Try your own numbers
it would be worth today
$412.08
−$587.92 loss0.41x-27.6% a year
The same $1,000 in an S&P 500 index fund: $1,666
No tax on a loss. Selling can offset tax on other gains.
Growth Over Time
Performance Metrics
Total Invested
$1,000.00
Current Value
$412.08
Total Loss
−$587.92
Multiplier
0.41x
CAGR
-27.6%
Max Drawdown
-86.6%
Inflation-Adjusted
$397.17
Benchmark Comparison
How does $1,000.00 invested in 2024 compare across different asset classes?
| Asset | Value Today | Return |
|---|---|---|
| Cardano | $412.08 | 0.41x |
| S&P 500 | $1,666.43 | 1.67x |
| Gold | $2,036.45 | 2.04x |
| Savings (2% APY) | $1,055.88 | 1.06x |
Back in 2024
- In September 2024, Cardano's Chang upgrade took the power to trigger network upgrades away from its three founding organizations and began a shift to community governance. coindesk.com
- In 2024, a gallon of gas averaged $3.30 and the new iPhone 16 Pro started at $999. eia.govapple.com
- During 2024 itself, Cardano rose 42%, #37 of the 114 investments we track. The best was Palantir (+353%); the worst was Intel (−57%). Full 2024 results →
$1,000 in Cardano, year by year
Of the 114 investments we track that were available at the start of 2024, Cardano ranks #107 by growth to today, in the bottom quarter — just behind Intuit and ahead of Adobe. See the full 2024 ranking →
Cardano started 2024 55% below its start-of-2022 high, after rising 141% in 2023. It's worth less than the $1,000 put in today; the last January it was above that was 2025. Its best January was 2025, at $1,420. Today it's 71% below that, so selling then would have beaten holding. It rose in 1 of the 2 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 ($1,832) to Jun 2026 ($244.84), a drop of 87%. At its lowest month-end, in Jun 2026, it was worth $244.84.
| When | Worth | Change | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start of 2024 | $1,000 | — | $1,000 |
| Start of 2025 | $1,420 | +42% | $1,250 |
| Start of 2026 | $560 | −61% | $1,474 |
| Today | $412 | −26% | $1,666 |
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 2024, Cardano was priced at $0.594. $1,000 would have bought about 1,683 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 2024 (+42%) 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 2024 would be worth approximately $412.08 today — a 0.41x return ($587.92 loss) over 2.7 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 2024 (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 of2024 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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$1,000 in Cardano, by year
$1,000 in Cardano:1 year ago5 years ago