Updated October 10, 2025

Summary:  Buying coins at or near an all-time-high (ATH) can actually be a good strategy because it signals strong market momentum. Assets making new highs often continue to outperform as rising prices attract more buyers. This creates a feedback loop—higher prices bring in more demand, pushing prices even higher. While it won’t last forever, buying during strong momentum phases can be profitable in the near term.

 

Is buying coins at an All-Time-High (ATH) a good idea?

We all want the best price possible, and buying near an all-time-high (ATH) doesn’t feel like we are getting the best price.

Most investors fret when coins hit new highs, but should they?

No.

It turns out, buying coins at or near their ATH is a pretty damn good strategy. Hitting ATH is a bullish indicator, at least in the near term.

Coins that are outperforming have a tendency to continue to outperform. All-time-highs tend to follow other all-time-highs.

This is how markets work. When more dollars are trying to get into an asset than are trying to get out, prices rise. And if this behavior continues, prices will continue to rise.

This is why all-time-highs tend to follow all-time highs. Higher prices attract more buyers which attracts higher prices, etc.

Of course, this won’t last forever, but it can go on longer than you think. This is why there is nothing wrong with striking while the iron is hot.

It’s a classic momentum strategy.

(read more on ATH-based strategies on Investopedia).

Check out BNB.

Buying at ATH would have consistently generated profits. There are pullbacks, certainly, but price eventually made new ATHs again.

BNB price is up 60% since making a new ATH in late July.  But even buying at subsequent new ATHs would have generated profits.

How to find ATH on altFINS?

altFINS’ Screener can help you use all-time-high (ATH) indicator to identify and alert you of such trading opportunities.

We have seven different ways of using our ATH indicator to identify trading ideas in our Pre-set Filters menu:

Source: altFINS

1. Coins with recent ATH (see live results)
2. Coins within 5% of ATH (see live results)
3. Coin within 5% of ATH and had a recent bullish MACD crossover (see live results)
4. Coins within 5% of ATH and had a recent bullish inflection in MACD Histogram (see live results)
5. Coins that had a recent ATH, pulled back but MACD is starting to inflect bullish (see live results)
6. Coins within 5% of ATH but are not extremely overbought (see live results)
7. Coins that had a recent ATH, still within 10% of ATH, and are not extremely overbought (see live results)

FAQs:

1. Is it risky to buy at an all-time-high?
Yes, there’s always risk, but ATHs often indicate strong momentum rather than the top. Timing corrections is harder than riding trends.

2. Why do prices often keep rising after an ATH?
Because demand usually increases when assets show strength—momentum attracts more buyers, pushing prices higher.

3. Should I wait for a dip instead?
Not necessarily. Dips don’t always come, and waiting can mean missing gains. A better approach is to scale in gradually or use stop-losses.

4. What is All-Time-High (ATH)?

ATH refers to the highest price ever reached by an asset.