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$100 in Bitcoin in 2013: What If You Never Sold?

By Amiel Riss · Published March 30, 2026 · Updated September 9, 2026

$100 in Bitcoin in 2013: What If You Never Sold?

In January 2013, one Bitcoin cost about $13. Most people thought it was a joke, a hacker toy, a bubble waiting to pop. It was also the wildest year Bitcoin has ever had — the price swung all the way from $13.28 to $1,156 — so at the year's $584.64 average price, anyone who invested $100 got about 0.1710 coins.

Today, with Bitcoin near $77,000, that $100 is worth about $13,170. But because 2013's price swung so wildly, the honest range is wide too: depending on whether you bought at the year's low or its high, that same $100 would be worth anywhere from $6,661 to $579,819 today.

The Problem: Nobody Held

The story sounds great in hindsight, but reality was different. Bitcoin fell hard three separate times along the way — each one shown below, priced from that year's real trading range, not estimated. Most people sold in panic.

  • $951.00 (2014 high) → $172.00 (2015 low): a change of -81.9%
  • $19,783 (2017 high) → $3,191 (2018 low): a change of -83.9%
  • $68,789 (2021 high) → $15,599 (2022 low): a change of -77.3%. In dollar terms, that same $100 was worth $11,766 at the 2021 high and just $2,668 at the 2022 low — a drawdown most holders had to sit through without selling.

Holding through these crashes required absolute conviction — and most investors simply couldn't.

📊 $100 in Bitcoin: 2013 to today This chart follows a $100 investment in Bitcoin made in 2013, bought at that year’s average price of $584.64. Every point values the same 0.1710 units at that year’s average, ending at $13,170 in 2026.
YearPortfolio Value
2013⁦$100⁩
2015⁦$57⁩
2017⁦$2K⁩
2019⁦$1K⁩
2021⁦$8K⁩
2023⁦$5K⁩
2025⁦$17K⁩
2026⁦$13K⁩

The Real Lesson

The lesson from Bitcoin's story isn't "buy Bitcoin." The lesson is that long-term investments require patience and strong nerves. This applies to stocks, real estate, and crypto alike.

  • Never invest what you can't afford to lose: Bitcoin is a speculative asset.
  • Diversify: Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
  • See what could have been: Try our Bitcoin Calculator to check any date.

📊 Methodology Note

Calculations use in USD terms Bitcoin (BTC) prices from CoinGecko. The engine holds one low and one high for each year: the entry price is the midpoint of the entry year's range, and today's price is the midpoint of the 2026 range. Coverage starts in 2010. Data verified: August 2026. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Common Mistakes When Investing in Bitcoin (BTC)

  • Putting all eggs in one basket: Heavy concentration in a single stock exposes you to company-specific risk. Even the strongest companies have crashed 50%+ in a single day.
  • Chasing past performance: Buying after a meteoric rally usually means buying near the top. Past returns don't guarantee future returns.
  • Timing the market: Waiting for "the perfect dip" typically makes you miss the best trading days. Consistent dollar-cost averaging almost always wins.
  • Ignoring taxes and fees: Each sale triggers capital gains tax. Long-term holding defers the tax bill and keeps more money compounding for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much would $100 in Bitcoin in 2013 be worth today?

$100 invested across 2013, at the year's $584.64 average price, would be worth about $13,170 today — though because 2013's price ranged from $13.28 to $1,156, the real number for any one buyer could fall anywhere from $6,661 to $579,819. The journey also included a change of -77.3% from 2021's high to 2022's low.

Why didn't most people profit from Bitcoin's rise?

Most investors panic-sell during crashes or buy at peaks and sell at losses. Only those who held long-term actually profited.

Is it too late to invest in Bitcoin?

This question has been asked every year since 2013. Nobody knows. Bitcoin is a high-risk asset — never invest more than you can afford to lose.

How is Bitcoin taxed?

In the US, Bitcoin is taxed as property — short-term gains at income tax rates, long-term at capital gains rates. Check with a local tax professional.

Is it too late to invest in Bitcoin (BTC)?

Nobody knows. Instead of trying to time the market, invest a small amount consistently (dollar-cost averaging) — it averages out your entry price and reduces risk. And remember: any single stock is always riskier than a diversified index fund.

📊 Data source: CoinGecko. Prices and data in this article are reviewed and updated semi-annually. Last update: September 2026.

Try Our Calculator

Discover what would have happened if you invested $100 in Bitcoin in 2013 and never sold. Real historical numbers that will shock you.

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Tags: #Bitcoin #Crypto #What If? #Historical

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