How to Dollar-Cost Average BTC and ETH During a Bear Market? Gate Safe Long-Term Holding and Secure Storage Strategy Analysis

According to Gate market data, as of February 6, 2026, the price of Bitcoin is $64,210.2, significantly below recent highs. Ethereum’s price has also fallen back to around $1,894.28.

During a time of widespread market pessimism, a remark from crypto influencer Altcoin Daily reveals another kind of wisdom: “You make most of your money in a bear market. You just don’t realize it at the time.”

Market Pulse

The current crypto market is experiencing the pain of retreat from highs. Bitcoin’s price has changed by -11.04% in the past 24 hours, and Ethereum has also seen a significant decline. Behind this sharp volatility is a shift in market sentiment. Some analysts point out that the crypto derivatives market shows signs of further weakness.

Bitcoin’s market cap is currently $1.56T, still accounting for 56.80% of the total market, while Ethereum’s market cap stands at $253.2B, solidifying its position as the core of the ecosystem. The comparison of market share highlights the relative stability of mainstream assets during turbulent times.

Bear Market Revelation

Historical data shows that allocating BTC and ETH during multi-month pullbacks often leads to substantial gains in subsequent market cycles. The crypto market has formed recognizable cyclical patterns, traditionally divided into four phases: accumulation, uptrend, distribution, and downtrend.

The characteristics of a bear or downtrend phase include generally pessimistic market sentiment, continuous price declines, and shaken investor confidence. But it is precisely during these periods that long-term value investors see opportunities. The main goal during this stage should be capital preservation and steady returns, while accumulating chips for the next cycle.

Discipline in a Bear Market: From Psychology to Tools

Sticking to a dollar-cost averaging (DCA) plan in a bear market requires overcoming human weaknesses. When the market is bleak, continuing to buy according to plan demands strong conviction and discipline. The core value of DCA strategies is that they can reduce the impact of market volatility on investment decisions and diversify risk.

This approach performs especially well during transitional and choppy markets, helping investors avoid emotional timing decisions. However, mental preparedness alone is not enough; without tool support, maintaining discipline can be difficult. Many investors’ assets accumulated during bear markets may suffer losses due to a security breach or operational mistake, highlighting the importance of secure storage tools.

Gate Safe: Building a Secure Foundation for Long-Term Holding

Gate Safe is a multi-chain wallet based on Multi-Party Computation (MPC) technology, designed specifically for long-term asset management. Its core purpose is to address security and control issues in traditional asset management.

Comparison of Traditional Methods and Gate Safe

MPC technology splits the complete private key into three “key shares,” stored in distributed locations: user device, Gate servers, and third-party service providers. When signing transactions, these shares work together in a distributed, secure manner, without reconstructing the full private key.

Fourfold Defense: Comprehensive Protection for Long-Term Assets

For long-term holders, Gate Safe offers four mutually reinforcing layers of protection:

The first layer is a distributed security architecture. Through three-party distributed storage, even if one node is attacked, the attacker cannot assemble the complete key.

The second layer is pure user asset control. The platform and third parties only hold key shares and cannot independently move funds. All transactions must be initiated and authorized by the user.

The third layer is a delayed transaction mechanism. Any fund transfer initiated from the safe enters a 48-hour delay period. During this time, users can “freeze” the transfer, providing ample security buffer to identify and intercept abnormal operations.

The fourth layer is a global disaster recovery mechanism. The system supports cross-device recovery and multi-party collaboration recovery. Even in extreme cases such as device loss or platform service unavailability, users have multiple reliable paths to recover their assets.

Investment System in the Safe: Practical Guide

Combining Gate Safe with a bear market DCA strategy can create a systematic long-term holding plan.

First, establish a dedicated “DCA accumulation safe.” This safe is specifically for storing BTC and ETH accumulated through regular, fixed amounts. It is recommended to transfer a fixed amount monthly or biweekly into this safe to purchase target assets.

Second, set strict withdrawal rules. Implement the highest level of protection for this safe, stipulating that funds can only be withdrawn under certain conditions, such as holding for over a year or reaching a preset price target.

Third, utilize the delayed transaction mechanism as a cooling-off period. Even if assets need to be moved from the safe, the 48-hour delay provides time to reassess decisions.

Finally, perform regular backups and checks. Although Gate Safe’s architecture is already quite secure, it is still advisable to regularly verify backup status to ensure smooth recovery when needed.

Opening and Usage Guide

The process to activate Gate Safe is simple and straightforward. Currently, this feature is temporarily free for VIP3 and above users. Users can access the Safe opening portal via the “Assets” - “Overview” page in the Gate App (main account only).

Funding the safe is free, supporting transfers from Gate accounts or directly from on-chain addresses. When transferring funds from the safe to the Gate main account, the platform charges a 0.1% service fee per transaction, with a maximum of the equivalent of $100.

While the market debates whether Bitcoin can hold the $60,000 level, a DCA user with Gate Safe has quietly completed this month’s purchase plan. The Gate Safe interface on his phone shows the amount of BTC accumulated through regular deposits over the past 12 months, and the 48-hour delay setting allows him to stay calm even amid market volatility. His assets are securely stored in three-party key shares, with no single point of control over these digital assets. The more volatile the market, the more he feels reassured by this architecture — every Bitcoin and Ethereum accumulated during the bear market is silently preparing for the next cycle.