What was Chainlink's compound annual growth rate (CAGR) since 2021?

Chainlink's CAGR from 2021 to September 2026 was 4.7% 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 Chainlink compare to the S&P 500 since 2021?

The same $1,000 invested in an S&P 500 index fund in 2021 would be worth approximately $2,218.04 today. Chainlink underperformed the S&P 500 by $917.94.

How much of the Chainlink gain would you keep after taxes?

Sold today, the $300.10 gain would be a long-term capital gain for US federal tax. At the 15% rate most people pay, you'd keep about $1,255.09. At the top rate of 23.8% (20% plus the 3.8% net investment income tax) you'd keep about $1,228.68, and lower incomes pay 0%. State tax is extra, and gains inside a Roth IRA aren't taxed.

What is the inflation-adjusted return on $1,000 in Chainlink since 2021?

Adjusted for cumulative US inflation since 2021, the real purchasing-power value of the Chainlink position is approximately $1,080.36 in 2021 dollars. Inflation shrinks the gain, but the investment still grew faster than prices.

How did Chainlink perform in 2021?

Chainlink rose 74% during 2021, from $11.27 at the start of the year to $19.59 at the start of 2022.

What If You Invested $1,000 in Chainlink in 2021?

Try your own numbers

If I had putintoat the start of…

it would be worth today

$1,300

+$300.10 profit1.30x4.7% a year

The same $1,000 in an S&P 500 index fund: $2,218

Aftertax on the gain, you’d keep$1,255

US federal long-term rates: 15% for most people, 0% on lower incomes, 20% + 3.8% on high incomes. No state tax included; none inside a Roth IRA.

Compare with

Growth Over Time

Performance Metrics

Total Invested

$1,000.00

Current Value

$1,300.10

Total Profit

$300.10

Multiplier

1.30x

CAGR

4.7%

Max Drawdown

-85.4%

Inflation-Adjusted

$1,080.36

Benchmark Comparison

How does $1,000.00 invested in 2021 compare across different asset classes?

Asset	Value Today	Return
Chainlink	$1,300.10	1.30x
S&P 500	$2,218.04	2.22x
Gold	$2,213.49	2.21x
Savings (2% APY)	$1,120.46	1.12x

Back in 2021

In December 2021, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt joined Chainlink Labs as a strategic adviser. coindesk.com
In 2021, a gallon of gas averaged $3.01 and the new iPhone 13 Pro started at $999. eia.gov apple.com
During 2021 itself, Chainlink rose 74%, #16 of the 111 investments we track. The best was Solana (+11,084%); the worst was Zoom (−49%). Full 2021 results →

$1,000 in Chainlink, year by year

Of the 111 investments we track that were available at the start of 2021, Chainlink ranks #74 by growth to today — just behind Lowe's and ahead of McDonald's. See the full 2021 ranking →

Chainlink started 2021 at its highest start-of-year price up to then, after rising 537% in 2020. It was worth less than the $1,000 put in at the start of 2023, and has been above it since the start of 2024. Its best January was 2025, at $1,775. Today it's 27% below that, so selling then would have beaten holding. It rose in 3 of the 5 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 Apr 2021 ($3,396) to Dec 2022 ($495.95), a drop of 85%. At its lowest month-end, in Dec 2022, it was worth $495.95.

When	Worth	Change	S&P 500
Start of 2021	$1,000	—	$1,000
Start of 2022	$1,739	+74%	$1,287
Start of 2023	$494	−72%	$1,054
Start of 2024	$1,327	+168%	$1,331
Start of 2025	$1,775	+34%	$1,664
Start of 2026	$1,082	−39%	$1,962
Today	$1,300	+20%	$2,218

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 2021, Chainlink was priced at $11.27. $1,000 would have bought about 88.76 LINK. Chainlink supplies outside data such as prices to blockchain apps; its token is LINK.

Measured from one January to the next, Chainlink's best year since then was 2023 (+168%) and its worst was 2022 (−72%). Holding on wasn't easy: between the start of 2022 and the start of 2023, the position fell 72% from its high.

Frequently Asked Questions

A $1,000 investment in Chainlink at the start of 2021 would be worth approximately $1,300.10 today — a 1.30x return ($300.10 profit) over 5.7 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 2021 (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 of2021 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.