What if I Make investments $100 in Ethereum At the moment, What Would possibly Occur?

2025.09.02 2025.09.02
What if I Make investments $100 in Ethereum At the moment?

Oleg Tkachenkohttps://www.litefinance.org/weblog/authors/oleg-tkachenko/

The Ethereum community is the main platform for creating decentralized purposes (dApps). It ranks first by way of complete worth locked (TVL), surpassing TRON and Solana ecosystems. Ethereum is historically second solely to Bitcoin by way of market capitalization. Regardless of the ecosystem’s widespread adoption and improvement, excessive charges stay a big subject for the community, significantly throughout peak buying and selling hours.

Regardless of durations of great progress within the crypto market, Ethereum’s worth efficiency doesn’t at all times outpace Bitcoin. These fluctuations increase questions amongst buyers: why is without doubt one of the most influential cryptocurrencies exhibiting deeper corrections than the broader crypto market? How promising are long-term investments in Ethereum, and does the venture justify its standing? This evaluate will present the solutions to those and different essential questions on Ethereum.

Main Takeaways

• Ethereum is the most important blockchain community for creating decentralized purposes and good contracts. By way of the variety of startups deployed on the community, it surpasses its primary opponents, Solana and TRON. It ranks second by way of market cap after Bitcoin.
• The migration to the PoS algorithm in 2022 decreased the community’s complete power consumption by 99% and supplied customers further revenue from staking.
• Ethereum outperforms its opponents as a consequence of its distinctive Whole Worth Locked (TVL) and the very best variety of energetic builders. Though the community lags behind its opponents by way of parameters, it retains the belief of customers.
• Scalability, which is partially solved by deploying L1 and L2 options, and excessive community charges stay amongst Ethereum’s main issues.
• As for Ethereum’s previous efficiency, the coin reached its all-time excessive of $4951.66 on 24.08.2025.
• An evaluation of the ETH worth over the previous few years exhibits that Ethereum lags considerably behind different main cryptocurrencies by way of progress charges. Whereas Bitcoin, Solana, and TRON managed to get better, Ethereum demonstrates rather more modest efficiency. Furthermore, in periods of market stagnation or correction, ETH usually seems as the highest loser by way of drawdown depth among the many prime 20 cash by market capitalization.
• The 5-year worth forecast for Ethereum is moderately optimistic. Regardless of the prevailing challenges, competing networks haven’t but claimed clear management within the section.

What Makes Ethereum Useful?

Ethereum (ETH) is a blockchain-based community for creating decentralized purposes. It was created as a single decentralized digital machine. Builders can deploy any utility inside the community, together with oracles, gaming startups, and decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms.

Ethereum has a number of opponents, together with BNB Chain (BNB), Solana (SOL), Cardano (ADA), TRON (TRX), and Avalanche (AVAX), amongst others. The first aggressive components embrace transaction processing pace, community throughput, intra-network charges, community stability, and compatibility with different blockchains.

Strengths of the Ethereum blockchain know-how:

• Proof-of-Stake (PoS) consensus algorithm. The community transitioned to this algorithm in September 2022. In principle, this answer ought to assist enhance power effectivity and scalability. In actuality, community scalability points haven’t but been absolutely resolved.
• Scalability and Layer 2 options. To extend throughput, Ethereum helps quite a lot of Layer 2 protocols (Optimistic Rollups, ZK-Rollups). In easy phrases, builders have extra alternatives to launch appropriate startups with excessive transaction speeds.
• Staking. This chance appeared after the transition to the PoS algorithm. Staking is a further supply of revenue for long-term buyers, just like a financial institution deposit.
• Community stability and safety. One in every of Ethereum’s primary rivals, the Solana community, experiences comparatively frequent failures. Due to this fact, customers are likely to disregard Ethereum’s drawbacks in favor of community stability.

Nevertheless, Ethereum nonetheless faces sure obstacles. Updates geared toward resolving scalability points proceed to be delayed. Relating to the regulatory setting, it’s now clear that spot ETH ETFs have been accredited and are being traded; nonetheless, questions on future incentives proceed to be a subject of debate.

Is Ethereum a Good Funding At the moment?

Listed here are ETH’s up-to-date statistics:

An extended-term funding technique in Ethereum is usually a viable possibility.

Nevertheless, the platform encounters the next issues:

• Unsuccessful testing phases led to the postponement of deliberate updates. Consequently, buyers doubt the chance of a fast answer to the community’s scalability points.
• New opponents have entered the market. Ethereum can course of 15 transactions per second, whereas Solana can course of 65,000 transactions per second. In mid-2023, the Sui platform was launched, able to processing practically 300,000 transactions per second. Ethereum, a trailblazer on this area, is starting to face competitors from youthful and extra superior options.
• In early 2025, Galaxy Digital and different funds skilled vital gross sales of ETH, leading to a precipitous drawdown. Nevertheless, an accumulation section started, together with inflows into ETH ETFs. It’s probably that institutional buyers and main gamers intentionally decreased the value through the interval of stagnation to amass the asset at a decrease charge.
• Regardless of the SEC’s adoption of a extra tolerant stance and its initiatives in direction of transparency, together with the formal acknowledgment of liquid staking as a safety, no Ethereum ETF with staking has been accredited to this point.

In keeping with analysts, the correction noticed within the first half of 2025 was anticipated — the market continues to evolve cyclically. If elementary components and institutional urge for food stay unchanged, a brand new wave of progress is feasible inside 6 to 12 months. Even when ETH reaches a brand new all-time excessive, it could then slide to the $3,000–$3,500 vary.

There are numerous eventualities: within the occasion of a deeper correction, a pullback to the $1,500–1,700 assist zones is feasible. If the market reverses earlier, an inexpensive technique can be to purchase after a breakout of the $2,000 degree and maintain Ethereum till it reaches targets within the $3,000–3,500 vary. On this case, the return on investments in Ethereum might exceed 50–60% in a 12 months.

Understanding Ethereum’s Value Historical past and Volatility

The Ethereum ICO was held in 2014, and the community started full operation in 2015. At the moment, the price of ETH was round $0.30–$0.80. In 2016, the community confronted the most important hack at the moment, leading to a lack of roughly $60 million. At that time, a dispute arose: what ought to be performed? Ought to the Ethereum blockchain be rolled again, or ought to it stay as it’s? Because of the arduous fork, two networks emerged:

• Ethereum – a platform that permits earlier transactions to be modified and corrected.
• Ethereum Basic – the unique Ethereum community, which excludes adjustments. Customers can’t change transactions within the blockchain registry.

In January 2018, the coin reached its first vital historic excessive of over $1,100 amid the cryptocurrency increase, which rapidly ended with a market crash. ETH then plummeted to $80 by the top of 2018.

Over the next two years, the ETH crypto step by step recovered. By the top of 2020, the coin was value greater than $750, posting a tenfold acquire in simply two years, making Ethereum a very good funding. Some other conventional foreign money can hardly boast such skyrocketing progress.

In 2021, the cryptocurrency market skilled a golden interval, with Ethereum reaching a brand new all-time excessive of over $4,800. In 2022, one other market downturn occurred, however the ETH worth managed to stay above $1,000.

A major increase for the cryptocurrency market, which was recovering after the Terra (LUNA) startup crash and the FTX alternate chapter in 2022, was the SEC’s approval of spot BTC ETFs in January 2024. Though the market was already step by step recovering by that point.

Right here, I want to say a number of phrases about volatility.

Let’s take into account two eventualities: you invested $100 in Ethereum on January 1, 2023, when the market was nonetheless at its lowest level. On January 1, 2024, when the market had already begun to get better, the height progress was nonetheless forward. In each instances, you managed to withdraw your cash on the peak—for BTC, the ATH was in January 2025. We’ll use it as the first reference coin. For instance you offered your cash on January 1, 2025. For comparability, let’s take its primary competitor, Solana, its equally robust competitor, TRON, meme token Doge, and BTC.

Return on funding in % assuming cash are offered on January 1, 2025:

In comparison with BTC, its primary opponents, and meme cash, Ethereum loses by way of ROI utterly, and the date of buy doesn’t matter.

In 2025, the cryptocurrency market noticed vital shifts in opposition to Donald Trump’s political agenda, commerce wars, and frequent adjustments in unfavorable and optimistic information. This triggered excessive volatility, dragging the broader market down. Let’s take into account the second situation: you offered cash on April 23, 2025. Let’s additionally add one column with a $100 invested in Ethereum on January 1, 2025, on the market’s peak, which is a standard mistake amongst learners:

The general state of affairs stays unchanged. The numerous disparity in annual returns between BTC and ETH when bought on January 1, 2025, could be attributed to the absence of a sturdy correlation. BTC reached its peak in late January 2025, whereas ETH peaked in September 2024. Nevertheless, the overall development stays constant — ETH turns into extra inexpensive in periods of market weak point, just like weaker altcoins.

Regardless of its market place and recognition, ETH reveals volatility extra typical of second-tier altcoins. Excessive volatility can current alternatives for short-term speculative features. Alternatively, there’s a danger that the coin’s worth might reverse at any second.

What can be the results of a small funding of $100 in Ethereum at this time? The reply will depend on the time of 12 months whenever you learn this evaluate. Due to this fact, it’s unimaginable to offer a short-term forecast. The long-term Ethereum worth prediction signifies a average progress trajectory, with slower progress in comparison with the main cryptocurrencies.

Is $100 Sufficient to Put money into Ethereum?

The yield of Ethereum at totally different time durations is proven within the earlier block. Over the course of a 12 months, the coin can carry in additional than 50% revenue, however it will possibly additionally lose half its worth in a number of months. For those who invested $100 in Ethereum, you can earn $50 in a 12 months or lose the identical quantity.

Is an funding of $100 in Ethereum sufficient? It will depend on the funding horizon:

• For brief-term hypothesis, it’s greater than sufficient in case you use leverage.
• For long-term investments of 1-3 years, the potential earnings are roughly $100–$150 in a positive situation, with the chance of shedding at the very least half in an unfavorable situation, which makes it a questionable possibility.

At the moment, Ethereum stays a extremely risky asset: sharp worth swings make it a lovely instrument for short-term buying and selling. In the long run, progress can be attainable, however it’s more likely to be extra modest than that of its opponents.

Lately, ETH has been exhibiting indicators of a gentle restoration; nonetheless, it could be considerably cheaper at this time. For comparability, inventory indices at present yield 10–15% a 12 months, whereas shares yield 20–30%. Ethereum’s potential for a return of fifty% or extra per 12 months is interesting, however it’s only attainable with a profitable entry level and favorable market circumstances. The minimal funding threshold advisable is about at $1,000.

The right way to Make investments $100 in Ethereum: Funding Strategies 

There are a number of choices: turn into the direct proprietor of the cash or earn on the value distinction with out proudly owning ETH. The primary possibility provides two options: buying on an alternate after which storing the cash, for instance, in staking, or storing the cash in a chilly pockets.

1. Direct Ethereum Buy 

Doable choices:

• Buy on a centralized alternate. The only and most dependable possibility. Exchanges comparable to Binance, Bybit, and Coinbase are licensed firms.

Register, full verification, and buy ETH in any handy method. You’ll be able to pay in your buy instantly with Visa/Mastercard, e-wallets, stablecoins, P2P providers, and so on. It is a handy possibility for short-term funding choices and speculative cryptocurrency buying and selling.

Cash could be saved in your account on the alternate platform. Nevertheless, crypto exchanges aren’t proof against assaults from hackers. You’ll be able to ship cash to staking/farming and earn further on them, or put them into a chilly pockets.

• Purchase cash on decentralized (DEX) exchanges. These exchanges don’t require verification, however in addition they don’t provide accounts for storing cash. They’re solely used for getting and promoting crypto belongings, so you will have a crypto pockets for this goal.

• Trade providers. You’ll be able to alternate any foreign money or cryptocurrency for Ethereum. Nevertheless, it is best to have a registered pockets to which the switch shall be made. Nevertheless, there are quite a few fraudulent platforms. Typically, alternate providers cost excessive charges. You could find comparatively confirmed alternate providers on the Bestchange aggregator web site.

• Crypto ATMs. Just like a financial institution ATM, these are bodily gadgets situated on the road the place you should buy ETH with money. Nevertheless, on this case, it is best to have a pockets created prematurely to obtain the cash.
• Buy via wallets that assist ETH transactions. For instance, MetaMask and Belief Pockets are handy for long-term funding.

When selecting, take into account your short- or long-term targets, complete fee, degree of anonymity, comfort of the acquisition, and comfort of coin storage. In some international locations, monetary regulators could limit financial institution card transactions, and crypto ATMs can save the day.

2. CFD Buying and selling

In contrast to the earlier methodology, CFD buying and selling doesn’t imply that you just turn into the proprietor of ETH, however you’ll be able to earn from the value distinction. This may solely be performed after registering with a CFD dealer. You’ll be able to attempt your hand on the LiteFinance demo account after fast registration. Verification and account replenishment aren’t required.

The right way to commerce CFDs utilizing the LiteFinance dealer for instance:

• On the principle web page, click on Register. Fill out a brief registration kind, after which you’ll get entry to your Shopper Profile and the net buying and selling platform.
• Within the left vertical panel, choose Commerce. Within the horizontal menu, choose the Cryptocurrencies part.

You’ll be able to open a commerce instantly from the principle panel by specifying the place dimension and clicking a Purchase or Promote button, or you’ll be able to go to the “Data on the instrument” part to get prolonged entry to evaluation instruments and commerce parameters.

Right here you’ll be able to view the value motion on totally different time frames, use charting instruments, and technical indicators proper on the chart. Within the commerce administration block, you’ll be able to set stop-loss and take-profit orders. There are three choices accessible, which MT4 doesn’t have.

Benefits of CFD buying and selling:

• Easy registration and verification.
• Leverage. Cryptocurrency exchanges solely provide leverage on futures, which carry excessive dangers because of the spinoff nature of this instrument.
• Decrease dangers in comparison with long-term storage of cash in a pockets, because the seed phrase—the password to a chilly pockets —could be misplaced. Furthermore, this password is a first-rate goal for fraudsters.

This selection is appropriate for short-term buying and selling however not for long-term investing, because it incurs swap prices—charges for rolling over a place to the following day.

3. Ethereum ETFs and Different Funding Strategies 

Spot Ethereum ETFs have been accredited by the SEC in Could 2024. A spot ETF is a fund whose asset worth is tied to the worth of ETH. You aren’t shopping for cryptocurrency, however moderately the safety of a fund that, in flip, buys Ethereum.

Benefits of spot ETH in comparison with direct buy:

• ETFs have extra clear guidelines and are extra compliant with laws. The standing of cryptocurrencies on the legislative degree has not been absolutely outlined. Personal buyers have questions associated to taxes, comparable to confirming the Supply of Funds when promoting cryptocurrencies.
• ETFs simplify reporting to tax authorities, because the dealer gives ready-made paperwork. When buying Ethereum instantly, it’s a must to calculate earnings and losses your self and fill out a tax return.
• ETH ETFs are traded on regulated inventory exchanges and are topic to oversight by regulatory our bodies such because the SEC. This strategy mitigates the dangers of fraud and manipulation which might be prevalent in crypto exchanges with insufficient regulatory oversight.
• Much less accountability. Investing in exchange-traded funds entails buying an asset via a dealer. There isn’t any have to take care of registration on exchanges, transaction rules, and so on. Investing in ETFs eliminates the chance of shedding your password, falling sufferer to a pockets hack, or encountering a safety breach on a crypto alternate. The ETF administration firm is liable for storing ETH in specialised custodial providers.

This methodology is appropriate for long-term buyers.

What Could Occur if I Make investments $100 in Ethereum 

The cryptocurrency market has two notable weaknesses: the inefficiency of startups and a excessive speculative part.

In precept, the worth of an asset is decided by its sensible usefulness. On this analogy, cryptocurrency startups are analogous to firms, and cryptocurrencies are corresponding to shares. If an organization produces a services or products, it can have a internet revenue, its shares shall be engaging to buyers, and their worth will rise. A dummy firm is unlikely to draw vital investments.

The cryptocurrency market is at present dominated by what some consult with as lifeless crypto initiatives. Yearly, a whole bunch of latest startups emerge, but lots of them aren’t sustainable and ultimately disappear. Listed here are some related statistics:

• In 2024, the variety of newly created tokens surpassed 2.5 million. Ethereum and different platforms now permit anybody to create their very own tokens.
• The three largest exchanges — Binance, Bybit, and Coinbase — account for greater than 3,000 listings per 12 months.
• From 2021 to 2024, roughly 70% of the cash listed on CoinGecko, the most important cryptocurrency aggregator, ceased to exist.

Aside from an exquisite emblem, most startups don’t have anything else to supply. They’re ineffective, and their cash serve solely speculative functions. Examples embrace meme tokens, Trump and Melania cash, and the cryptocurrency of the Central African Republic.

One thing related was noticed within the US inventory market, the place the dot-com bubble started to inflate in 1995. Following the dot-com crash in 2000, it grew to become obvious that many firms weren't producing something, with most of their budgets allotted to advertising and marketing. The identical is going on within the cryptocurrency market at this time.

What to anticipate if I make investments $100 in Ethereum at this time?

1. The crypto group and regulators will lastly discover frequent floor. Laws shall be developed, and cryptocurrencies will turn into absolutely authorized. Ethereum will lastly cut back charges inside the community and resolve scalability points. The Ethereum worth will enhance 5-10 instances.
2. The cryptocurrency market shall be utterly reshaped. Ineffective startups will disappear, and many of the pure hypothesis will disappear from the market. The value of cash will lastly attain its equilibrium worth, however the market will deflate. The Ethereum market worth will fall 3-5 instances.

Sooner or later, each eventualities can materialize.

Can Investing $100 in Ethereum Make Me Rich? 

Apparently not. If you wish to turn into rich, a $100 capital can be inadequate to generate substantial returns. It’s extremely inconceivable that your funding will admire by greater than 100 instances, as this might necessitate a corresponding enhance within the capitalization of the whole market, on condition that cash typically develop concurrently. Ethereum’s potential for progress is critical, with projections indicating a 10-fold enhance inside the subsequent 5 years. Nevertheless, the coin has repeatedly declined by greater than 50%, failing to surpass its 5-year highs.

Conclusion

Some media personalities consider that Ethereum is a relic of early blockchain days. The platform was the primary to supply an progressive answer, however its improvement has stalled, and it’s inserting the incorrect emphasis. New competing networks will quickly surpass Vitalik Buterin’s community.

Whereas such opinions have been expressed for a while, ETH continues to guide the business in its area. Due to this fact, Ethereum stays a sound funding, significantly when mixed with a diversified portfolio technique.

Listed here are some extra takeaways:

• Ethereum is without doubt one of the most established platforms for creating decentralized purposes on the blockchain. Regardless of challenges associated to ecosystem issues and falling behind opponents in a number of areas, it continues to guide the section as a consequence of its repute for reliability amongst customers and a robust group of loyal members.
• Ethereum is greatest suited to long-term funding as a danger diversification software. It’s the second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap and has gained vital market share. Though its progress dynamics aren’t as strong as these of Bitcoin, it’s well-positioned to resist potential market downturns.
• Within the brief time period, ETH could also be a viable possibility for speculative buying and selling in periods of excessive volatility.