HODL
Crypto slang for holding an asset through volatility instead of trading — born from a famous 2013 forum typo.
HODL is crypto slang for holding an asset through thick and thin rather than trading in and out. It began as a typo — a famous 2013 BitcoinTalk forum post titled “I AM HODLING”, written mid-crash — and the community adopted it permanently, later backronymed as “Hold On for Dear Life”.
Behind the meme is a real strategy: long-term holding avoids trading fees, taxes on every trade in many jurisdictions, and the well-documented tendency of retail traders to sell lows and buy highs. Its main cost is full exposure to drawdowns — which in crypto routinely exceed 70% — so position sizing still matters.