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it would be worth today
$340.65
−$659.35 loss0.34x-11.6% a year
The same $1,000 in an S&P 500 index fund: $3,302
No tax on a loss. Selling can offset tax on other gains.
Growth Over Time
Performance Metrics
Total Invested
$1,000.00
Current Value
$340.65
Total Loss
−$659.35
Multiplier
0.34x
CAGR
-11.6%
Max Drawdown
-95.7%
Inflation-Adjusted
$262.38
Benchmark Comparison
How does $1,000.00 invested in 2018 compare across different asset classes?
| Asset | Value Today | Return |
|---|---|---|
| Cardano | $340.65 | 0.34x |
| S&P 500 | $3,301.62 | 3.30x |
| Gold | $3,224.25 | 3.22x |
| Savings (2% APY) | $1,189.06 | 1.19x |
Back in 2018
- In May 2018, Ethiopia partnered with Cardano developer IOHK to explore using blockchain to track coffee, the country's largest export. coindesk.com
- In 2018, a gallon of gas averaged $2.72, a movie ticket averaged $9.11 and the new iPhone XS started at $999. eia.govapple.comhollywoodreporter.com
- During 2018 itself, Cardano fell 94%, the worst of the 94 investments we track. The best was The Trade Desk (+150%). Full 2018 results →
$1,000 in Cardano, year by year
Of the 94 investments we track that were available at the start of 2018, Cardano ranks #91 by growth to today, in the bottom quarter — just behind Snap and ahead of Litecoin. See the full 2018 ranking →
It's worth less than the $1,000 put in today; the last January it was above that was 2025. Its best January was 2022, at $1,823. Today it's 81% below that, so selling then would have beaten holding. It rose in 4 of the 8 full years since. It has trailed the same $1,000 in the S&P 500 at every January since, and still does. Month by month, the deepest fall ran from Jan 2018 ($1,000) to Mar 2020 ($42.89), a drop of 96%. At its lowest month-end, in Mar 2020, it was worth $42.89.
| When | Worth | Change | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start of 2018 | $1,000 | — | $1,000 |
| Start of 2019 | $57.01 | −94% | $956 |
| Start of 2020 | $45.67 | −20% | $1,257 |
| Start of 2021 | $252 | +453% | $1,489 |
| Start of 2022 | $1,823 | +622% | $1,916 |
| Start of 2023 | $343 | −81% | $1,569 |
| Start of 2024 | $827 | +141% | $1,981 |
| Start of 2025 | $1,174 | +42% | $2,477 |
| Start of 2026 | $463 | −61% | $2,920 |
| Today | $341 | −26% | $3,302 |
Values at the start of each year (first trading day for stocks). The S&P 500 column includes reinvested dividends, like the stock values.
Historical Context
At the start of 2018, Cardano was priced at $0.719. $1,000 would have bought about 1,391 ADA. Cardano is a proof-of-stake blockchain launched in 2017; its coin is ADA.
Measured from one January to the next, Cardano's best year since then was 2021 (+622%) and its worst was 2018 (−94%). Holding on wasn't easy: between the start of 2018 and the start of 2020, the position fell 95% from its high.
Frequently Asked Questions
A $1,000 investment in Cardano at the start of 2018 would be worth approximately $340.65 today — a 0.34x return ($659.35 loss) over 8.7 years.
Methodology & Sources
Price data: Historical prices are the January 1 opening price, from CoinGecko, CoinMarketCap and Yahoo Finance historical data. Current prices come from Yahoo Finance (CoinGecko as a backup) and refresh hourly; if that source is unavailable, the last saved price is used.
Calculation: Assumes a single purchase at the start of 2018 (or the first trading day, for companies that listed that year), held until today. No transaction fees, taxes, or slippage are included.
Benchmarks: The S&P 500 comparison uses the S&P 500 Total Return index (dividends reinvested, like an index fund) at the start of2018 and today. Gold uses the price per troy ounce. Savings account assumes a 2% APY compounded annually.
Inflation adjustment: Uses U.S. CPI-U annual averages from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The 2026 CPI value is estimated.
Educational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Not financial advice.
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Ethereum · 2018
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See how every stock and crypto ranked since 2018 →
$1,000 in Cardano, by year
$1,000 in Cardano:1 year ago5 years ago