June 2026 · 5 min read
How to Calculate Crypto Profit and ROI (The Simple Formula)
Learn the exact formulas for crypto profit, ROI, and break-even — plus how cost basis and DCA affect your real returns.
Whether you bought Bitcoin at $20,000 or Ethereum at $1,500, knowing exactly how much you've made or lost requires a few straightforward calculations. This guide covers the formulas, the concepts, and a free tool that does it all instantly.
The Core Profit Formula
Profit is the simplest calculation in investing:
Profit / Loss = (Sell Price − Buy Price) × Quantity
If you bought 2 BTC at $30,000 and the price is now $65,000:
- Profit = ($65,000 − $30,000) × 2 = $70,000
If the price dropped to $25,000 instead:
- Loss = ($25,000 − $30,000) × 2 = −$10,000
Return on Investment (ROI)
ROI tells you how much you made relative to what you put in, expressed as a percentage:
ROI % = (Profit ÷ Amount Invested) × 100
Using the first example above:
- Amount invested = 2 × $30,000 = $60,000
- ROI = ($70,000 ÷ $60,000) × 100 = 116.7%
A positive ROI means you're ahead; a negative ROI means you're underwater.
Cost Basis and Why It Matters
Your cost basis is the total amount you paid for an asset, including any fees. If you paid $60,000 for 2 BTC plus a $60 exchange fee, your true cost basis is $60,060 — not $60,000. This shifts your break-even price slightly higher.
Cost basis becomes more complex when you buy in multiple tranches. If you bought 1 BTC at $40,000 and then another 1 BTC at $20,000, your average cost basis is $30,000 per BTC. This blended number is what you should use for your ROI calculation.
Dollar-Cost Averaging (DCA)
DCA means buying a fixed dollar amount at regular intervals rather than all at once. It lowers your average cost when prices drop and prevents you from perfectly timing the top — or the bottom.
Average cost for DCA:
Average Price = Total Spent ÷ Total Coins Acquired
Tracking DCA manually is tedious. A portfolio tracker like WalletLens logs every purchase separately and blends the average automatically.
Break-Even Price
Your break-even is the price at which your position is exactly at zero profit:
Break-even = Total Cost Basis ÷ Quantity
For a simple position with no fees, this is just your buy price. With fees, it's slightly higher.
Use the Free Calculator
If you'd rather skip the arithmetic, use the free crypto profit calculator — enter your quantity, buy price, and target price, and it shows your P&L, ROI, and break-even instantly. It works for any coin.
From Calculator to Live Tracker
The calculator is useful for quick "what if" scenarios. But once you have real holdings, you want your P&L updating automatically as prices move. WalletLens does this for free — add your position once, and your profit and loss updates in real time alongside everything else you own, with no account or sign-up required.
Summary
- Profit = (Sell − Buy) × Quantity
- ROI = (Profit ÷ Invested) × 100
- Break-even = Cost Basis ÷ Quantity
- DCA lowers average cost; always use your blended average, not just the most recent buy price
- Use the crypto profit calculator for instant results, or WalletLens for live tracking
Calculate crypto profit and track your portfolio free at walletlens.live.