Try your own numbers
The calculator buys at the start of a year, so its answer differs from the exact-date result above.
it would be worth today
$3,658
+$2,658 profit3.66x25.3% a year
The same $1,000 in an S&P 500 index fund: $2,218
Aftertax on the gain, you’d keep$3,259
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.
Growth Over Time
Performance Metrics
Total Invested
$1,000.00
Current Value
$944.81
Total Loss
−$55.19
Multiplier
0.94x
CAGR
-1.1%
Max Drawdown
-77.0%
Inflation-Adjusted
$785.12
Benchmark Comparison
How does $1,000.00 invested 5 years ago compare across different asset classes?
| Asset | Value Today | Return |
|---|---|---|
| Ethereum | $944.81 | 0.94x |
| S&P 500 | $1,890.73 | 1.89x |
| Gold | $2,438.45 | 2.44x |
| Savings (2% APY) | $1,104.12 | 1.10x |
Historical Context
Ethereum is a programmable blockchain launched in 2015. Its coin, ether (ETH), pays for running smart contracts and apps on the network.
This page always measures from exactly 5 years before today, using that day's closing price. The start date moves forward one day at a time, so the result updates daily.
Frequently Asked Questions
A $1,000 investment in Ethereum 5 years ago (on September 29, 2021) would be worth approximately $944.81 today — a 0.94x return ($55.19 loss) over 5.0 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 closing price exactly 5 years before today (the next trading day if markets were closed), held until today. The start date moves forward daily. No fees or taxes 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.
$1,000 in Ethereum, by year
$1,000 in Ethereum:1 year ago5 years ago