Bitcoin Price History: Chart, Drawdown and Monthly Data

Why the chart uses a log scale

Bitcoin went from a few hundred dollars in 2014 to six figures. On a normal scale the early years would look flat. On a log scale, equal vertical distances mean equal percentage changes, so a move from $500 to $1,000 looks as big as a move from $50,000 to $100,000. Both are a doubling.

What the history shows

• Deep drawdowns are normal for bitcoin. The series contains several falls of more than 50% from a previous high. The card shows how far the latest close sits below the highest close in the data.
• Returns depend heavily on the start date. Someone who bought at a cycle peak could wait years to break even; someone who bought after a crash saw large gains. That is why "is it too late?" has no single answer. See Is it too late to buy bitcoin?.
• Supply events are only one input. The halvings of 2016, 2020 and 2024 are well known, but price also reacts to interest rates, liquidity and flows into exchange-traded products. Read Does the bitcoin halving still affect the price?.

About the data

The series is the daily Coinbase BTC-USD price published by FRED. It starts on December 1, 2014. Prices on other exchanges differ slightly. Crypto trades every day, so this series includes weekends.

FAQ

Is this the "official" bitcoin price?

There is no single official price. This is the Coinbase US dollar price as published on FRED; other venues quote slightly different prices.

Why does the series start in 2014?

That is where FRED's Coinbase series begins. Earlier prices exist on other sources but are not in this dataset.

What is a drawdown?

The percentage fall from the highest value reached so far. A 50% drawdown needs a 100% gain to recover.

Is bitcoin protected like a bank deposit?

No. Crypto assets are generally not covered by deposit insurance, and the SEC warns that crypto investments can be exceptionally volatile.