Dollar cost averaging with daily rewards: how APR can affect asset accumulation over time

Introduction

Dollar Cost Averaging (DCA) is a widely used way to build a position over time by investing a fixed amount at regular intervals. With Bybit EU, users can also earn daily rewards on top of DCA purchases through Bybit Earn Flexible Earn, either manually or automatically through Auto-Earn on DCA Bot. This article compares standard DCA with DCA combined with daily rewards to illustrate how Bybit´s APR offer can affect the amount of an asset accumulated over time.

What is DCA?

DCA means investing the same amount on a recurring basis. For example, instead of investing €4,800 into Bitcoin at once, an investor could allocate €100 per month for 48 months. Each purchase is made at the market price at that time. When BTC is cheaper, €100 buys more BTC; when it is more expensive, €100 buys less. Over time, this creates an average purchase price across multiple entry points.

DCA with daily rewards

With standard DCA, each purchase simply adds to your position. However, with the Flexible Rewards strategy, you choose to lock the assets accumulated through those purchases. Because your assets are locked, they earn an applicable APR on a daily basis. Since your earlier purchases may be locked for a longer period, they have more time to earn rewards, while later purchases have less. In practice, this means two investors can follow the exact same DCA schedule, invest the same amount, and buy at the same market prices—but the investor who locks their assets to earn daily rewards may finish with a larger total balance of the underlying asset.

Case study: €100 of Bitcoin per month for four years

To illustrate the effect, assume:

• €100 invested into BTC every month

• 48 monthly purchases

• September 2022 to August 2026

• €4,800 total contributed

• Historical BTC/EUR prices used for each purchase

• Hypothetical constant 1.2% APR

• Rewards accrued daily in BTC

• No compounding, fees, spreads or taxes included

Using historical BTC/EUR prices, the DCA-only strategy would have accumulated approximately 0.117732 BTC.If each BTC purchase had also earned a constant 1.2% APR from the date it was purchased, the same strategy would have accumulated approximately 0.121413 BTC.

*Based on a BTC/EUR price of €67,579 on 25 August 2026, sourced from CoinGecko.That is approximately 3.13% more BTC accumulated from the same contribution amount and the same purchase schedule. The difference does not come from better market timing. Both scenarios use the same historical BTC prices and the same monthly purchases. The difference is that in the scenario where the user subscribed to a Flexible Rewards strategy, BTC already accumulated through earlier purchases continues earning while future DCA purchases are still being made. This also explains why four years at 1.2% APR does not result in 4.8% more BTC. The full €4,800 was not invested for the entire four-year period; each monthly purchase only begins earning after it is made.Price data: Historical BTC/EUR prices are sourced from CoinGecko. Each DCA purchase uses the BTC/EUR price on the first day of the respective month, from 1 September 2022 through 1 August 2026. The ending portfolio value is calculated using the BTC/EUR price of €67,579 on 25 August 2026. CoinGecko historical dates are recorded in UTC.



The following case study and the data presented within it are provided as a hypothetical example for illustrative purposes only. The crypto-asset market is highly volatile, and past performance - including historical pricing and accumulated rewards - does not guarantee future results.

Key takeaway

DCA determines how the position is built over time. Daily rewards can increase how much of the asset is accumulated after each purchase. In this historical Bitcoin example, adding a hypothetical constant 1.2% APR increased the final BTC position by approximately 3.13% over four years. That does not remove market risk. Bitcoin can still rise or fall significantly, and earning additional BTC does not guarantee a profitable outcome.

Earn daily rewards on your DCA position with Bybit EU

With Bybit EU, there are two ways to combine DCA with Flexible Rewards:

1. Allocate assets to Flexible Earn manually

After purchasing crypto through your DCA strategy, you can move eligible assets into Flexible Earn to start earning daily rewards at the applicable APR.

View current APR rates and available tokens.



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1. Automate it with Auto-Earn on DCA Bot

Bybit EU’s DCA Bot automates your recurring purchases based on the assets, amount and schedule you choose. With Auto-Earn enabled, eligible assets purchased by the bot can automatically begin earning daily rewards through Flexible Earn after each purchase.



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Whether you manage your DCA strategy manually or automate it with DCA Bot, Flexible Rewards lets eligible assets you accumulate continue earning daily after they are purchased.



T&Cs apply. This content qualifies as a marketing communication under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) and is issued by Bybit EU GmbH. It does not constitute investment advice. Bybit Earn is not a regulated product under Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 (“MiCAR”). By subscribing, you transfer full legal and beneficial ownership of the crypto-assets to Bybit EU GmbH. While subscribed, your assets are no longer held in custody for you and may be used by Bybit EU for its own account. You retain only a contractual claim, without ownership or security rights, and MiCAR client asset protections do not apply.