$1,000 in Bitcoin in 2018

A $1,000 investment in Bitcoin (BTC) made in January 2018 would be worth about $5,803 as of May 2026 (latest complete month) — a ×5.8 return, or +23.5% per year. Adjusted for US inflation (CPI), that equals $4,324 in 2018 dollars. The same $1,000 in the S&P 500 with dividends reinvested would have grown to $3,086.

In plain terms: after stripping out +34.2% US inflation since January 2018, today's $5,803 buys roughly what $4,324 bought back in 2018 — a ×4.3 gain in actual purchasing power.

Bitcoin is the first and largest cryptocurrency, created in 2009 by the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto. Its fixed 21-million-coin supply and four-year halving cycle have historically produced violent boom-and-bust cycles around a long-term upward trend. It remains the benchmark asset of the entire crypto market.

Data as of · updated weekly

Worth today
$5,803
×5.8 · +23.5%/yr
Inflation-adjusted
$4,324
in 2018 dollars
S&P 500 instead
$3,086
same period, dividends reinvested
Gold instead
$3,560
same period, futures price

The actual numbers: Bitcoin since 2018

BTC price in January 2018$13,465
BTC price as of May 2026$78,133
Nominal return×5.8 (+23.5%/yr)
US CPI inflation since January 2018+34.2%
Real (inflation-adjusted) return×4.3 (+19.2%/yr)
Same money in the S&P 500$3,086

Methodology: start-of-month prices, one-time purchase, no fees or taxes assumed. Full methodology.

What happened in 2018

2018 was the crypto winter: Bitcoin fell 73%, Ethereum more than 80%, and most 2017 ICO tokens lost 95%+. A brutal lesson in what follows vertical years.

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Year
Month
Worth today
$5,803
×5.8 · +23.5%/yr
Inflation-adjusted
$4,324
in 2018 dollars
S&P 500 instead
$3,086
dividends reinvested
Gold instead
$3,560
same period

Bitcoin vs S&P 500 total return vs uninvested cash eroded by CPI. Monthly grid, start-of-month prices.

FAQ: Bitcoin returns since 2018

How much would $1,000 invested in Bitcoin in 2018 be worth today?

About $5,803 as of May 2026 — a ×5.8 return. Adjusted for inflation, that equals $4,324 in 2018 dollars. This assumes a one-time purchase in January 2018 at $13,465 and never selling.

What does “inflation-adjusted” mean here?

US consumer prices rose +34.2% between January 2018 and May 2026 (CPI). So $5,803 today buys roughly what $4,324 bought in 2018. We deflate by CPI to show the gain in actual purchasing power.

Did Bitcoin beat the S&P 500 since 2018?

Yes. $1,000 in Bitcoin grew to $5,803, versus $3,086 for the same money in the S&P 500 with dividends reinvested over the same period.

What was the average annual return of Bitcoin since 2018?

+23.5% per year nominal (CAGR over 8.3 years), or +19.2% per year after CPI inflation.

Where does the data come from?

Crypto prices: Coin Metrics community data and Binance public market data. S&P 500: total-return index (^SP500TR). Inflation: US CPI (CPIAUCSL) from FRED. All series use a monthly grid and refresh weekly.

Bitcoin in other years

2010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025

Other assets in 2018

Ethereum ETHDogecoin DOGECardano ADAXRP XRPLitecoin LTCBNB BNBChainlink LINKTRON TRX

Educational purposes only — not investment advice and not a recommendation to buy or sell any asset. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Calculations assume a one-time purchase at the start-of-month price, no fees, no taxes and no selling.