All-time high (ATH)
Also called: ATH · all time high · record high
Definition
An all-time high (ATH) is the highest price an asset has ever reached in its trading history, and the opposite, the lowest price ever, is called an all-time low (ATL).
How all-time high works
Data sites and exchanges show how far a coin is from its ATH, for example "down 65 percent from ATH". This gives context: a coin that has fallen far from its peak may still be in recovery, while a coin breaking a new ATH has no historic sellers waiting at higher prices.
ATH figures can differ between sources. One exchange may record a brief spike to a price that others never traded, and some sites use closing prices while others use intraday highs. Check which data you are looking at.
New all-time highs often attract attention and FOMO. Breaking an ATH can lead to further gains, but it can also mark a local top if buyers become exhausted. Distance from ATH is a description of the past, not a target, and a coin below its old high is not guaranteed to return there.
Example
Suppose a coin's ATH is 12 USDT and it now trades at 3 USDT, down 75 percent. Many beginners think it only needs to rise 75 percent to get back, but it actually needs to quadruple, a 300 percent gain, to reach 12 again. If it rose 75 percent from 3, it would only be at 5.25 USDT, still 56 percent below the ATH.
Common mistakes
- Buying a coin only because it is far below its ATH and assuming it must return.
- Miscalculating the recovery needed after a large percentage drop.
- Chasing a breakout to a new ATH with high leverage.
Learn and practise
FAQ
What does ATH mean in crypto?
ATH means all-time high, the highest price an asset has ever traded at.
What is ATL?
ATL means all-time low, the lowest price an asset has ever traded at.
Why do different sites show different ATHs?
They use different exchanges, price feeds and methods, such as intraday highs versus daily closes.