What was Cardano's compound annual growth rate (CAGR) since 2022?

Cardano's CAGR from 2022 to September 2026 was -29.8% per year. For comparison, the S&P 500 has historically averaged around 10% annually. However, this came with substantially higher volatility and drawdown risk.

How does Cardano compare to the S&P 500 since 2022?

The same $1,000 invested in an S&P 500 index fund in 2022 would be worth approximately $1,723.35 today. Cardano underperformed the S&P 500 by $1,536.45.

What is the inflation-adjusted return on $1,000 in Cardano since 2022?

Adjusted for cumulative US inflation since 2022, the real purchasing-power value of the Cardano position is approximately $167.81 in 2022 dollars. After inflation, the investment has lost purchasing power compared with the original amount.

How did Cardano perform in 2022?

Cardano fell 81% during 2022, from $1.31 at the start of the year to $0.246 at the start of 2023.

What If You Invested $1,000 in Cardano in 2022?

Try your own numbers

If I had putintoat the start of…

it would be worth today

$186.90

−$813.10 loss0.19x-29.8% a year

The same $1,000 in an S&P 500 index fund: $1,723

No tax on a loss. Selling can offset tax on other gains.

Compare with

Growth Over Time

Performance Metrics

Total Invested

$1,000.00

Current Value

$186.90

Total Loss

−$813.10

Multiplier

0.19x

CAGR

-29.8%

Max Drawdown

-88.9%

Inflation-Adjusted

$167.81

Benchmark Comparison

How does $1,000.00 invested in 2022 compare across different asset classes?

Asset	Value Today	Return
Cardano	$186.90	0.19x
S&P 500	$1,723.35	1.72x
Gold	$2,296.99	2.30x
Savings (2% APY)	$1,098.50	1.10x

Back in 2022

In September 2022, Cardano activated its Vasil hard fork after several delays, an upgrade aimed at improving smart contracts and network throughput. coindesk.com
In 2022, a gallon of gas averaged $3.95, a movie ticket averaged $10.53 and the new iPhone 14 Pro started at $999. eia.gov apple.com indiewire.com
During 2022 itself, Cardano fell 81%, #105 of the 112 investments we track. The best was Super Micro Computer (+84%); the worst was Solana (−94%). Full 2022 results →

$1,000 in Cardano, year by year

Of the 112 investments we track that were available at the start of 2022, Cardano ranks #105 by growth to today, in the bottom quarter — just behind Nike and ahead of Shiba Inu. See the full 2022 ranking →

Cardano started 2022 at its highest start-of-year price up to then, after rising 622% in 2021. It has been worth less than the $1,000 put in at every January since, and still is today. Its best January was 2025, at $644.07. Today it's 71% below that, so selling then would have beaten holding. It rose in 2 of the 4 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 2022 ($1,000) to Jun 2026 ($111.05), a drop of 89%. At its lowest month-end, in Jun 2026, it was worth $111.05.

When	Worth	Change	S&P 500
Start of 2022	$1,000	—	$1,000
Start of 2023	$188	−81%	$819
Start of 2024	$454	+141%	$1,034
Start of 2025	$644	+42%	$1,293
Start of 2026	$254	−61%	$1,524
Today	$187	−26%	$1,723

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 2022, Cardano was priced at $1.31. $1,000 would have bought about 763 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 2023 (+141%) and its worst was 2022 (−81%). Holding on wasn't easy: between the start of 2022 and the start of 2023, the position fell 81% from its high.

Frequently Asked Questions

A $1,000 investment in Cardano at the start of 2022 would be worth approximately $186.90 today — a 0.19x return ($813.10 loss) over 4.7 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 2022 (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 of2022 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.