HODL, an acronym for "hold on for dear life", has become a popular term in the cryptocurrency industry due to its origin story. The term gained prominence in 2013 when the Bitcoin market experienced significant volatility, leaving investors hesitant and unsure whether to sell or retain their Bitcoin holdings. 

The term emerged when a Bitcointalk forum poster inadvertently misspelled the word "hold" as "hodl". Since then, the term has taken on a distinct meaning of its own, referring to the practice of holding onto cryptocurrency even when the market is fluctuating or in decline. 

HODL has now become a mantra for many members of the cryptocurrency community, who advocate for the importance of maintaining one's investments and not succumbing to fear in the face of market turbulence.