$1,000 in Bitcoin in 2023

A $1,000 investment in Bitcoin (BTC) made in January 2023 would be worth about $4,705 as of May 2026 (latest complete month) — a ×4.7 return, or +59.1% per year. Adjusted for US inflation (CPI), that equals $4,232 in 2023 dollars. The same $1,000 in the S&P 500 with dividends reinvested would have grown to $1,967.

In plain terms: after stripping out +11.2% US inflation since January 2023, today's $4,705 buys roughly what $4,232 bought back in 2023 — a ×4.2 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
$4,705
×4.7 · +59.1%/yr
Inflation-adjusted
$4,232
in 2023 dollars
S&P 500 instead
$1,967
same period, dividends reinvested
Gold instead
$2,622
same period, futures price

The actual numbers: Bitcoin since 2023

BTC price in January 2023$16,607
BTC price as of May 2026$78,133
Nominal return×4.7 (+59.1%/yr)
US CPI inflation since January 2023+11.2%
Real (inflation-adjusted) return×4.2 (+54.2%/yr)
Same money in the S&P 500$1,967

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

What happened in 2023

2023 was the quiet recovery from the FTX bottom: Bitcoin climbed from $16,500 to about $42,000 as fear faded and BlackRock's spot-ETF filing in June rewrote the institutional narrative.

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Year
Month
Worth today
$4,705
×4.7 · +59.1%/yr
Inflation-adjusted
$4,232
in 2023 dollars
S&P 500 instead
$1,967
dividends reinvested
Gold instead
$2,622
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 2023

How much would $1,000 invested in Bitcoin in 2023 be worth today?

About $4,705 as of May 2026 — a ×4.7 return. Adjusted for inflation, that equals $4,232 in 2023 dollars. This assumes a one-time purchase in January 2023 at $16,607 and never selling.

What does “inflation-adjusted” mean here?

US consumer prices rose +11.2% between January 2023 and May 2026 (CPI). So $4,705 today buys roughly what $4,232 bought in 2023. We deflate by CPI to show the gain in actual purchasing power.

Did Bitcoin beat the S&P 500 since 2023?

Yes. $1,000 in Bitcoin grew to $4,705, versus $1,967 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 2023?

+59.1% per year nominal (CAGR over 3.3 years), or +54.2% 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 2023

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.