What is the price of ethereum today?
The price of ethereum, or 1 ETH, traded at $2,630.03, as of 8 a.m. ET. The highest intraday price that ethereum reached in the past year was $4,088.00 on March 12, 2024.
Ethereum price chart
*The return comparisons are as of 8 a.m. ET.
Ethereum launched in 2015 and is the most popular altcoin. Along with bitcoin, it has become one of the most recognizable forms of cryptocurrency.
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 $1,541.92 on Oct. 19, 2023.
The leading altcoin has shifted global financial markets and amassed a market capitalization of $312.63 billion. It’s up 67% year over year.
Ethereum market cap
Ethereum’s market capitalization of $312.63 billion is second to bitcoin’s. It’s similar to some major blue-chip stocks. These include the Coca-Cola Co. (KO) at $303 billion and Merck & Co. (MRK) at $283 billion.
ETH is a popular choice among crypto investors. Together with bitcoin, it makes up 71% of the crypto market.
What is ethereum?
Ethereum is a decentralized blockchain-based platform. It facilitates secure financial transactions. The network’s native token is ether.
Bitcoin also uses blockchain technology. But it operates differently. Ethereum has a programmable blockchain that offers users additional utility via smart contracts. Smart contracts run automatically when certain conditions are met.
Many users prefer ethereum’s decentralized network because it doesn’t rely on Big Tech companies. The network of small, private computers doesn’t use cloud servers owned by Google or Amazon.
Ethereum’s blockchain is used for decentralized finance, gaming, socializing and gambling. Nonfungible tokens, one-of-a-kind digital collectibles, also exist on the blockchain. NFTs represent ownership of unique digital assets, such as works of art, songs and videos.
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 $2,630.03.
Bitcoin price vs. ethereum price
Ethereum launched in 2015. Both ethereum and bitcoin have been spectacular investments since then.
The SEC’s approval of bitcoin spot ETFs in early 2024 has reversed the performance gap between the two cryptos. BTC is up 136% and ETH is up 67% year over year.
How to buy ethereum
Ethereum is available on major crypto exchanges such as Binance, Coinbase and Kraken. It trades under the ticker symbol ETH. Select online brokerages also let you trade crypto, including Robinhood, Interactive Brokers and Webull.
You can buy ethereum using popular payment apps like Venmo and PayPal. And you can purchase it directly through physical cryptocurrency ATMs.
How to 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.
No. Since the ethereum network upgraded from a proof-of-work model to a proof-of-stake model, ethereum mining is no longer necessary. But ethereum investors can still profit from the proof-of-stake system by staking ETH.
