Cryptocurrency Ethereum ETH/USD was launched in 2015 and has become the second most valuable in the crypto sector over time. Here’s a look at the history of Ethereum and how much an early investment is worth today.
What Happened: Ethereum was proposed via a white paper from co-founder Vitalik Buterin in 2014. Buterin launched the white paper with the goal of Ethereum adding scripting to make it easier for application development and to set up binding contracts.
Ethereum was officially launched on July 30, 2015. During its first calendar year, Ethereum traded between $0.42 and $1.39 with a starting price of around $0.74 according to SoFi. The first Ethereum transaction was carried out on Aug.7, 2015,according to Global Data.
One of the events that helped Ethereum gain momentum was its listing on cryptocurrency platform Coinbase GlobalInc. COIN in 2016. Ethereum became only the second-ever cryptocurrency, after Bitcoin BTC/USD, to be listed on the platform.
Over the years there have been several major events and updates to Ethereum including the fork of Ethereum 2.0 and Ethereum Classic ETC/USD.
Ethereum has maintained its position as one of the most valuable cryptocurrencies over the years, helped by the boom of non-fungible tokens in 2021. Many of the NFTs were built on the Ethereum blockchain. A record sale of a Beeple NFT created interest in NFTs and Ethereum.
While 2022 brought several bankruptcies of cryptocurrency companies and sent the price of Ethereum lower, it also was the year of another important event for Ethereum with the merge that happenedin September.
The Ethereum merge tookthe cryptocurrency from being a proof-of-work, such asBitcoin, to a proof-of-stake.
The latest update called the Shanghai updateis expected to be deployed on April 12, 2023. The update will do several things in the evolution to proof-of-stake including allowing validators to withdraw staked Ether.
Related Link: How To Buy Ethereum
Investing $1,000 in Ethereum: Now the second most valuable cryptocurrency with a market capitalization of $230 billion, Ethereum is one of the most followed and talked about cryptocurrencies.
An investment in the cryptocurrency the year it launched would have generated a strong return for investors.
While it was harder to invest in Ethereum prior to its inclusion on major cryptocurrency exchanges, investors were able to get the crypto after it launched.
Based on a starting price of $0.74, an investor could have purchased 1,351.35 ETH at the time of launch.
The $1,000 investment in Ethereum at launch would be worth $2,579,200.12 today based on a price of $1,908.61 at the time of writing.
At its all-time high of $4,815 set in November 2021, the $1,000 investment in Ethereum at the time of launch would have been worth $6,506,750.25.
Ethereum has traded between $896.11 and $3,173.45 over the last 52 weeks. There is no guarantee that the cryptocurrency will return to yearly or all-time highs.
While many missed out on investing in Ethereum in the early days, the exercise shows that sometimes investing a small amount in a high-conviction idea can have a huge payout in the future.
Read Next:EXCLUSIVE: Will Bitcoin, Dogecoin, Ethereum Or Solana Gain More In 2023? 39% Of Benzinga Followers Favor This Crypto
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FAQs
Ethereum, Then and Now
As of mid-April 2024, ETH trades at $3,157 per coin. That marks a roughly 10,000% increase in value. If you had invested $1,000 at $0.31 per coin, you'd have owned 3,225.81 ETH coins. At today's pricing, that would be worth $10,183,871.
How much money would I have if I invested in Ethereum? ›
Ethereum (ETH) Profit Calculator and ROI Calculator
Right now, the price of Ethereum (ETH) is $3,142.8, with a marketcap of $383,882,117,373. If you had invested $100 in Ethereum a week ago, the amount would have become $107.65 now.
How much is $1000 in Ethereum 5 years ago? ›
Five years later to press-time and the $1,000 would be worth $709,740.70. The returns may not be as impressive, like those in 2018, but it is still a whopping 70,974% gain. Even for the earliest of ETH investors, the cryptocurrency has unleashed a bonanza returning 21,971.12%.
How much is $500 dollars in Ethereum worth today? ›
How much was Ethereum at launch? ›
In August 2014, Ethereum launched its native token, ether, through an initial coin offering (ICO). Some 50 million ETHs were sold at a price of $0.31 per coin, raising over $16 million for the project.
Can you buy Ethereum with $1? ›
Invest in Ethereum (ETH) Instantly. bitFlyer is the simplest and safest way to buy Ethereum. Start investing with as little as $1.
How much will 1 Ethereum be worth in 2030? ›
By the end of 2030, the predicted Ethereum price could soar to a peak of $26,575.21. The current price of 1 Ethereum is $ 3,054.12341169.
Can Ethereum reach $20,000? ›
Ethereum price prediction 2025
Artificial intelligence-based websites, crypto traders and industry analysts have 2025 ethereum price targets ranging from around $6,000 to above $21,000. Industry insiders project the crypto will reach nearly $7,500 by 2025.
Can I invest $100 in Ethereum? ›
Absolutely! $100 is a great way to begin your Ethereum investment journey.
What will ETH be worth in 5 years? ›
Ethereum (ETH) Price Prediction 2030
| Year | Price |
|---|
| 2025 | $ 3,315.55 |
| 2026 | $ 3,481.32 |
| 2027 | $ 3,655.39 |
| 2030 | $ 4,231.57 |
1 more rowBest Crypto To Buy Now
- Bitcoin (BTC) Market cap: $1.2 trillion. ...
- Ethereum (ETH) Market cap: $358.3 billion. ...
- Tether (USDT) Market cap: $110.6 billion. ...
- Binance Coin (BNB) Market cap: $82.7 billion. ...
- Solana (SOL) Market cap: $61.5 billion. ...
- U.S. Dollar Coin (USDC) Market cap: $33.1 billion. ...
- XRP (XRP) ...
- Dogecoin (DOGE)
Our most recent Ethereum price forecast indicates that its value will increase by 1.51% and reach $3,179.55 by May 06, 2024.
How to turn Ethereum into cash? ›
Step 1: Sell your Ethereum on a cryptocurrency exchange platform that allows fiat withdrawals to bank accounts. Step 2: Request a withdrawal of the fiat money (e.g., USD, EUR) to your linked bank account after completing the sale. Step 3: Wait for the funds to be processed and transferred to your bank account.
How do I convert my ETH to USD? ›
Choose an exchange with an ETH/USD pairing.
Coinbase, Gemini, and Kraken are 3 of the most popular exchanges used to sell Ethereum for US dollars. Of the 3, Coinbase may have the simplest interface. However, Coinbase also has the higher fees of the 3. Coinbase fees are 1.49 percent when using a US bank account.
How much is $2000 ETH worth in dollars? ›
How much is 2000 Ethereum in US Dollar? - 2000 ETH to USD (2000 Ethereum to US Dollar) is 5,976,430.00 USD with exchange rate 2,988.2150 for today.
Is it possible for Ethereum to hit $10,000? ›
Ether Could Run to $10,000 or Higher This Year on Numerous Catalysts: Bitwise.
Is it worth putting money in Ethereum? ›
CRYPTO: ETH
Ethereum's price has been very volatile over the years, but patient shareholders have come out ahead. Ethereum (ETH 0.02%) prices have historically proven very volatile. It's not uncommon to see its value double or triple in a matter of months.
How much would i have if i invested in Ethereum 5 years ago? ›
This blockchain network has seen its price soar historically. If you were smart enough to invest $1,000 in Ethereum five years ago in early 2019, you'd be sitting on a balance of $21,500 today. That translates to a ridiculously large gain of over 2,000%, which crushes the broader Nasdaq Composite index.
