If You'd Invested $10,000 in Bitcoin 10 Years Ago, Here's How Much You Would Have Today
Key Points
Investors who were bold and lucky enough to buy this digital asset in 2016 have witnessed a more than 100-fold gain.
Bitcoin is a legitimate financial asset today, and it has plenty of upside in the long run.
- 10 stocks we like better than Bitcoin ›
In typical fashion, Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) is in the middle of a bear market. Steady hands know that this downturn is par for the course. Investors who are new to this digital asset, on the other hand, are learning first-hand that the journey to outsize returns is not a smooth one.
However, long-term holders have been rewarded. If you'd invested $10,000 in the world's most valuable cryptocurrency 10 years ago, here's how much you would have today.
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Bitcoin's price has soared 10,180% (as of July 30) in the past decade. That's more than a 100-fold gain. A starting $10,000 sum would be over $1 million today.
That stellar performance has been highly volatile. Bitcoin currently trades 49% off its record high, established last October. Its price has fallen more than 50% on numerous occasions, as market sentiment is always changing.
The cryptocurrency has achieved many milestones throughout its journey to becoming a $1.3 trillion asset. One of the most important developments was the launch of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds in January 2024, which was a major step for traditional financial services businesses to get involved. This legitimized the cryptocurrency for some institutions.
As we look to the next 10 years, it's a virtual certainty that Bitcoin won't put up another 10,000% return. However, its decentralization, security, and scarcity support sizable long-term upside.
Should you buy stock in Bitcoin right now?
Before you buy stock in Bitcoin, consider this:
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Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $386,727!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,232,139!*
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*Stock Advisor returns as of August 2, 2026.
Neil Patel has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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