What is the price of ethereum today?
The price of ethereum, or 1 ETH, was $2,704.70 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.
While not the first altcoin, ethereum is among the best-known. The cryptocurrency has seen rapid growth in its blockchain and value since its 2015 launch.
Ethereum price history
The chart pulls data as of 8 a.m. ET daily and doesn’t display intraday highs or lows.
Ethereum reached a 52-week intraday high of $4,088.00 on March 12, 2024, and a 52-week intraday low of $1,640.00 on Oct. 26, 2023.
The leading altcoin has a global market capitalization of $316.75 billion. Year over year, ETH has increased 61%.
Ethereum market cap
Ethereum’s market cap is second to bitcoin’s. Bitcoin and ethereum make up 71% of the crypto market. The third-largest crypto is Solana. Its market cap is $98.47 billion.
Ethereum’s market cap is similar to that of major blue-chip stocks like Coca-Cola Co. (KO) at $304 billion and Merck & Co. (MRK) at $276 billion.
What is ethereum? And how does ethereum work?
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.
Ethereum price history
Ethereum prices 2015-2020
Ethereum launched in July 2015 and hit its all-time low soon after. In October 2015, ETH traded for just 42 cents.
Cryptocurrency rose in popularity in 2017. In January 2018, ETH reached $1,000 for the first time. It peaked at about $1,300 a couple of weeks later.
The announcement of bitcoin futures contracts from CME Group helped drive that 2017 surge. But when enthusiasm waned in 2018, prices dropped. That led to a crypto winter.
Prices rose again in 2020. This time, COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns likely gave ethereum a boost. Thanks to government stimulus checks and low interest rates, many Americans put their cash into crypto.
Ethereum prices 2021-2024
Ethereum prices neared $5,000 in late 2021, reaching $4,891.70 on Nov. 16, 2021. But rising interest rates cooled crypto markets in 2022. High-profile bankruptcies also hit the industry, most notably crypto exchange FTX in November 2022. The price of ETH fell below $900 that year.
But the crypto bounced back. Prices have been on the rise in 2023 and 2024. The Securities and Exchange Commission approved several bitcoin spot exchange-traded funds in January 2024.
The first U.S. ether spot ETFs began trading on July 23, 2024. The funds come from Grayscale, Fidelity, BlackRock and more. They can be found on the Nasdaq, New York Stock Exchange, 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 $2,704.70.
Ethereum price vs. bitcoin price
Since ethereum launched in 2015, ethereum and bitcoin have seen massive growth.
The performance gap between the two shifted with the launch of bitcoin spot ETFs. Ethereum is up 61% year over year, compared to a 120% gain for bitcoin.
How to buy ethereum online
You can buy ethereum on popular cryptocurrency exchanges like Binance, Coinbase and Kraken. Ethereum trades under the symbol ETH. There are also online brokerages that support cryptocurrency trading, such as Robinhood, Interactive Brokers and Webull.
In addition, you can buy ethereum through leading payment apps Venmo and PayPal. Finally, ethereum can be bought directly by searching for a physical cryptocurrency ATM that sells ether.
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.
Investors considering cryptocurrencies should be aware they’re extremely volatile. Any prediction of future performance comes with a massive grain of salt. While recent years have seen rapid growth, there’s no guarantee that will continue.
