Ethereum's price history suggests that that crypto was worth more in 2025 than during late 2021, although nowhere near the highest price recorded. Much like Bitcoin (BTC), the price of ETH went up in 2021 but for different reasons altogether: Ethereum, for instance, hit the news when a digital art piece was sold as the world's most expensive NFT for over 38,000 ETH - or 69.3 million U.S. dollars. Unlike Bitcoin, of which the price growth was fueled by the IPO of the U.S.'s biggest crypto trader, Coinbase, the rally on Ethereum came from technological developments that caused much excitement among traders. First, the so-called 'Berlin update' rolled out on the Ethereum network in April 2021, an update that would eventually lead to the Ethereum Merge in 2022 and reduced ETH gas prices - or reduced transaction fees. The collapse of FTX in late 2022, however, changed much for the cryptocurrency. As of July 22, 2025, Ethereum was worth 3,765.45 U.S. dollars - significantly less than the 4,400 U.S. dollars by the end of 2021.Ethereum's future and the DeFi industryPrice developments on Ethereum are difficult to predict but cannot be seen without the world of DeFi, or decentralized finance. This industry used technology to remove intermediaries between parties in a financial transaction. One example includes crypto wallets such as Coinbase Wallet that grew in popularity recently, with other examples including smart contractor Uniswap, Maker (responsible for stablecoin DAI), moneylender Dharma and market protocol Compound. Ethereum's future developments are tied with this industry: Unlike Bitcoin and Ripple, Ethereum is technically not a currency but an open-source software platform for blockchain applications, with Ether being the cryptocurrency that is used inside the Ethereum network. Essentially, Ethereum facilitates DeFi, meaning that if DeFi does well, so does Ethereum.NFTs: the most well-known application of EthereumNFTs or non-fungible tokens, grew nearly tenfold between 2018 and 2020, as can be seen in the market cap of NFTs worldwide. These digital blockchain assets can essentially function as a unique code connected to a digital file, allowing to distinguish the original file from any potential copies. This application is especially prominent in crypto art, although there are other applications: gaming, sports, and collectibles are other segments where NFT sales occur.

This dataset contains historical price data for the top global cryptocurrencies, sourced from Yahoo Finance. The data spans the following time frames for each cryptocurrency:

BTC-USD (Bitcoin): From 2014 to December 2024 ETH-USD (Ethereum): From 2017 to December 2024 XRP-USD (Ripple): From 2017 to December 2024 USDT-USD (Tether): From 2017 to December 2024 SOL-USD (Solana): From 2020 to December 2024 BNB-USD (Binance Coin): From 2017 to December 2024 DOGE-USD (Dogecoin): From 2017 to December 2024 USDC-USD (USD Coin): From 2018 to December 2024 ADA-USD (Cardano): From 2017 to December 2024 STETH-USD (Staked Ethereum): From 2020 to December 2024

Key Features:

Date: The date of the record. Open: The opening price of the cryptocurrency on that day. High: The highest price during the day. Low: The lowest price during the day. Close: The closing price of the cryptocurrency on that day. Adj Close: The adjusted closing price, factoring in stock splits or dividends (for stablecoins like USDT and USDC, this value should be the same as the closing price). Volume: The trading volume for that day.

Data Source:

The dataset is sourced from Yahoo Finance and spans daily data from 2014 to December 2024, offering a rich set of data points for cryptocurrency analysis.

Use Cases:

Market Analysis: Analyze price trends and historical market behavior of leading cryptocurrencies. Price Prediction: Use the data to build predictive models, such as time-series forecasting for future price movements. Backtesting: Test trading strategies and financial models on historical data. Volatility Analysis: Assess the volatility of top cryptocurrencies to gauge market risk. Overview of the Cryptocurrencies in the Dataset: Bitcoin (BTC): The pioneer cryptocurrency, often referred to as digital gold and used as a store of value. Ethereum (ETH): A decentralized platform for building smart contracts and decentralized applications (DApps). Ripple (XRP): A payment protocol focused on enabling fast and low-cost international transfers. Tether (USDT): A popular stablecoin pegged to the US Dollar, providing price stability for trading and transactions. Solana (SOL): A high-speed blockchain known for low transaction fees and scalability, often seen as a competitor to Ethereum. Binance Coin (BNB): The native token of Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, used for various purposes within the Binance ecosystem. Dogecoin (DOGE): Initially a meme-inspired coin, Dogecoin has gained a strong community and mainstream popularity. USD Coin (USDC): A fully-backed stablecoin pegged to the US Dollar, commonly used in decentralized finance (DeFi) applications. Cardano (ADA): A proof-of-stake blockchain focused on scalability, sustainability, and security. Staked Ethereum (STETH): A token representing Ethereum staked in the Ethereum 2.0 network, earning staking rewards.

This dataset provides a comprehensive overview of key cryptocurrencies that have shaped and continue to influence the digital asset market. Whether you're conducting research, building prediction models, or analyzing trends, this dataset is an essential resource for understanding the evolution of cryptocurrencies from 2014 to December 2024.

In April 2021, the Ethereum market cap reached new heights and grew to over *** billion U.S. dollars - the first time this cryptocurrency achieved that feat. The market capitalization in August 2020 was half this amount. Market capitalization is calculated by multiplying the total number of Ethereum in circulation by the Ethereum price. Compared to the Bitcoin market capitalization, however, Ethereum was not yet as popular.

Ethereum (ETH-USD) Historical Dataset from 2015 to 2021

Date: Represents the date at which the share is traded in the stock market.

Open: Represents the opening price of the stock at a particular date. It is the price at which a stock started trading when the opening bell rang.

Close: Represents the closing price of the stock at a particular date. It is the last buy-sell order executed between two traders. The closing price is the raw price, which is just the cash value of the last transacted price before the market closes.

High: The high is the highest price at which a stock is traded during a period. Here the period is a day.

Low: The low is the lowest price at which a stock is traded during a period. Here the period is a day.

Adj Close: The adjusted closing price amends a stock's closing price to reflect that stock's value after accounting for any corporate actions. The adjusted closing price factors in corporate actions, such as stock splits, dividends, and rights offerings.

Volume: Volume is the number of shares of security traded during a given period of time. Here the security is stock and the period of time is a day.

Sources: Investopedia

Prices for ETHUSC Ether USD Coin including live quotes, historical charts and news. ETHUSC Ether USD Coin was last updated by Trading Economics this August 31 of 2025.

Context

In the last few days, I have been hearing a lot of buzz around cryptocurrencies. Things like Block chain, Bitcoin, Bitcoin cash, Ethereum, Ripple etc are constantly coming in the news articles I read. So I wanted to understand more about it and this post helped me get started. Once the basics are done, the DS guy sleeping inside me (always lazy.!) woke up and started raising questions like

1. How many such cryptocurrencies are there and what are their prices and valuations?
2. Why is there a sudden surge in the interest in recent days? Is it due to the increase in the price in the last few days? etc.

For getting answers to all these questions (and if possible to predict the future prices ;)), I started getting the data from coinmarketcap about the cryptocurrencies.

Content

This dataset has the historical price information of some of the top cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. The currencies included are

• Bitcoin
• Ethereum
• Ripple
• Bitcoin cash
• Bitconnect
• Dash
• Ethereum Classic
• Iota
• Litecoin
• Monero
• Nem
• Neo
• Numeraire
• Stratis
• Waves

In case if you are interested in the prices of some other currencies, please post in comments section and I will try to add them in the next version. I am planning to revise it once in a week.

Dataset has one csv file for each currency. Price history is available on a daily basis from April 28, 2013 till Aug 07, 2017. The columns in the csv file are

• Date : date of observation
• Open : Opening price on the given day
• High : Highest price on the given day
• Low : Lowest price on the given day
• Close : Closing price on the given day
• Volume : Volume of transactions on the given day
• Market Cap : Market capitalization in USD

Acknowledgements

This data is taken from coinmarketcap and it is free to use the data.

Cover Image : Photo by Thomas Malama on Unsplash

Inspiration

Some of the questions which could be inferred from this dataset are:

1. How did the historical prices / market capitalizations of various currencies change over time?
2. Predicting the future price of the currencies
3. Which currencies are more volatile and which ones are more stable?
4. How does the price fluctuations of currencies correlate with each other?
5. Seasonal trend in the price fluctuations

The price of the native coin from BNB Chain (formerly BSC) grew by 50 percent in late 2021 but was much lower in 2022. On August 27, 2025, for example, a single BNB coin was worth more than 864.12 U.S. dollars - a value that is very different from the all-time high of 864.12 U.S. dollars in November 2021. Regardless, Binance Coin ranked in the top 10 most expensive cryptocurrencies in 2022. Noticeable is that the price increase of BNB in November 2021 coincides with a similar price change for Ethereum (ETH), a cryptocurrency where BNB initially originated in 2017 before coming to its own years later.BNB's history: From a reward token in 2017 to an ecosystem after 2019As the name suggests, Binance Coin, or BNB, originally started as an extension of the Binance.com trading platform, the most used cryptocurrency exchange in the world. It initially functioned on the Ethereum blockchain network as an ERC-20 token, offering incentives to owners like reduced trading fees, affiliate rewards, or a lottery ticket system ('Launchpad') that let users invest in new, Binance-selected crypto projects. In 2019, however, BNB moved away from the Ethereum network and migrated to Binance's self-developed blockchain: Binance Smart Chain, or BSC (called BNB Chain since February 2022). Here, BNB started to support a chain that initially did not focus on hosting decentralized apps but focused on high transaction speed and being able to handle large amounts of traffic.DeFi and GameFi: the main segments for BNBBSC, however, made significant strides in 2021, partly due to traffic overload and high gas prices on Ethereum, as well as the growing interest in both Decentralized Finance (DeFI) and NFTs. Much like Cardano, Solana, and Terra, Binance Smart Chain consequently became a valid alternative to Ethereum. The total value locked (TVL) of BNBs blockchain within DeFi, for example, ranked only behind that of Terra and Ethereum in early 2022. Another area where Binance's blockchain and token play a significant role is that of GameFi, or 'play-to-earn' blockchain games that are powered by cryptocurrencies. Some of the more well-known and most popular NFT games, like Alien Worlds and Axie Infinity, run on the blockchain behind BNB.

The price of the cryptocurrency based on the famous internet meme broke its price decline in early November 2022, as people started buying the coin after FTX's collapse. This rally only lasted for a few days, however, as a Dogecoin was worth roughly 0.22 U.S. dollars on August 27, 2025. This is a different development than in 2021, when the crypto became very popular in a short amount of time. Between January 28 and January 29, 2021, Dogecoin's value grew by around 216 percent to 0.023535 U.S. dollars after comments from Tesla CEO Elon Musk. The digital coin quickly grew to become the most talked-about cryptocurrency available, not necessarily for its price - the prices of Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Ripple (XRP), and several other virtual currencies were much higher than those of DOGE - but for its growth.

Ripple, or XRP, prices surged in 2021 but went down significantly as 2022 progressed. As of August 27, 2025, one XRP token was worth 3.01 U.S. dollars. Ethereum's price, for example, kept on reaching new all-time highs, a feat not performed by XRP. Indeed, XRP's price spikes followed relatively late - only occurring in early 2021, against late 2020 for most other cryptos - after the US SEC filed a legal complaint against Ripple in November 2020. This legal action caused the XRP price to plummet from around 0.70 U.S. dollars to 0.20 U.S. dollars.Ripple versus XRP: two become oneTechnically speaking, Ripple is not a cryptocurrency. Renamed from a protocol called OpenCoin in 2013, Ripple facilitates open-source payments. XRP, on the other hand, is the cryptocurrency that runs on this network. In that sense, Ripple and XRP have a similar symbiosis to each other, like the Ethereum network and its cryptocurrency, Ether. Unlike Ethereum - whose price changes are connected to the world of Decentralized Finance or DeFI - Ripple/XRP mostly looks at developments in cross-border payments for companies. In 2020, companies worldwide began to favor fintech solutions for future B2B solutions and, in a way, Ripple is an extension of that.What affects the price of Ripple?Ripple is mostly active in Southeast Asia - a region with a splintered payment landscape and that heavily investigates its own types of state-issued cryptocurrency to make cross-border payments a lot easier. Price spikes tend to follow news on this topic in this specific region. In 2019, for example, the XRP price grew after Japan and South Korea began testing to reduce time and costs for transferring international funds between the two countries. In March 2021, Ripple announced that it had agreed to acquire 40 percent of Malaysian cross-border payments firm Tranglo to meet growing demand in Southeast Asia.

The market cap of the top 10 stablecoin initially multiplied over time, reaching a combined value of over ****** billion USD in August 2025. Note this value does not include TerraUSD (UST), the algorithmic stablecoin tied to the LUNA crypto which declined severely in May 2022. Up to then, estimates reveal that the market cap had more than tripled within five months - likely following growing interest worldwide in cryptocurrencies, after sudden price spikes in a coin like Dogecoin (DOGE). Stability above all, or what does a stablecoin do? Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies - like the commonly known Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) - but their value is determined differently. Whilst the price of Bitcoin mainly follows supply - how many coins are being mined or are available to purchase - and demand - how many investors want to buy the coin - stablecoins are synthetically connected to the price of an altogether different asset. Tether's USDT, for instance, is connected to the price development of the U.S. dollar (USD): if the U.S. dollar falls in the FX market, so does the USDT. Compare this to the "regular" price history of a cryptocurrency like Ripple (XRP) and stablecoins reveal themselves to be a relatively less volatile digital currency to either use or invest in than their counterparts in the free market. A test ground for digital payments This stability of these particular cryptocurrencies is important for two areas in digital payments that do not prefer volatility. For instance, these coins are a popular choice within the world of Decentralized Finance or DeFi - an online financial market without the supervision of central bank that relies on cryptocurrencies for payments and loans. Because of that reliance, it is a market that can rapidly change in size due to price fluctuations or changing transaction fees of certain cryptocurrencies - something that is less likely to occur when using stablecoins. Additionally, stablecoins are considered the inspiration for so-called CBDC or Central Bank Digital Currencies - such as China's e-CNY currency or the "digital euro" that is being researched in the EU-27. In terms of how advanced countries worldwide are into researching their own cryptocurrency, China ranked third in 2020, behind Cambodia, and The Bahamas.

Goerli ETH Ang pagsubaybay sa kasaysayan ng presyo ay nagbibigay-daan sa mga crypto investor na madaling masubaybayan ang performance ng kanilang pamumuhunan. Maginhawa mong masusubaybayan ang opening value, high, at close sa Goerli ETH sa paglipas ng panahon, pati na rin ang trade volume. Bukod pa rito, maaari mong agad na tingnan ang pang-araw-araw na pagbabago bilang isang porsyento, na ginagawang effortless na tukuyin ang mga araw na may significant fluctuations. Ayon sa aming data ng history ng presyo ng Goerli ETH, tumaas ang halaga nito sa hindi pa naganap na peak sa 2023-02-20, na lumampas sa $23.5 USD. Sa kabilang banda, ang pinakamababang punto sa trajectory ng presyo ni Goerli ETH, na karaniwang tinutukoy bilang "Goerli ETH all-time low", ay naganap noong 2025-04-08. Kung ang isa ay bumili ng Goerli ETH sa panahong iyon, kasalukuyan silang masisiyahan sa isang kahanga-hangang kita na -100%. Sa pamamagitan ng disenyo, ang 5,321,330.49 Goerli ETH ay malilikha. Sa ngayon, ang circulating supply ng Goerli ETH ay tinatayang 0. Ang lahat ng mga presyong nakalista sa pahinang ito ay nakuha mula sa Bitget, galing sa isang reliable source. Napakahalagang umasa sa iisang pinagmulan upang suriin ang iyong mga investment, dahil maaaring mag-iba ang mga halaga sa iba't ibang nagbebenta. Kasama sa aming makasaysayang Goerli ETH dataset ng presyo ang data sa pagitan ng 1 minuto, 1 araw, 1 linggo, at 1 buwan (bukas/mataas/mababa/close/volume). Ang mga dataset na ito ay sumailalim sa mahigpit na pagsubok upang matiyak ang consistency, pagkakumpleto, at accurancy. Ang mga ito ay partikular na idinisenyo para sa trade simulation at mga layunin ng backtesting, madaling magagamit para sa libreng pag-download, at na-update sa real-time.

EGG ETH Ang pagsubaybay sa kasaysayan ng presyo ay nagbibigay-daan sa mga crypto investor na madaling masubaybayan ang performance ng kanilang pamumuhunan. Maginhawa mong masusubaybayan ang opening value, high, at close sa EGG ETH sa paglipas ng panahon, pati na rin ang trade volume. Bukod pa rito, maaari mong agad na tingnan ang pang-araw-araw na pagbabago bilang isang porsyento, na ginagawang effortless na tukuyin ang mga araw na may significant fluctuations. Ayon sa aming data ng history ng presyo ng EGG ETH, tumaas ang halaga nito sa hindi pa naganap na peak sa 2024-03-10, na lumampas sa $0.0002391 USD. Sa kabilang banda, ang pinakamababang punto sa trajectory ng presyo ni EGG ETH, na karaniwang tinutukoy bilang "EGG ETH all-time low", ay naganap noong 2024-10-09. Kung ang isa ay bumili ng EGG ETH sa panahong iyon, kasalukuyan silang masisiyahan sa isang kahanga-hangang kita na -100%. Sa pamamagitan ng disenyo, ang 6B EGG ETH ay malilikha. Sa ngayon, ang circulating supply ng EGG ETH ay tinatayang 0. Ang lahat ng mga presyong nakalista sa pahinang ito ay nakuha mula sa Bitget, galing sa isang reliable source. Napakahalagang umasa sa iisang pinagmulan upang suriin ang iyong mga investment, dahil maaaring mag-iba ang mga halaga sa iba't ibang nagbebenta. Kasama sa aming makasaysayang EGG ETH dataset ng presyo ang data sa pagitan ng 1 minuto, 1 araw, 1 linggo, at 1 buwan (bukas/mataas/mababa/close/volume). Ang mga dataset na ito ay sumailalim sa mahigpit na pagsubok upang matiyak ang consistency, pagkakumpleto, at accurancy. Ang mga ito ay partikular na idinisenyo para sa trade simulation at mga layunin ng backtesting, madaling magagamit para sa libreng pag-download, at na-update sa real-time.

Snapshot img

Cryptocurrency Market Size 2025-2029

The cryptocurrency market size is forecast to increase by USD 39.75 billion, at a CAGR of 16.7% between 2024 and 2029.

The Cryptocurrency Market is segmented by distribution channel (Sales Personnel, Insurance Agencies), type (Life, Non-life), mode (Offline, Online), end-user (Corporate, Individual), and geography (North America: US, Canada; Europe: France, Germany, UK; APAC: Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea; Rest of World). This segmentation reflects the market's diversity, driven by increasing adoption of Online modes for Individual end-users, particularly in APAC regions like India and South Korea, growing demand for Non-life cryptocurrency products through Insurance Agencies, and Corporate engagement via Sales Personnel in North America and Europe, catering to varied financial and investment needs across global markets.
The market is experiencing significant growth, driven by increasing investment in digital assets and the acceptance of cryptocurrency by retailers. This trend signifies a shift in the financial landscape, as more individuals and businesses recognize the potential benefits of decentralized currencies. However, the market's volatility poses a considerable challenge. The unpredictable value fluctuations can create uncertainty for investors and businesses alike, necessitating careful strategic planning and risk management. Companies seeking to capitalize on this market's opportunities must stay informed of the latest trends and be prepared to navigate the inherent risks. E-commerce, luxury goods, insurance, and even cryptocurrency debit cards are increasingly accepting digital currencies as payment methods.
Adopting innovative technologies, such as blockchain and smart contracts, can help mitigate risks and provide a competitive edge. Additionally, collaborations and partnerships with established financial institutions and retailers can further solidify a company's position in the market. Overall, the market presents both opportunities and challenges, requiring strategic agility and a forward-thinking approach.

What will be the Size of the Cryptocurrency Market during the forecast period?

Explore in-depth regional segment analysis with market size data - historical 2019-2023 and forecasts 2025-2029 - in the full report.
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The market continues to evolve, with dynamic interplays between decentralized storage solutions, hardware wallets, and crypto wallets shaping the landscape. Merchant adoption is on the rise, driving up market capitalization and pushing the boundaries of cryptocurrency security. Proof-of-work (POW) and hashing algorithms underpin the foundations of this decentralized economy, while cryptocurrency derivatives and decentralized finance (DeFi) offer new avenues for portfolio diversification. Open-source software fuels the innovation, with smart contracts paving the way for automated transactions. Cryptocurrency trading is a constant activity, with options contracts, futures contracts, and other instruments adding complexity. The integration of decentralized exchanges (DEXs) and yield farming further expands the market's reach.

Cryptocurrency's applications extend beyond digital assets, touching upon privacy-enhancing technologies, philanthropy, community development, and more. The integration of decentralized governance, consensus mechanisms, and decentralized identity adds layers of complexity and potential. Risk management is a critical component, with cryptocurrency education and security audits essential for investors. The emergence of privacy coins, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and decentralized applications (dApps) adds to the market's diversity. The market is a dynamic, ever-evolving ecosystem, shaped by ongoing activities and emerging patterns. Quantum computing and regulatory developments pose new challenges, while the integration of cryptocurrency payments, cold storage, and trading volume continues to drive growth.

The future of this decentralized economy is bright, with continuous innovation and adaptation shaping its trajectory.

How is this Cryptocurrency Industry segmented?

The cryptocurrency industry research report provides comprehensive data (region-wise segment analysis), with forecasts and estimates in 'USD billion' for the period 2025-2029, as well as historical data from 2019-2023 for the following segments.

Type

  Bitcoin
  Ethereum
  Others
  Ripple
  Bitcoin Cash
  Cardano


Component

  Hardware
  Software


Process

  Mining
  Transaction
  Mining
  Transaction


End-Use

  Trading
  E-commerce and Retail
  Peer-to-Peer Payment
  Remittance
  Trading
  E-commerce and Retail
  Peer-to-Peer Payment
  Remittance


Geography

  North America

    US
    Canada


  Europe

    Germany
    Italy
    Switzerland
    The Netherlands
    UK


  APAC

    China
    Japan


  South America

    Brazil

Following NFT hype and growing demand in the DeFi community, the price of cryptocurrency Solana, or SOL, more than tripled during the summer of 2021. This had all but evaporated by the end of 2022, as a price of 195.99 U.S. dollars for SOL on August 27, 2025, was similar to the price of Solana in early 2021. The collapse of crypto trader FTX in 2022 especially impacted the cryptocurrency, as FTX and its sister firm Alameda Research sold a large amount of the coin to avoid bankruptcy. The Solana protocol is similar to Ethereum in that it can allow for non-fungible tokens to be created ('minted') or traded. Solana, however, uses a technology called 'PoH' or Proof of History, which allows it to reach high transaction speeds. The Solana Foundation, the creators of the protocol, based in Switzerland, claims they could reach up to 65,000 transactions per second compared to 16 for Ethereum. Additionally, Solano had no transaction fees or 'gas', unlike Ethereum, which had growing transaction costs. These two reasons combined - Solana being deemed cheaper and faster than Ethereum - turned this relatively young protocol into a breeding ground for NFT projects in August 2021.

Memecoin Shiba Inu saw its price grow by more than 300 percent within one and the same month, marking a trading fury reminiscent of Dogecoin in early 2021. Indeed, the SHIB coin ranked as one of the biggest crypto in the world based on 24h trading volume in October 2021 - with trading activity being almost as high as that of Ethereum. Originally starting out as a fun token based on the famous Japanese dog breed, the digital currency grabbed mainstream attention in 2021 probably due to its low barrier of entry: Even after its price spikes, Shiba Inu was one of the cheapest coins available, especially when compared to the price of 99 other cryptocurrencies. Combine this with survey information that most consumers in the U.S. and the UK invest in crypto either for growth or fun, and Shiba Inu is probably seen by many as a relatively simple, "quick win" investment. As of May 19, 2025, the price of one million Shiba Inu is 14.08.

Swiss cryptocurrency Cardano (ADA) witnessed a price surge of nearly 100 percent in seven days in early February 2021, amid high interest from investors. One reason for this interest is the digital coin's close relation to Ethereum (ETH), as mathematician Charles Hoskinson co-founded both virtual currencies. Moreover, like Ethereum, ADA has an open-source format, meaning anybody can develop this currency further. As of August 27, 2025, one ADA token was worth 0.87 U.S. dollars.

Crypto 24h trading volume declined as 2023 progressed, with figures being ********* lower than in 2022. The decline follows Binance - one of the biggest crypto exchanges in the world - received lawsuits in the United States. Observations are also that the crypto market was quiet after April, citing a lack of a "strong overarching narrative". This contrasts with 2021 and 2022 when cryptocurrency dominated the news and many people sought fortune in the digital currency. Bitcoin developments Bitcoin's trade volume slowed in the second quarter of 2023, after hitting a noticeable growth at the beginning of the year. The coin outperformed most of the market. Some attribute this to the announcement in June 2023 that BlackRock filed for a Bitcoin ETF. This iShares Bitcoin Trust was to use Coinbase Custody as its custodian. Regulators in the United States had not yet approved any applications for spot ETFs on Bitcoin. Changes in Ethereum staking in 2023 Ethereum's trade volume changed in 2023 due to the rollout of the Shapella (Shanghai and Cappella) upgrade. The update allowed investors to withdraw (unstake) Ethereum deposited into the network. Staking can be somewhat compared to depositing money at a bank, where one would submit money to be held and gains interest as time goes by. Lido has the highest staking pool (a platform that allows for staking) in Ethereum, higher than major crypto exchanges Coinbase and Kraken. As of August 21, 2025, the 24h trading volume stands at ******.

The market cap of Solana, a cryptocurrency connected with Decentralized Finance or DeFi, grew by *** percent in the summer of 2021. Originally launched only in **********, the rapid growth in 2021 made the digital coin one of the biggest in the world in terms of market capitalization. The altcoin's move into the spotlight coincided with the growing interest in NFTs and especially DeFi, as Solana is one of the biggest blockchains in this world. It is seen as a direct competitor to Ethereum, in that it can power decentralized applications, but in a more efficient way. Solana is said, for instance, to reach transaction speeds that are similar to a VISA transaction whilst using far less energy than Bitcoin miners.

Beeple's First 5000 Days digital artwork was by far the most expensive non-fungible token (NFT) sold in 2021 at the time of publication, with most other projects stemming from gaming and collectibles. Mike Winkelmann's piece was also significantly more expensive than other art pieces, with Hairy's #1/1 being sold for roughly 550 ETH (or 1,000 U.S. dollars) on March 14, 2021. Note the significant price difference between this piece and the collectible CryptoPunk 6487 on February 22: Both sold for around 550 ETH, but their value in USD varied significantly due to both the Ethereum price as the transactions cost for the cryptocurrency - something referred to as the Ethereum gas price. It is this price difference that increasingly led people in 2021 to see NFT, or non-fungible tokens, as a viable tool for investment. Indeed, the NFT market cap grew nearly ten-fold between 2018 and 2020.

In May 2022, over ***** billion Terra Classic – the 1.0 version of LUNA - tokens were issued and went into active circulation in a few days. The cryptocurrency’s built-in algorithm triggered this correction following the coin’s significant price drop that month. Terra’s algorithm would "burn" (permanently destroying) LUNA so that it created something else instead: TerraUSD (UST), a stablecoin within the same blockchain. This automated system was meant to keep the price of UST level, potentially avoiding economic sentiment. Because of this initial promise of stability, Terra and its two coins initially played a significant role in crypto lending. The poster child of algorithmic stablecoins Up until May 2022, TerraUSD (UST) was the biggest stablecoin that functioned with an algorithm. At the end of April 2022, the market cap of TerraUSD – now TerraClassicUSD – was *** times larger than what it was one month later, comparable in size to Binance USD. Algorithmic stablecoins are relatively new and, as most stablecoins, have an external asset as collateral. Several of the biggest stablecoins in the world, for example, are backed by real-world U.S. dollar assets, such as cash or securities. Others – such as DAI – rely on the backing of other cryptocurrencies, such as Ethereum (ETH). TerraUSD had little to no backing, relying on a closed ecosystem. Reset or revival: The LUNA (2.0) aftermath Terra got reset on May 28, 2022: A new *** coin released – taking over the Terra (LUNA) name - whilst the "original" crypto was abandoned and became Terra Classic (LUNC). TerraUSD (UST) remained but became TerraClassicUSD (USTC). Several of the *** LUNA holders, however, hoped for a different solution, rather seeing the (***) coin’s supply be bought back by the company who issued them. The company would then burn them, hopefully restoring the price of the original LUNA. Do Kown, the CEO of the Terra system, stated his company did not have the funds for such a big undertaking. He instead shared a blockchain address on Twitter where individuals could burn their tokens themselves. By June 2022, roughly **** LUNA tokens were destroyed that way – a burn rate of roughly ***** percent compared to the overall circulating supply.