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Crypto Loss Recovery Calculator

The math is brutal: a -50% loss needs +100% to break even. See exactly how much you need.

Loss Recovery Calculator

How much gain to recover your loss?

Which coin?Optional
My loss %-50%
🔥

It Burns

Can't tell anyone about this

To break even

+100.0%

needed

50% of capital remaining

Position needs to become 2.00x

📊Consecutive Gain ScenariosHow many in a row?
+3%
Small bounce
24 in a row
+5%
Mid recovery
15 in a row
+10%
Strong rally
8 in a row
+20%
Surge
4 in a row
+30%
Stock limit up
3 in a row

💡 Did you know?

  • •A -50% drop requires +100% to break even
  • •A -80% drop requires +400% to break even
  • •A -90% drop requires +900% to break even
  • •Recovery grows exponentially — the bigger the loss, the harder the climb

HODLing isn't always the answer 🙏

For informational purposes only. All investment decisions and losses are your own responsibility.

The Asymmetry of Losses

In crypto (and all investing), losses and gains are not symmetric. Losing 50% of your portfolio requires a 100% gain just to get back to where you started — not 50%.

This is because after a loss, your capital base shrinks. Each subsequent gain is calculated on a smaller number, making recovery harder the deeper the loss goes.

-10%+11.1%
-25%+33.3%
-50%+100%
-70%+233%
-80%+400%
-90%+900%

Frequently Asked Questions

If I'm down 50%, how much do I need to gain to break even?

You need exactly +100% to recover from a -50% loss. If you started with $1,000 and lost 50%, you have $500. To get back to $1,000, your $500 needs to double — that's a 100% gain.

Why does recovery require exponentially more than the loss percentage?

Because after a loss, your base is smaller. A -80% loss leaves you with 20% of your capital. To get back to 100%, that 20% needs to grow to 100% — which is a 5x (or 400%) gain. The math is asymmetric by design.

What is the formula for loss recovery?

Recovery % = (1 / (1 - Loss%/100) - 1) × 100. For example: Loss = 60%, Recovery = (1/0.40 - 1) × 100 = 150%.

How many consecutive gains do I need to recover?

The calculator shows how many back-to-back gains of +3%, +5%, +10%, +20%, or +30% you'd need. For a -90% loss, even thirty consecutive +30% days wouldn't fully recover it — which illustrates just how severe deep losses are.

For informational purposes only. Not investment advice. Crypto trading involves substantial risk of loss.