Stop Trying to Time the Market: A Smarter Way to Invest Through Ups and Downs
Updated: 4 May 2026
Written byAlevin K Chan
Freelance Contributor
If you’ve ever tried investing on your own, you’ll know this feeling all too well. The market starts dropping and you hesitate. Should you buy now, or wait? Then when prices start climbing again, you jump in—only to encounter another downtrend, sticking you with a higher entry price.
The reality is that timing the market consistently is incredibly difficult. Even experienced investors can get it wrong. (And no amount of charts and technical indicators will guarantee your success).
So what’s a better approach? How about this: Instead of trying to predict every move, try using a system that automatically adjusts as the market changes directions.
Why buying the dip is easier said than done
You’ll often hear that market dips are great buying opportunities. And on paper, that makes perfect sense. When prices fall, you’re essentially getting the same assets at a discount, which can improve your long-term returns.
But in real life, it doesn’t feel that simple. When markets are falling, uncertainty rises. There’s always the fear that prices might drop even further, which makes it hard to commit. As a result, many investors hold back during downturns.
Then when markets recover, confidence returns. But by that point, prices have already moved up, and investors end up buying at higher levels instead. This emotional cycle – fear when prices are low, confidence when prices are high – is one of the biggest reasons people struggle with investing.
The limitation of traditional regular investing plans
To avoid emotional decision-making, many people turn to Regular Savings Plans, or RSPs. The idea is simple: you invest a fixed amount at regular intervals, regardless of what the market is doing. Over time, this helps smooth out price fluctuations and builds consistency.
This approach is helpful because it removes the need to constantly decide when to invest. However, it also comes with a limitation that’s easy to overlook. Because your investment amount stays the same every month, you end up putting in equal amounts whether the market is expensive or cheap.
While this creates discipline, it doesn’t actively respond to market conditions. An RSP may keep things steady, but it doesn’t necessarily make your money work as efficiently as it could during different phases of the market.
A more responsive way to invest with Dynamic RSP
This is where Webull introduces something different.
Dynamic RSP is a smart, automated investment plan that adjusts how much you invest based on market conditions. Instead of sticking to a fixed monthly amount, the plan automatically increases your investment when markets dip and scales it back when markets are higher.
What this means in practice is that more of your money goes into the market when prices are relatively lower, and less goes in when prices are higher. It’s essentially a built-in way of following a principle many investors aim for – buy more when prices are attractive, and less when they’re not.
With Webull Dynamic RSP this happens automatically. You just have to set your frequency, moving average and the date of your investments. You’ll also need to choose your Payment Method (eDDA or Webull Buying Power) and Investment Amount.
Once everything is properly set up, you don’t need to monitor the market daily or make judgement calls under pressure. The system does the adjusting for you, helping you stay disciplined without stress.
Webull is currently the first and only brokerage in Singapore offering Dynamic RSP, making it a unique option for investors who want a more adaptive long-term strategy.
Dynamic RSP vs traditional RSP
|
Traditional RSP (DCA) |
Dynamic RSP (DVA-powered) |
|
|
Investment amount |
Fixed |
Variable |
|
Strategy basis |
Time-based |
Value-based |
|
Response to market changes |
None |
Invest more during dips, less when markets are high |
|
Effort |
Low |
Low (fully automated) |
In essence, Dynamic RSP allows investors to:
-
Capture more value in market dips
-
Avoid over-investing at market highs
-
Stay disciplined while remaining flexible
-
Reduce emotional decision-making
-
Save time with a fully automated investing strategy
Start a Webull account today
Dynamic RSP in action
To make this more concrete, let’s walk through a simple example.
Imagine you plan to invest S$1,000 every month into the S&P 500 – an index that tracks the top performing 500 companies listed in the US.
With a traditional RSP plan, you would consistently invest US$1,000 each month, regardless of whether the market is rising or falling. By the end of the year, you would have invested US$12,000, spread evenly across all market conditions.
With Dynamic RSP, the total amount you invest over the year will still be similar, but how it’s allocated changes depending on market movements.
In months where the market dips, your investment amount can increase above S$1,000, allowing you to accumulate more shares at lower prices. During periods when prices are higher, your investment amount can be reduced, helping you avoid over-committing when prices are unfavourable.
Over time, this creates a more efficient average entry price because a larger portion of your capital is deployed when prices are better. Instead of reacting emotionally to market swings, your strategy quietly adjusts in the background.
In fact, volatility becomes an asset, as market movements trigger Dynamic RSP to help you deploy your capital even more efficiently.
Your actual investment amount will be the investment amount (multiplied by) a preset multiplier level – see the screenshots below for reference.
The multiplier is:
-
above 100% (up to 200%) when the price is lower than historical levels
-
below 100% (up to 50%) when the price is higher than historical levels
For example, if your benchmark is 5% lower than the moving average, your investment will be multiplied by 140%. If your benchmark is 5% higher than the moving average, your investment will be multiplied by 80%.
Why this makes investing easier to stick with
One of the hardest parts of investing isn’t understanding what to do, it’s sticking with it over time. Here’s the rub: It’s normal for the market to fluctuate day by day, but even small market movements can make even simple strategies feel uncertain, leading people to pause, second-guess, or stop altogether.
This hits especially hard if you have a low-risk appetite; even those with higher risk tolerance may find a black swan event too much to bear.
Dynamic RSP helps remove much of that friction by combining automation with responsiveness. You’re still investing regularly, but with a system that adapts to changing conditions. This reduces the need to constantly check the market or make on-the-spot decisions.
As a result, investing becomes less about reacting and more about staying consistent. And over the long run, consistency is often what makes the biggest difference.
Start small and build from there
Getting started doesn’t have to feel like a big leap. With Webull, you can begin a Dynamic RSP from as low as S$20 via eDDA – that’s less than the cost of a night out! This makes Dynamic RSP accessible whether you’re completely new to investing or looking to gradually build up your portfolio.
Starting small also gives you room to grow your investment over time. Instead of waiting until you have a large amount to commit, you can begin now and adjust as your confidence and budget increase.
Here’s how to get started with Dynamic RSP
<please provide clearer screenshots as images>
1. Choose what to invest in
Find a stock or ETF you’d like to invest in. Go to the product details page and tap “Recurring Investment.”
2. Set your investment plan
Enter your investment amount (min. S$20) and investment frequency (weekly, bi-weekly or monthly)
3. Enable Dynamic RSP
Select “Dynamic Amount”, then:
-
Choose the benchmark you want to track
-
Select the moving average period (e.g. 120-day, 250-day, 300-day)
4. Choose the right benchmark
For stocks, track the stock’s historical price or a relevant index.
For ETFs, track the index the ETF follows, or a broader market index. Webull currently supports selected indices, including the S&P 500, DJI, and NASDAQ.
5. Stay informed and in control
Receive a push notification one day before each investment. Easily modify or cancel your plan anytime.
Get started with Webull today
If you’ve been waiting for the “right time” to start investing, this might be a better way to begin. With Webull Dynamic RSP, any moment is the right time to start investing, as you’ll be going in with a strategy that adapts as the market moves.
As an added bonus, new users can enjoy up to S$1,888* when they open an account today. It’s a straightforward way to take that first step – without needing to constantly watch the market or worry about getting the timing just right.
Start a Webull account today
*T&C apply. All investments involve risks and are not suitable for every investor. This advertisement has not been reviewed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
About the author
Alevin K Chan
Alevin loves helping people make good money decisions. He briefly flirted with being a Financial Advisor, but quickly realised writing about personal finance is the better way to go.