$1,000 in Cardano in 2025

A $1,000 investment in Cardano (ADA) made in January 2025 would be worth about $271 as of May 2026 (latest complete month) — a ×0.27 return, or −62.5% per year. Adjusted for US inflation (CPI), that equals $259 in 2025 dollars. The same $1,000 in the S&P 500 with dividends reinvested would have grown to $1,246.

In plain terms: after stripping out +4.7% US inflation since January 2025, today's $271 buys roughly what $259 bought back in 2025 — a ×0.26 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
$271
×0.27 · −62.5%/yr
Inflation-adjusted
$259
in 2025 dollars
S&P 500 instead
$1,246
same period, dividends reinvested
Gold instead
$1,761
same period, futures price

The actual numbers: Cardano since 2025

ADA price in January 2025$0.916
ADA price as of May 2026$0.248
Nominal return×0.27 (−62.5%/yr)
US CPI inflation since January 2025+4.7%
Real (inflation-adjusted) return×0.26 (−63.7%/yr)
Same money in the S&P 500$1,246

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

What happened in 2025

2025 extended the ETF-era cycle to new all-time highs before momentum faded late in the year — a reminder that even institutional-era crypto keeps its boom-and-bust rhythm.

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Year
Month
Worth today
$271
×0.27 · −62.5%/yr
Inflation-adjusted
$259
in 2025 dollars
S&P 500 instead
$1,246
dividends reinvested
Gold instead
$1,761
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 2025

How much would $1,000 invested in Cardano in 2025 be worth today?

About $271 as of May 2026 — a ×0.27 return. Adjusted for inflation, that equals $259 in 2025 dollars. This assumes a one-time purchase in January 2025 at $0.916 and never selling.

What does “inflation-adjusted” mean here?

US consumer prices rose +4.7% between January 2025 and May 2026 (CPI). So $271 today buys roughly what $259 bought in 2025. We deflate by CPI to show the gain in actual purchasing power.

Did Cardano beat the S&P 500 since 2025?

No. $1,000 in Cardano is worth $271, while the same money in the S&P 500 with dividends reinvested would be $1,246.

What was the average annual return of Cardano since 2025?

−62.5% per year nominal (CAGR over 1.3 years), or −63.7% 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 2025

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.