Bitcoin (BTC) has proven to be a powerful asset, achieving an impressive growth rate of 26,931.1% over the past decade, as reported by CoinGecko. This performance far outperforms traditional asset classes including stocks, commodities, and bonds, establishing Bitcoin as a high-growth investment option.
Annual and short-term performance
In 2024, Bitcoin delivered a year-to-date (YTD) return of 129.0%, outperforming the 32.2% return of other assets such as gold and the S&P 500’s 28.3%. Crude oil and U.S. Treasury bonds performed poorly, showing slightly negative returns of -0.13%, while 5-year and 10-year Treasury bonds showed moderate returns of 5.3% and 8.2%, respectively.
Bitcoin’s one-year return was 153.1%, outperforming gold’s 34.8% and the S&P 500’s 33.1%. This shows Bitcoin’s resilience and growth potential even during market fluctuations. However, government bonds have had negative yields, reflecting their sensitivity to economic conditions.
Medium-Term Investment Insights
Performance dynamics have shifted over three years, with Treasuries taking the lead as preferences for economic stability increase. Five-year Treasury bonds posted an impressive return of 267.8%, followed by 10-year Treasury bonds at 218.0%. Despite being ahead of bonds, Bitcoin still achieved a solid return of 79.0%, while gold achieved 53.1%.
Over five years, Bitcoin has reaffirmed its dominance with an impressive return of 1,283.6%, highlighting its potential for significant medium-term gains. The S&P 500 and gold also posted consistent returns of 96.7% and 84.6%, respectively. Treasury bonds continued to show high yields, with 5-year and 10-year bonds reaching 157.1% and 149.9%, respectively, while crude oil maintained a less attractive yield at 25.3%.
10 years of dominance
Over the entire decade, Bitcoin’s growth rate was 26,931.1%, an unrivaled growth rate that confirmed Bitcoin’s transformative potential to early investors. Other assets provided consistent returns, but the S&P 500 lagged far behind at 193.3% and gold at 125.8%. Government bonds maintained their value with 5-year and 10-year yields of 157.1% and 86.8%, respectively. However, crude oil returned only 4.3%.
Volatility and correlation analysis
Despite its massive gains, Bitcoin’s journey has seen considerable volatility over the past decade, with the price fluctuating between $172.15 and $103,679. This volatility highlights Bitcoin’s high-risk, high-reward nature, making it attractive to growth-focused investors but presenting challenges to those seeking stability.
Bitcoin’s relationship with other major assets reveals its unique market behavior. Initially, the correlation between the S&P 500 and Bitcoin was minimal, but it has strengthened since 2020, becoming more closely linked during major economic events. Conversely, the correlation between Bitcoin and gold remains largely inverse, indicating independent movements between these two assets.
For more insights, visit CoinGecko’s original analysis.
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