What was Cardano's compound annual growth rate (CAGR) since 2023?

Cardano's CAGR from 2023 to September 2026 was -0.2% 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 2023?

The same $1,000 invested in an S&P 500 index fund in 2023 would be worth approximately $2,104.49 today. Cardano underperformed the S&P 500 by $1,110.74.

What is the inflation-adjusted return on $1,000 in Cardano since 2023?

Adjusted for cumulative US inflation since 2023, the real purchasing-power value of the Cardano position is approximately $928.82 in 2023 dollars. After inflation, the investment has lost purchasing power compared with the original amount.

How did Cardano perform in 2023?

Cardano rose 141% during 2023, from $0.246 at the start of the year to $0.594 at the start of 2024.

What If You Invested $1,000 in Cardano in 2023?

Try your own numbers

If I had putintoat the start of…

it would be worth today

$993.75

−$6.25 loss0.99x-0.2% a year

The same $1,000 in an S&P 500 index fund: $2,104

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

$993.75

Total Loss

−$6.25

Multiplier

0.99x

CAGR

-0.2%

Max Drawdown

-86.6%

Inflation-Adjusted

$928.82

Benchmark Comparison

How does $1,000.00 invested in 2023 compare across different asset classes?

Asset	Value Today	Return
Cardano	$993.75	0.99x
S&P 500	$2,104.49	2.10x
Gold	$2,303.29	2.30x
Savings (2% APY)	$1,076.98	1.08x

Back in 2023

In January 2023, the Djed stablecoin, built by Cardano developer IOG and Coti and backed by ADA reserves, launched on Cardano. coindesk.com
In 2023, a gallon of gas averaged $3.52 and the new iPhone 15 Pro started at $999. eia.gov apple.com
During 2023 itself, Cardano rose 141%, #12 of the 113 investments we track. The best was Solana (+913%); the worst was AMC Entertainment (−84%). Full 2023 results →

$1,000 in Cardano, year by year

Of the 113 investments we track that were available at the start of 2023, Cardano ranks #94 by growth to today, in the bottom quarter — just behind Home Depot and ahead of McDonald's. See the full 2023 ranking →

Cardano started 2023 81% below its start-of-2022 high, after falling 81% in 2022. It's worth less than the $1,000 put in today; the last January it was above that was 2026. Its best January was 2025, at $3,425. Today it's 71% below that, so selling then would have beaten holding. It rose in 2 of the 3 full years since. It fell behind the same $1,000 in the S&P 500 at the start of 2026 and hasn't caught up. Month by month, the deepest fall ran from Nov 2024 ($4,419) to Jun 2026 ($590.43), a drop of 87%. At its lowest month-end, in Jun 2026, it was worth $590.43.

When	Worth	Change	S&P 500
Start of 2023	$1,000	—	$1,000
Start of 2024	$2,412	+141%	$1,263
Start of 2025	$3,425	+42%	$1,579
Start of 2026	$1,351	−61%	$1,861
Today	$994	−26%	$2,104

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 2023, Cardano was priced at $0.246. $1,000 would have bought about 4,058 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 2025 (−61%). Holding on wasn't easy: between the start of 2025 and the start of 2026, the position fell 61% from its high.

Frequently Asked Questions

A $1,000 investment in Cardano at the start of 2023 would be worth approximately $993.75 today — a 0.99x return ($6.25 loss) over 3.7 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 2023 (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 of2023 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.