Current Price of Ethereum
As of 8 a.m. ET, the price of ethereum, or 1 ETH, is trading at $3,403.34. The highest intraday price that ethereum reached in the past year was $4,088.00 on March 12, 2024.
Ethereum Price Chart
The chart above is updated daily at 8 a.m. ET and does not display intraday highs or lows.
Ethereum, launched in 2015, is not the first altcoin but is the most popular and successful. Its blockchain has seen significant growth and returns over the past nine years.
Ethereum Price History
*The chart above is updated daily at 8 a.m. ET and does not display intraday highs or lows.
Ethereum’s 52-week intraday high was on March 12, 2024, trading at $4,088.00 per ETH. Its 52-week intraday low was $1,500.00 on Aug. 17, 2023. The cryptocurrency has a market capitalization of $414.46 billion and is up 82% year over year.
Ethereum Market Cap
Today, ethereum’s market capitalization stands at $414.46 billion, second only to bitcoin. Together, bitcoin and ethereum represent 71% of the entire cryptocurrency market. Other altcoins with relatively high market capitalizations include solana, XRP, and DOGE.
The combined crypto market dominance of bitcoin and ethereum has been on a steady rise since late 2022, impacting global financial markets.
Ethereum’s market cap is comparable to major blue-chip stocks like UnitedHealthcare Group and Mastercard.
What is Ethereum?
Ethereum is a blockchain-based network designed for secure, decentralized financial transactions. Its native cryptocurrency is ether. Unlike bitcoin, ethereum’s programmable blockchain enables users to verify and execute code, including smart contracts and decentralized applications.
The decentralized nature of the ethereum network allows developers to run programs without relying on third parties. Applications on the ethereum blockchain include gaming, socializing, decentralized finance options, and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
Ethereum Gas Price
Ethereum gas is the fee users pay to process transactions or use smart contracts on the network. Gas fees are measured in gwei, with one gwei equal to one billionth of one ETH.
History of Ethereum Prices
Ethereum Prices 2015-2020
Ethereum’s price had humble beginnings, reaching an all-time low of 42 cents shortly after its launch in July 2015. The cryptocurrency saw significant growth in 2017, peaking at around $1,300 in January 2018.
Enthusiasm for cryptocurrency waned in 2018, leading to a crypto winter. The next boom started in 2020, partially driven by government shutdowns and stimulus checks.
Ethereum Prices 2021-2024
Ethereum prices hit $4,891.70 in November 2021 but dipped below $900 during the 2022 crypto winter. Prices rallied in 2023 and 2024 due to optimism about the U.S. economic outlook and regulatory approvals.
In May 2024, the SEC approved applications to list ether ETFs on major exchanges, further boosting ethereum prices.
Ethereum Price vs. Bitcoin Price
Since its launch in 2015, both bitcoin and ethereum have been lucrative investments. The past year has seen bitcoin outperform ethereum, with a 101% gain compared to ethereum’s 82%.
How to Buy and Store Ethereum
Ethereum can be bought on popular cryptocurrency exchanges, online brokerages, and payment apps like Venmo and PayPal. It can also be purchased through cryptocurrency ATMs.
Those buying ethereum directly need to store it in a cryptocurrency wallet, which can be hardware or software-based.
When it comes to storing your ethereum, you have options like hot wallets and cold wallets. Hot wallets are known for their convenience, but cold wallets offer more security.
If you prefer not to buy ethereum directly, you can still invest in the ethereum market through ethereum funds. The SEC has approved ethereum futures ETFs, such as the VanEck Ethereum Strategy ETF (EFUT), ProShares Ether Strategy ETF (EETH), and Bitwise Ethereum Strategy ETF (AETH). Additionally, the Grayscale Ethereum Trust (ETHE) tracks the price of ETH and currently holds around $11 billion in assets.
In a significant move in May 2024, the SEC allowed ETFs to buy and hold ethereum directly. This decision follows a similar approval for bitcoin ETFs in January 2024 for spot holdings. The acceptance of ether ETFs shows a shift in the legal landscape regarding cryptocurrencies.
For those curious about ethereum, its highest price to date was $4,891.70 on Nov. 16, 2021. As for mining ethereum, it is no longer possible since the network switched to a proof-of-stake model. However, investors can still earn through staking ETH in the new system.