What is the price of ethereum today?
Ethereum, or 1 ETH, traded at $2,443.10 as of 8 a.m. ET. The highest intraday price the cryptocurrency reached 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 $4,088.00 on March 12, 2024. Its 52-week intraday low was $1,850.00 on Nov. 7, 2023.
The leading altcoin has shifted global financial markets and amassed a market capitalization of $294.15 billion. It’s up 28% year over year.
Ethereum market cap
Ethereum’s market capitalization of $294.15 billion is second to bitcoin’s. It’s similar to some major blue-chip stocks. These include the Coca-Cola Co. (KO) at $280 billion and Merck & Co. (MRK) at $258 billion.
ETH is a popular choice among crypto investors. Together with bitcoin, it makes up 72% of the crypto market.
What is ethereum?
Ethereum is a blockchain-based network that facilitates secure, decentralized financial transactions. Its native crypto is ether.
Its programmable blockchain lets users securely verify and execute code using smart contracts and decentralized applications. This differs from bitcoin, which has a limited capacity to run smart contracts. Smart contracts are software applications that run automatically on the blockchain when specific conditions are met.
By operating on a decentralized network, ethereum helps users avoid third parties. This could appeal to you if you don’t want to rely on Big Tech companies. Instead of running software on Google’s servers, for example, you can leverage ethereum’s network.
It can run a variety of applications for socializing, gaming, gambling and decentralized finance. The network also houses nonfungible tokens, which represent ownership of unique digital assets.
Ethereum gas price
The ethereum network isn’t free to use. Users must pay gas fees, similar to highway tolls, which support its operation. Gas fees fluctuate based on supply and demand for transactions.
Gas fees are expressed as gwei. One gwei represents one billionth of one ether.
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 $2,443.10.
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 95% year over year, compared to a 28% 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
To store ethereum, you must have a crypto wallet. This functions like a digital version of a physical wallet used for paper money.
You have a private key to ensure that only you can access what’s inside. The owner of a wallet’s private key controls its contents.
An ethereum wallet can be a hardware wallet resembling a USB stick. Or it can be a software wallet app storing ETH on a smartphone or another device. A wallet is considered hot if it’s connected to the internet and cold if it isn’t. A cold wallet offers more safety and security but less convenience.
Ethereum ETFs
Ethereum funds allow investors to speculate on the ethereum market without buying ethereum directly.
The first wave of ethereum futures ETFs dropped in late 2023. They hold futures contracts rather than investing in ethereum directly. Leading options include the ProShares Ether Strategy ETF (EETH), Bitwise Ethereum Strategy ETF (AETH) and VanEck Ethereum Strategy ETF (EFUT).
Ether spot ETFs debuted in July 2024. They include the Grayscale ethereum trust (ETHE).
Fidelity ethereum fund (FETH) and iShares ethereum trust (ETHA). Their approval may indicate a softening toward some cryptos in their legal fights.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Ethereum does not represent ownership of assets with tangible value and does not generate earnings, revenue or cash flow. ETH’s price is determined exclusively by supply and demand. If the popularity of the ethereum network continues to grow in the long term, demand for ethereum will likely grow over time.
Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile. That makes it difficult to predict how its price will behave. Ethereum has performed exceptionally well overall since its launch in 2015. But past performance is no guarantee of future results.
