When the WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic in March 2020, financial markets were in freefall. Stocks crashed, economies shut down and investors moved into panic mode. Yet, in the middle of this turmoil, cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum began a long-term rise that would reshape the financial landscape.
With the COVID public health emergency officially ending in May 2023, it’s now possible to look back and assess just how dramatically the crypto market transformed during the pandemic years.
Here’s what would have happened if someone had invested $100 at the start of the pandemic — $50 in Bitcoin and $50 in Ethereum on 31 March 2020.
How much Bitcoin $50 would have bought in March 2020
- Bitcoin price on 31 March 2020: $6,438.64
- Investment: $50
Amount of BTC purchased:
$50 ÷ $6,438.64 = 0.0077656 BTCValue today (3 December 2025), at $93,517.32 per BTC:
0.0077656 BTC × $93,517.32 = $726.22Your $50 Bitcoin investment alone would now be worth $726.22.
How much Ethereum $50 would have bought in March 2020
- Ethereum price on 31 March 2020: $133.59
- Investment: $50
Amount of ETH purchased:
$50 ÷ $133.59 = 0.3742795 ETHValue today (3 December 2025), at $3,060.84 per ETH:
0.3742795 ETH × $3,060.84 = $1,145.61Your $50 Ethereum investment would have grown to $1,145.61.
Total value of a $100 investment at the start of COVID
- Bitcoin today: $726.22
- Ethereum today: $1,145.61
Combined total value today:
$726.22 + $1,145.61 = $1,871.83A simple $100 split between BTC and ETH during the pandemic crash would now be worth approximately $1,871.83.
That’s an almost 19x return in just over five years.
