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Crypto Crash Simulator

Could your portfolio survive a crash? Stress test your allocation against real historical events — Mt. Gox, 2018 crypto winter, COVID, LUNA/FTX, and more.

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Stress Test Settings

Crash Impact: LUNA/UST + FTX Collapse (2022)

The LUNA/UST death spiral in May was followed by FTX's fraud-induced collapse in November. Bitcoin fell from $69,000 to $15,500.

Your portfolio would drop to

$3.28K

-67.2% loss
-$6.72K
AssetBeforeDropAfter
Bitcoin$4.00K-77%$920
ETH + Alts$4.00K-90%$400
Stablecoins$2.00K-2%$1.96K
Total$10.00K-67.2%$3.28K

Historical recovery time

After LUNA/UST + FTX Collapse, it took approximately 24 months for Bitcoin to reach a new all-time high. Many altcoins never recovered.

How to survive a crash:

  • Keep stablecoins as "dry powder" to buy the dip
  • Never invest more than you can afford to lose entirely
  • Use self-custody wallets — exchanges can freeze withdrawals
  • Avoid panic selling — historically, patience has been rewarded
  • Keep an emergency fund in fiat outside of crypto

Your 20% stablecoin allocation would have preserved $1.96K through the crash — money you could have used to buy discounted BTC and alts during the recovery.

Limitations

  • Historical crashes may not reflect future scenarios — new risks can emerge
  • Altcoin drops are modeled as an average — individual coins vary wildly
  • Recovery times are for Bitcoin reaching new ATH — your portfolio may recover differently
  • Does not model cascading effects like exchange failures or forced liquidations
  • Not financial advice — for educational stress-testing only

This tool provides educational information only. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Always consult qualified professionals for decisions about your specific situation. Results are based on general patterns and may not reflect your circumstances.

Why Crash Stress Testing Matters

Every crypto investor will experience a major drawdown. Bitcoin has seen 50-85% drops in every market cycle since its creation. The question isn't if a crash will happen, but when and how prepared you are. Stress testing your portfolio helps you:

  • Understand your actual risk exposure before a crash happens
  • Make allocation changes while you're thinking clearly
  • Build conviction so you don't panic sell at the bottom
  • Identify how stablecoins and diversification reduce your downside

Lessons from Past Crypto Crashes

The biggest lesson from crypto's five major crashes is that patience has historically been rewarded — but only for those holding quality assets. Bitcoin and Ethereum have recovered from every crash to reach new all-time highs. However, the vast majority of altcoins from 2017-2018 never recovered. This is why most allocation frameworks recommend BTC and ETH as core holdings.

Self-Custody During Crashes

During the FTX collapse, customers with assets on the exchange lost access to their funds. Self-custody with a hardware wallet ensures you maintain control of your crypto regardless of what happens to exchanges. Our wallet setup builder can help you find the right solution.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How does the crypto crash simulator work?+
The simulator applies historical crash percentages to your current portfolio allocation. Bitcoin, altcoins, and stablecoins are modeled separately since they drop by different amounts during crashes. The results show your portfolio value after the crash and the historical recovery time.
How much has Bitcoin dropped in past crashes?+
Bitcoin has experienced five major crashes with drops of 50-85%: Mt. Gox collapse (2014, -85%), 2018 crypto winter (-84%), COVID crash (2020, -53%), China ban (2021, -55%), and LUNA/FTX (2022, -77%). Altcoins typically drop even more.
How can I protect my portfolio from crashes?+
Key strategies include: holding stablecoins as 'dry powder' for buying dips, using self-custody wallets (exchanges can freeze during crises), only investing what you can afford to lose, and maintaining a diversified allocation with BTC/ETH as core holdings.
Do stablecoins hold their value during crashes?+
Major stablecoins like USDC and USDT have largely maintained their peg during crypto crashes, though brief minor depegs have occurred. However, algorithmic stablecoins like UST (LUNA) lost their peg entirely. Stick to fully-backed stablecoins for crash protection.

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