HODL
HODL is an informal strategy and cultural expression for long-term Bitcoin holding, originally a typo of 'hold' in a 2013 forum post.
HODL is one of Bitcoin's cultural cornerstones. Origin: December 2013, a drunken bitcointalk poster wrote 'I AM HODLING' in a market panic topic. The typo became a mantra: don't sell during volatility. The retro-acronym 'Hold On for Dear Life' came later. Strategically: those who held BTC continuously since 2013 have seen the most returns of any global asset class.
Example
A HODLer buys €5,000 BTC in 2018 at €4,000/BTC. Holds through bear markets (2018, 2022), halvings and hypes. In 2026: same BTC worth €100,000+. Reason: no selling on dips.
Frequently asked questions
Is HODL a good strategy?
Historically yes, for Bitcoin specifically. For other assets (altcoins, stocks) it varies. Works through time-in-market and Bitcoin's long-term stock-to-flow dynamic.
Related terms
Further reading
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