. Nevertheless, this strategy has proven successful when buying the most solid assets in the crypto market, particularly Bitcoin and Ethereum. For this reason, every time these cryptocurrencies drop, the mantra “buy the f****** dip” (BTFD) echoes across social media platforms used by enthusiasts in the sector.
It’s no coincidence that from 4 July, as BTC fell below $60,000 for the second time in four months, posts, tweets, and quotes on “Buy the dip” mushroomed on Reddit, X, 4chan, and Bitcoin Talk.
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Examples of “Buy the Dip”
A well-known example is the 2007-08 financial crisis, where many investors bought shares in companies like Bear Stearns and New Century Mortgage, expecting a recovery that never came. Both companies left the business after losing a significant share of their value. In contrast, those who bought Apple shares after the 2020 crash saw a significant increase in value, making the strategy highly profitable.
The opposite: “Sell the Rally”
The opposite approach to “Buy the Dip” is “Sell the rally”, which involves selling an asset whose price has increased, anticipating an imminent dip. Again, the goal is to maximise profits, but it carries similar risks, such as the possibility of selling too early or too late.
To conclude
“Buy the dip” can be a winning strategy in volatile markets and during long-term uptrends. However, it requires good market knowledge and well-thought-out risk management. It is not a foolproof technique and should not be adopted without a critical assessment of the circumstances and one’s risk profile.
Homework: To avoid being overwhelmed by FOMO, it is useful to remember the opposite mantra. Try repeating: “Time in the market beats timing the market”. This can help you keep a cool head and make more rational decisions.
