ETH Historical Price and Return Analysis: Should I Buy ETH Now?

Summary

This article provides a comprehensive review of Ethereum (ETH) since 2016, analyzing historical prices and market fluctuations, combined with data from bull and bear markets. It evaluates the potential returns for investors purchasing 10 ETH and answers the key question, “Should I buy ETH now?” to help both beginners and long-term investors understand timing and growth opportunities.

Beginning of Bull Markets and Early Market Cycles: Historical Price Review (2016 to 2017)

Ethereum is a decentralized open-source blockchain platform supporting smart contracts and decentralized applications (DApps), operating with Ether (ETH). Records show its early trading price was approximately $10.30.

Below are ETH price changes during the initial bull market phase:

2016

• Opening Price: $10.30
• Closing Price: $8.20
• Highest Price: $15.78
• Lowest Price: $7.18
• Annual Return: -20.4%

2017

• Opening Price: $10.29
• Closing Price: $734.99
• Highest Price: $734.99
• Lowest Price: $9.73
• Annual Return: 7042.76%

An investor who bought 10 ETH in 2016 and sold in 2026 could see a potential profit of $19,650.10.

Bear Market Adjustment and Mid-Cycle Market: Return and Risk Analysis (2018 to 2021)

During this period, ETH experienced significant volatility, with a sharp decline in 2018 followed by gradual recovery, reaching new highs in 2021.

Potential returns for purchasing 10 ETH in different years (up to 2026):

• 2018: $8,583.10
• 2019: $18,612.70
• 2020: $18,287.40
• 2021: $7,206.50

Recent Market Cycle: Should I Buy ETH Now? (2022 to 2026)

In recent years, ETH has experienced a complex pattern of decline followed by rebound and another downturn. After a major correction in 2022, there was a rebound in 2023 and 2024, but a downtrend resumed from 2025 to 2026.

2022

• Opening Price: $3,151.09
• Closing Price: $1,200.19
• Highest Price: $3,522.08
• Lowest Price: $1,074.15
• Annual Return: -61.91%

2023

• Opening Price: $1,289.74
• Closing Price: $2,282.04
• Highest Price: $2,352.38
• Lowest Price: $1,289.74
• Annual Return: 76.94%

2024

• Opening Price: $2,221.85
• Closing Price: $3,635.72
• Highest Price: $4,003.39
• Lowest Price: $2,221.85
• Annual Return: 63.63%

2025

• Opening Price: $3,266.98
• Closing Price: $3,144.95
• Highest Price: $4,779.90
• Lowest Price: $1,580.73
• Annual Return: -3.74%

2026 (so far)

• Opening Price: $3,123.47
• Closing Price: $1,975.30
• Highest Price: $3,284.03
• Lowest Price: $1,966.47
• Annual Return: -36.76%

Potential returns for buying 10 ETH during these years:

• 2022: -$11,757.90
• 2023: $6,855.60
• 2024: -$2,465.50
• 2025: -$12,916.80
• 2026 (so far): -$11,481.70

Conclusion: Bull and Bear Markets and Investment Timing Analysis

Analyzing ETH’s historical prices and potential returns reveals multiple complete bull and bear cycles. Early investors (2016-2017) achieved over 7000% gains, whereas investors entering after 2022 faced significant losses. The current market (2026) is in a downward phase, with all recent investments showing negative returns, indicating that timing is crucial for ETH investors’ profitability.