Bitcoin price history: how BTC has evolved since 2009
Explore the timeline of Bitcoin’s price movements – from its inception to today.
The world’s first cryptocurrency, Bitcoin (BTC), was created in 2009 by a mysterious developer – or group of developers – under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. That year, Nakamoto completed the peer-to-peer payment protocol that became Bitcoin. On 3 January 2009, the first block – known as the genesis block – was mined, containing 50 BTC. The first-ever Bitcoin transaction took place on 12 January 2009, when Nakamoto sent 10 BTC to developer Hal Finney, who is widely believed to have been involved in Bitcoin’s early development.
Since then, Bitcoin’s price has seen periods of rapid appreciation and sharp decline. Institutional investors have shown increasing interest, while governments worldwide continue to debate whether to regulate, restrict or adopt digital assets.
Bitcoin price history
When Bitcoin first launched, its market value was effectively zero. There were no cryptocurrency exchanges or peer-to-peer platforms, making it impossible to trade BTC.
Let’s look at how Bitcoin’s price has evolved over time:
How much was BTC worth in 2009?
In 2009, Bitcoin had no market price and could not be traded.
How much was BTC worth in 2010
Trading began on 17 March 2010 with the launch of BitcoinMarket.com, the first cryptocurrency exchange.
In May 2010, US programmer Laszlo Hanyecz made the first real-world Bitcoin purchase – two pizzas for 10,000 BTC, worth around $25 at the time (Bitcoin was valued at $0.0025). As of 7 November 2025, those 10,000 BTC would be worth about $1.01 billion.
Throughout 2010, Bitcoin’s price remained below $1.
Bitcoin price in 2011
2011 marked Bitcoin’s first significant rally. The price surpassed $1, attracting mainstream attention. In April, TIME magazine published its first article about Bitcoin, helping boost awareness.
By early June, BTC climbed to $32 before falling back to $10.
In June 2011, the Mt. Gox exchange was hacked – an attacker manipulated prices from $17 to $0.01 to withdraw BTC. Mt. Gox was later hacked again in 2014.
Bitcoin price in 2012
In 2012, Bitcoin’s price reached $13.44, coinciding with its first halving event, when block rewards were reduced from 50 BTC to 25 BTC. Halvings occur roughly every four years to help limit Bitcoin’s total supply to 21 million coins.
Bitcoin price in 2013
By spring 2013, Bitcoin broke the $100 mark and, by November, exceeded $1,000, reaching a then-record $1,151. BTC would not revisit this level until 2017.
How much did Bitcoin cost in 2014?
In early 2014, Mt. Gox suffered another major hack, losing about 744,000 BTC – roughly 70% of global trading volume at the time. The event triggered a prolonged downturn in crypto markets, with prices falling for months.
How much did Bitcoin cost in 2015?
In 2015, BTC peaked around $430, showing little movement as the market consolidated after the crash.
Bitcoin price in 2016
Bitcoin resumed growth in 2016 but remained below $1,000. The second halving reduced mining rewards to 12.5 BTC. That year, Craig Wright claimed to be Satoshi Nakamoto – a claim that remains disputed within the crypto community.
How much did Bitcoin cost in 2017?
2017 marked Bitcoin’s first global bull run. Starting near $960 in January, BTC hit $5,000 by September and reached a historic high of $19,483 on 17 December before a sharp correction. This year also saw the emergence of Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Bitcoin Gold (BTG) following network splits known as hard forks.
Bitcoin price in 2018
The next prolonged downturn, often referred to as a crypto winter, began in 2018. BTC fell from $9,800 in January to $3,800 by year-end – an 80% decline. Major tech platforms including Google, Twitter and Meta temporarily banned cryptocurrency advertising.
How much did Bitcoin cost in 2019?
Bitcoin briefly recovered to $13,785 in June 2019 before dropping again to $6,600. The launch of the Bakkt platform, aimed at institutional investors, failed to meet expectations.
How much was Bitcoin worth in 2020?
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Bitcoin saw strong growth. After falling to $3,800 in March, BTC ended the year near $19,000 as investors viewed it as a potential inflation hedge. PayPal also began supporting cryptocurrency transactions, and the third halving occurred this year.
Bitcoin price in 2021
2021 was Bitcoin’s most active year. BTC’s market capitalisation exceeded $1 trillion on 21 February. Prices reached $40K in January, $57K in February, $63K in April and an all-time high of $69K in November. Global developments drove volatility – China banned crypto transactions and mining, while El Salvador adopted Bitcoin as legal tender.
Bitcoin price in 2022
2022 brought steep declines. Bitcoin fell below $33K in January amid geopolitical unrest and US monetary tightening. The collapses of Terra (LUNA) and FTX severely affected investor confidence. By year-end, BTC traded around $16,600.
How much was Bitcoin worth in 2023?
In 2023, Bitcoin began recovering, trading between $25K and $30K through spring. By October, BTC rose to $35,200, its highest level since May 2022, driven by optimism over the potential approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs in the US. Over the year, BTC’s price roughly doubled, recovering a significant portion of its earlier losses.
How much was Bitcoin worth in 2024
2024 began with a major development: on 11 January, the US SEC approved 11 spot Bitcoin ETFs. BTC climbed to $49K, reached $73K in March and later peaked at $89,500 in November following Donald Trump’s US presidential victory, which boosted market sentiment.
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.
Bitcoin price now (2025)
After a brief correction in January to $76K, Bitcoin rallied again. By May, BTC reached a new all-time high near $104K, climbing to between $119K and $123K in July. In mid-August, intrayear highs extended to about $124,500. As of 7 November 2025, Bitcoin trades around $100,900 (closing price).
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.
Bitcoin historical price summary (USD)
| Year | Min price | Max price | Key events |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | $0.00 | $0.00 | Bitcoin launch, first block mined |
| 2010 | $0.003 | $0.39 | First exchange, first BTC purchase (10,000 BTC for two pizzas) |
| 2011 | $0.30 | $32 | First major volatility, Mt. Gox hack |
| 2012 | $4 | $13.50 | First halving |
| 2013 | $13 | $1,151 | First major bull run |
| 2014 | $310 | $990 | Mt. Gox collapse, start of crypto winter |
| 2015 | $170 | $504 | Market consolidation |
| 2016 | $370 | $978 | Second halving |
| 2017 | $963 | $19,783 | ICO boom, BTC enters mainstream |
| 2018 | $3,200 | $17,500 | Market crash, crypto winter |
| 2019 | $3,400 | $13,880 | Partial recovery, Bakkt launch |
| 2020 | $3,800 | $28,900 | COVID-19, third halving |
| 2021 | $29,000 | $69,000 | Record highs, El Salvador adopts BTC |
| 2022 | $15,500 | $48,000 | Terra and FTX collapses |
| 2023 | $16,600 | $42,000 | Market recovery, ETF optimism |
| 2024 | $49,000 | $89,500 | 11 US spot Bitcoin ETFs approved |
| 2025 | $76,000 | $124,531 | New all-time high in August |
Disclaimer
- Price data are approximate and may vary between exchanges.
- Historical performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.
- Cryptocurrencies remain highly volatile and may experience sharp price fluctuations.
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FAQ
What is Bitcoin’s current all-time high (ATH)?
The latest Bitcoin ATH can be viewed on the BTC/USD chart on Capital.com. As of August 2025, Bitcoin reached around $124,500. Data updates in real time.
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.
How much was Bitcoin worth at the beginning?
Initially, Bitcoin had no established market value. The first recorded price appeared in 2010, at approximately $0.003 per BTC.
What influences Bitcoin’s price?
Bitcoin’s price is affected by various factors, including macroeconomic trends, regulatory developments, exchange-traded fund (ETF) approvals, halving events and institutional participation.
Can Bitcoin fall again?
Yes. The cryptocurrency market is highly volatile and subject to rapid changes.
Past price declines have been associated with exchange breaches, tighter regulations, project collapses and wider market uncertainty.
Could Bitcoin continue to rise?
Future price movements cannot be predicted with certainty.
While Bitcoin has shown long-term growth at times, its price remains highly sensitive to market sentiment and global events.
Traders should consider their financial objectives and risk tolerance before trading cryptocurrencies.
How much did Bitcoin cost in 2012?
In 2012, Bitcoin traded between $4 and $5 early in the year, rising to around $13–14 by December.
When was Bitcoin cheapest?
The lowest recorded Bitcoin price occurred in October 2009, when 1 BTC was valued at less than $0.01.