ETH

In the late 2010s, it felt like a daily occurrence that new cryptocurrencies were arriving onto the scene. From meme tokens to stablecoins, the variety of newly launched cryptos holding their initial coin offerings was considerable.

Today, things have quieted down considerably, yet Ethereum (ETH 0.03%) remains one cryptocurrency that remains at the forefront of investors’ radars. In fact, the price of Ethereum has risen more than 32% since the start of the year.

But how have investors fared who bought Ethereum when the crypto frenzy started to taper off in 2020? Below, I’ll take a closer look at what a $10,000 investment five years ago would be worth today.

Image source: Getty Images.

The price of Ethereum has soared into the ether

Thanks to an explosion of interest in decentralized finance, the price of Ethereum soared through 2021. In that one year alone, the price of the crypto rose more than 408%.

Due, in part, to rising inflation and, to a larger extent, a growing skepticism for cryptocurrencies after the collapse of crypto exchange FTX, the market’s appetite for Ethereum dwindled in the following year, and the price of Ethereum plunged 67% in 2022.

Subsequently, a variety of factors have contributed to the price of Ethereum repeatedly rising and falling. Most recently, for example, the price of Ethereum ripped higher last month after Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell intimated that interest rates could drop before the end of the year.

There have been some downturns in the price of Ethereum over the past few years, but overall, the crypto has skyrocketed in price. Investors who bought $10,000 in Ethereum on Sept. 4, 2020 have seen their positions grow to $132,740 five years later.

Does Ethereum represent a good buying opportunity today?

While Ethereum has provided long-term investors with impressive gains over the past five years, there are plenty of reasons to suspect that there’s much more room for the crypto to run higher. Investors must carefully consider their risk tolerances before buying Ethereum, as volatility is sure to persist.

• Ethereum’s recent rally above $2,600 has reignited excitement across the crypto market, powered by optimism around the Pectra upgrade.
• This major network improvement improves speed, usability, and scalability, signaling stronger long-term fundamentals for ETH.
• Yet, while Ethereum is gaining momentum, early investors are also paying attention to Bitcoin Pepe.

As the first meme-focused layer 2 on Bitcoin, Bitcoin Pepe offers Solana-like speed and low fees combined with Bitcoin’s unmatched security. Having raised over $8.1m and with its presale nearing closure before the May 31 listing event, Bitcoin Pepe is recognized as one of the best crypto presales to buy today. Meanwhile, with rumors of CEX platforms listing Bitcoin Pepe, investors are rushing to buy the meme coin before it is listed.

Ethereum price prediction: ETH breaks $2.6K amid Pectra upgrade

Ethereum’s recent rally to $2,600 wasn’t just driven by technical momentum. The successful rollout of the Pectra upgrade powered it. This major network improvement introduced enhanced burning mechanisms that reduce the overall ETH supply, helping fuel scarcity and renewed market optimism.

According to CryptoQuant, Ethereum is trading well above the realized price for accumulation addresses, particularly on Binance. This suggests that long-term holders and frequent depositors—often seen as strong hands in the market—are doubling down on ETH. With a 44% price surge in just one week, Ethereum’s fundamentals align with bullish price action.

While Ethereum gains momentum, early investors are also turning their attention to Bitcoin Pepe as one of the best crypto presales to buy today.

Bitcoin Pepe continues to ride Bitcoin’s latest momentum

Bitcoin Pepe is going viral as one of the crypto presales of 2025, combining Bitcoin’s trust and capital with meme culture’s explosive potential. At its core is the PEP-20 token standard—a new tool that allows users to launch meme coins directly on Bitcoin’s blockchain. This is a true layer-2 innovation that delivers Solana-like speed and low fees while preserving Bitcoin’s unmatched security.

Currently priced at $0.0326, Bitcoin Pepe gives early adopters a rare entry into potentially one of the best crypto presales to buy in 2025. By enabling the creation of meme coins on Bitcoin, BPEP unlocks access to over $2 trillion in dormant capital—something no meme coin project has done before.

As the presale nears its final stages and anticipation builds around its exchange debut, Bitcoin Pepe could become the defining meme coin of the next market cycle. With over $8.1m raised and its presale nearing a close ahead of the May 31 listing event, Bitcoin Pepe stands out as one of the best crypto presales to buy today.

Already shared that I’m backing $BPEP and with good reason.

It’s time to start stacking before May 31st comes around.

I’ve even heard there’s a tier 1 listing on the way. Time to act now.. https://t.co/I5hZpGUUXJ

— Diamond XBT💎 (@Diamondxbtee) May 12, 2025

Cardano’s breakout momentum builds as bulls eye higher gains

Cardano (ADA) is steadily regaining attention with renewed investor optimism and a solid push from its expanding smart contract and DeFi ecosystems. Although, according to CoinMarketCap, ADA trades at $0.80 with a minor 1.13% dip over the last 24 hours, its broader trend remains firmly bullish. ADA has rallied nearly 20% in just a week, showing that the market is waking up to Cardano’s long-term potential.

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The latest developments in Cardano’s network, including growing developer activity and more complex DeFi integrations, have added to its credibility. Technical indicators continue to support a move higher, especially with ADA pushing through major resistance levels. Despite a notable drop in trading volume—down 33.05% to $1.01 billion—the price has remained resilient, a sign of holding power among confident long-term holders.

With Bitcoin Pepe’s presale rapidly selling out ahead of the highly anticipated May 31 listing, the meme coin is quickly becoming one of the best crypto presales to buy today before prices soar and early access disappears for good.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not provide financial advice. Cryptocurrencies are highly volatile, and the market can be unpredictable. Always perform thorough research before making any cryptocurrency-related decisions.