$1,000 in Bitcoin in 2022

A $1,000 investment in Bitcoin (BTC) made in January 2022 would be worth about $1,643 as of May 2026 (latest complete month) — a ×1.64 return, or +12.1% per year. Adjusted for US inflation (CPI), that equals $1,390 in 2022 dollars. The same $1,000 in the S&P 500 with dividends reinvested would have grown to $1,613.

In plain terms: after stripping out +18.2% US inflation since January 2022, today's $1,643 buys roughly what $1,390 bought back in 2022 — a ×1.39 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
$1,643
×1.64 · +12.1%/yr
Inflation-adjusted
$1,390
in 2022 dollars
S&P 500 instead
$1,613
same period, dividends reinvested
Gold instead
$2,534
same period, futures price

The actual numbers: Bitcoin since 2022

BTC price in January 2022$47,560
BTC price as of May 2026$78,133
Nominal return×1.64 (+12.1%/yr)
US CPI inflation since January 2022+18.2%
Real (inflation-adjusted) return×1.39 (+7.9%/yr)
Same money in the S&P 500$1,613

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

What happened in 2022

2022 was the worst year in crypto history: the Terra/Luna death spiral in May, Celsius and Three Arrows in June, FTX's bankruptcy in November. Bitcoin fell 64% and many altcoins lost 90%+. Buying in 2022 meant catching a falling knife — or, late in the year, the bottom.

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Year
Month
Worth today
$1,643
×1.64 · +12.1%/yr
Inflation-adjusted
$1,390
in 2022 dollars
S&P 500 instead
$1,613
dividends reinvested
Gold instead
$2,534
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 2022

How much would $1,000 invested in Bitcoin in 2022 be worth today?

About $1,643 as of May 2026 — a ×1.64 return. Adjusted for inflation, that equals $1,390 in 2022 dollars. This assumes a one-time purchase in January 2022 at $47,560 and never selling.

What does “inflation-adjusted” mean here?

US consumer prices rose +18.2% between January 2022 and May 2026 (CPI). So $1,643 today buys roughly what $1,390 bought in 2022. We deflate by CPI to show the gain in actual purchasing power.

Did Bitcoin beat the S&P 500 since 2022?

Yes. $1,000 in Bitcoin grew to $1,643, versus $1,613 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 2022?

+12.1% per year nominal (CAGR over 4.3 years), or +7.9% 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 2022

Ethereum ETHSolana SOLDogecoin DOGECardano ADAXRP XRPLitecoin LTCBNB BNBChainlink LINK

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.