Ethereum average return, best months and biggest falls since 2017
9 years of daily prices in numbers: the average year, the best and worst months, every big fall and how long the recovery took. Prices to 14 October 2026.
Ethereum in US dollars. Like Bitcoin it trades every day of the week, so its figures include weekends.
On 14 October 2026, Ethereum stood 49.9% below its record close, on 22 August 2025. Over the past twelve months its highest close was 166% above its lowest.
How far Ethereum stood below its record high, week by week since 2017
Ethereum average return over the last 5 years
The table shows the average yearly return for each span up to 14 October 2026.
| Period | From | A year on average | In total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last 1 year | 14 Oct 2025 | −41.4% | −41% |
| Last 3 years | 14 Oct 2023 | +15.9% | +55% |
| Last 5 years | 14 Oct 2021 | −8.6% | −36% |
The average year
From 2018 to 2025, Ethereum rose in 4 of 8 calendar years. The average year gained +105.2% and the median year +21.6%. The best year was 2020 (+469.2%), the worst 2018 (−82.4%). This year to 14 October: −18.5%.
* Year to date.
Best and worst months
April has been the strongest month on average (+17.5%, higher in 6 of 9 years) and June the weakest (−11.7%, higher in 2 of 9). The gaps between months are small next to the swings inside any single month, so read them as tendencies, not rules.
Average change of Ethereum by calendar month, 2017–2025
The biggest falls, and how long the way back took
The deepest fall since 2017 took Ethereum 94.0% below its high of 13 January 2018. It hit bottom on 14 December 2018 after 11 months, and it took another 2.1 years to close above the old high again, on 2 February 2021.
| High | Low | Fall | Fall took | Back at the high | Recovery took |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Jan 2018 | 14 Dec 2018 | −94.0% | 11 months | 2 Feb 2021 | 2.1 years |
| 8 Nov 2021 | 18 Jun 2022 | −79.4% | 7 months | 22 Aug 2025 | 3.2 years |
| 22 Aug 2025 | 25 Jun 2026 | −67.6% | 10 months | not yet | 4 months so far |
| 11 May 2021 | 20 Jul 2021 | −57.1% | 2 months | 23 Oct 2021 | 3 months |
| 19 Feb 2021 | 28 Feb 2021 | −27.8% | 9 days | 1 Apr 2021 | 32 days |
How much it moves in a day
On a typical day Ethereum closes about 2.0% higher or lower. A move of more than 2% happened on 50% of trading days, and a move of more than 5% 591 times in 3,261 days. The largest rise was +26.5% on 12 December 2017; the largest fall −42.3% on 12 March 2020.
| Day | Average change | Days higher | Days counted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | +0.28% | 52% | 466 |
| Tuesday | −0.04% | 48% | 466 |
| Wednesday | +0.35% | 50% | 466 |
| Thursday | −0.28% | 45% | 465 |
| Friday | +0.25% | 53% | 466 |
| Saturday | +0.41% | 59% | 466 |
| Sunday | +0.15% | 52% | 466 |
Differences between weekdays are small and change from decade to decade. They are not a reason to trade on a given day.
Questions people ask
What is the best month for Ethereum?
No month is reliable. Since 2017, April has been the strongest on average (+17.5%, higher in 6 of 9 years) and June the weakest.
How much has Ethereum gained since 2017?
From 9 November 2017 to 14 October 2026: +654% in total, or +25.4% a year.
What was the biggest fall in Ethereum?
−94.0% from 13 January 2018 to 14 December 2018; it was back at its high on 2 February 2021.
How much does Ethereum move in a day?
About 2.0% on a typical day. Days with a move of more than 2% made up 50% of all trading days since 2017.
About these numbers
Prices in US dollars, every day of the week. Daily closing prices from 9 November 2017 to 14 October 2026. Before use, the series was checked for gaps and for jumps that are data errors rather than market moves.
This page describes past prices. It is not advice to buy or sell anything.