What is the price of ethereum today?
The price of ethereum, or 1 ETH, was $2,659.14 as of 8 a.m. ET. The crypto’s highest intraday price in the past year was $4,088.00 on March 12, 2024.
Ethereum chart
*The return comparisons are as of 8 a.m. ET.
Although ethereum is not the first altcoin, it’s the most popular and successful. The cryptocurrency was launched in 2015. Its blockchain has generated tremendous growth and returns over the past nine years.
Ethereum price history
The chart pulls data as of 8 a.m. ET daily and doesn’t display intraday highs or lows.
Ethereum’s 52-week intraday high was on March 12, 2024, trading at $4,088.00 per ETH. Its 52-week intraday low was $1,776.80 on Nov. 3, 2023.
The leading altcoin has shifted global financial markets and amassed a global market capitalization of $320.32 billion. ETH is currently up 47% year over year.
Ethereum market cap
Ethereum’s market capitalization of $320.32 billion is second to bitcoin’s. It’s similar to some major blue-chip stocks. These include the Coca-Cola Co. (KO) at $282 billion and Merck & Co. (MRK) at $263 billion.
ETH is a popular choice among crypto investors. Together with bitcoin, it makes up 72% of the crypto market.
What is ethereum? And how does ethereum work?
Ethereum is a blockchain-based network created to facilitate secure, decentralized financial transactions. The network’s native cryptocurrency is ether.
Unlike bitcoin, ethereum’s programmable blockchain allows users to securely verify and execute code, including smart contracts and decentralized applications. Smart contracts on the ethereum network are software applications that run automatically on the blockchain when certain predetermined conditions are met.
The ethereum network’s decentralized nature allows developers to run programs without relying on Big Tech companies or other third parties. Rather than running software on cloud servers housed in massive data centers owned by Google, ethereum users can run applications by leveraging ethereum’s large network of small, private computers.
Applications on the ethereum blockchain include gaming, socializing, gambling and decentralized finance options. The ethereum blockchain is also home to the world’s most significant nonfungible tokens. NFTs are unique digital creations representing ownership of digital property, such as a work of art, song or video.
Ethereum gas price
Ethereum gas is the fee network users pay to process transactions or use smart contracts on the network. Gas fees are akin to highway tolls. Users pay these fees to use the ethereum blockchain.
The unit of measurement for gas fees is gwei. One gwei equals one billionth of one ETH.
A history of ethereum prices
Ethereum prices 2015-2020
Ethereum launched in July 2015. Not long after, it hit its all-time low of 42 cents in October 2015.
But that didn’t last long. Trading picked up sharply in 2017. ETH hit $1,000 for the first time in January 2018. Just two weeks later, it reached a new peak of $1,300.
CME Group’s announcement that it would offer bitcoin futures contracts drove the rally. But enthusiasm ebbed in 2018. That year saw the start of a bear market, often referred to as a “crypto winter.”
2020 brought another boom. The COVID-19 pandemic likely played a major role. The distribution of stimulus funds and low interest rates meant many Americans had money to speculate.
Ethereum prices 2021-2024
Ethereum nearly cracked $5,000 at the end of 2021, hitting $4,891.70 on Nov. 16, 2021. But interest rate increases gave investors alternatives, resulting in another cooling of the market. High-profile bankruptcies, including leading cryptocurrency exchange FTX in November 2022, also hit the industry. ETH fell under $900 that year.
But 2023 brought a new rally and more optimism from investors. That carried into 2024, with the Securities and Exchange Commission approving several bitcoin spot exchange-traded funds in January.
Ether spot ETFs started trading in the U.S. on July 23, 2024. The funds come from BlackRock, Fidelity and Grayscale, to name a few. They can be found on the New York Stock Exchange, Nasdaq and Chicago Board Options Exchange.
In early August 2024, ethereum prices plummeted after a widespread crypto sell-off hit global markets. Prices plunged from well above the $3,000 threshold on Aug. 3 to less than $2,500 on Aug. 4. Currently, ETH trades at $2,659.14.
Ethereum price vs. bitcoin price
Since ethereum’s launch in 2015, there’s no question that bitcoin and ETH have been spectacular investments.
The past year’s enthusiasm for bitcoin spot ETFs has reversed the performance gap between the two major cryptos. The price of bitcoin is up 109% year over year, compared to a 47% gain for ethereum.
How to buy ethereum online
One popular way to buy ETH is through crypto exchanges like Binance, Coinbase and Kraken.
You might be more comfortable using online brokerages that support cryptocurrency trading, such as Interactive Brokers, Webull, and Robinhood.
Payment apps like Venmo and PayPal have options for buying ETH. Cryptocurrency ATMs also allow for direct purchases.
How to safely store ethereum
Anyone buying ethereum directly must store their ETH in a cryptocurrency wallet. This is much like storing paper money in a physical wallet.
Private keys are needed to send or receive cryptocurrency in a digital wallet. The person who controls a wallet’s private keys controls all the cryptocurrency associated with the wallet.
Ethereum wallets can be hardware wallets resembling USB sticks or software wallet apps that store ETH on a smartphone or another device. Hot wallets are connected to the internet, while cold wallets are not. Hot wallets are generally considered more convenient, but cold wallets can be safer and more secure.
Ethereum ETFs
In addition to buying ethereum directly, you can indirectly speculate on the ethereum market via ethereum funds.
The SEC approved the first wave of ethereum futures ETFs in late 2023. These ETFs don’t invest in ethereum directly but instead hold ethereum futures contracts. Leading ethereum futures ETFs include the VanEck Ethereum Strategy ETF (EFUT), the ProShares Ether Strategy ETF (EETH) and the Bitwise Ethereum Strategy ETF (AETH).
In July 2024, ether spot ETFs made their debut. These include the iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA), the Fidelity Ethereum Fund (FETH) and the Grayscale Ethereum Trust (ETHE).
A similar decision was made for bitcoin ETFs in January 2024 in terms of spot holdings. The approval of spot ETFs indicates a softening toward some cryptos in their legal fights.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Ethereum reached its all-time intraday high of $4,891.70 on Nov. 16, 2021.
Ethereum is extremely volatile, much like other cryptocurrencies. Predicting whether it will go up or down is difficult. While ETH has performed well since its inception, there’s no guarantee that performance will continue. Investors should be ready for big swings and the potential for big losses.
