Every 5-year period, not one start date
Bitcoin moves in boom-and-bust cycles, so a single start date can make it look much better or worse than it was. Looking at all 83 five-year periods that started in a month from January 2015 on:
| Measure (5-year periods since 2015) | Annual growth |
|---|---|
| Median | ~60% |
| Three out of four periods at least | ~33% |
| Periods under 30% | 17 of 83 (about one in five) |
| Worst (bought December 2017) | ~1% |
Measured back from November 2026
| Period | Started at | Growth per year |
|---|---|---|
| 3 years | $34,650 (Nov 2023) | ~30% |
| 4 years | $20,568 (Nov 2022) | ~39% |
| 5 years | $64,969 (Nov 2021, near a peak) | ~3% |
| 6 years | $15,709 (Nov 2020) | ~30% |
| 8 years | $6,499 (Nov 2018) | ~36% |
| 10 years | $722 (Nov 2016) | ~59% |
| 15 years | $2.96 (Nov 2011) | ~97% |
Our Heat Calculator assumes 30% a year by default, below four out of five historical 5-year periods. You can change it, or set it to 0% to see your numbers if bitcoin never rises above today's price.