$1,000 in Cardano in 2022

A $1,000 investment in Cardano (ADA) made in January 2022 would be worth about $181 as of May 2026 (latest complete month) — a ×0.18 return, or −32.6% per year. Adjusted for US inflation (CPI), that equals $153 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 $181 buys roughly what $153 bought back in 2022 — a ×0.15 gain in actual purchasing power.

Cardano is a proof-of-stake blockchain built around an academic, peer-review-driven development process. ADA was among the best performers of the 2017 bubble and again in 2021, but the persistent gap between its market cap and actual on-chain usage makes it a favorite target of critics.

Data as of · updated weekly

Worth today
$181
×0.18 · −32.6%/yr
Inflation-adjusted
$153
in 2022 dollars
S&P 500 instead
$1,613
same period, dividends reinvested
Gold instead
$2,534
same period, futures price

The actual numbers: Cardano since 2022

ADA price in January 2022$1.37
ADA price as of May 2026$0.248
Nominal return×0.18 (−32.6%/yr)
US CPI inflation since January 2022+18.2%
Real (inflation-adjusted) return×0.15 (−35.2%/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
$181
×0.18 · −32.6%/yr
Inflation-adjusted
$153
in 2022 dollars
S&P 500 instead
$1,613
dividends reinvested
Gold instead
$2,534
same period

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

FAQ: Cardano returns since 2022

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

About $181 as of May 2026 — a ×0.18 return. Adjusted for inflation, that equals $153 in 2022 dollars. This assumes a one-time purchase in January 2022 at $1.37 and never selling.

What does “inflation-adjusted” mean here?

US consumer prices rose +18.2% between January 2022 and May 2026 (CPI). So $181 today buys roughly what $153 bought in 2022. We deflate by CPI to show the gain in actual purchasing power.

Did Cardano beat the S&P 500 since 2022?

No. $1,000 in Cardano is worth $181, while the same money in the S&P 500 with dividends reinvested would be $1,613.

What was the average annual return of Cardano since 2022?

−32.6% per year nominal (CAGR over 4.3 years), or −35.2% 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.

Cardano in other years

201720182019202020212022202320242025

Other assets in 2022

Bitcoin BTCEthereum ETHSolana SOLDogecoin DOGEXRP 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.