IOTA Historical Price and Returns Analysis: Should I Buy IOTA Now?

Abstract

This article provides a comprehensive review of IOTA’s historical price movements and market fluctuations since its inception, combining data from bull and bear market phases to assess the potential returns for investors purchasing 10 IOTA tokens. The analysis addresses the critical question: “Should I buy IOTA now?” to help both newcomers and long-term investors identify optimal entry points and growth opportunities.

Early Market Origins and Initial Cycles: Historical Price Overview (2017 to 2019)

IOTA is a novel digital cryptocurrency designed to solve machine-to-machine (M2M) transactions. It aims to build the blueprint for a future machine economy through enabling frictionless, fee-free payments between machines. IOTA offers efficient, secure, lightweight, and real-time microtransactions without transaction fees. As an open-source, decentralized cryptocurrency specifically designed for the Internet of Things (IoT), IOTA transcends blockchain technology by utilizing the Tangle—a distributed ledger technology that replaces traditional blockchain architecture.

According to available market data, IOTA’s earliest recorded trading price was approximately $4.14 in 2017.

The following shows IOTA’s price performance during its early market phases:

2017

• Opening Price: $4.14
• Closing Price: $3.70
• High: $4.14
• Low: $3.70
• Annual Return: -10.66%

2018

• Opening Price: $4.20
• Closing Price: $0.3682
• High: $4.20
• Low: $0.2194
• Annual Return: -91.23%

2019

• Opening Price: $0.2775
• Closing Price: $0.1736
• High: $0.4915
• Low: $0.1663
• Annual Return: -37.44%

An investor who purchased 10 IOTA tokens in 2017 would experience a cumulative loss of -40.36% if they sold at the end of 2019, reflecting the severe bear market pressures during the crypto winter that followed the 2017-2018 bull run.

Bear Market Adjustment and Recovery Cycles: Risk and Opportunity Analysis (2020 to 2023)

Following the extended downturn, IOTA experienced volatile price recovery interspersed with ongoing consolidation pressures. The cryptocurrency showed resilience with periods of modest recovery before encountering fresh headwinds.

Potential returns for investors purchasing 10 IOTA tokens during this period:

• 2020: -8.85% cumulative return (from 2017 entry)
• 2021: -32.45% cumulative return (from 2017 entry)
• 2022: -97.03% cumulative return (from 2017 entry)
• 2023: -85.43% cumulative return (from 2017 entry)

2020

• Opening Price: $0.1899
• Closing Price: $0.30626
• High: $0.4232
• Low: $0.122
• Annual Return: +61.27%

2021

• Opening Price: $0.4259
• Closing Price: $1.37
• High: $2.35
• Low: $0.4015
• Annual Return: +221.70%

2022

• Opening Price: $1.07
• Closing Price: $0.1757
• High: $1.14
• Low: $0.1716
• Annual Return: -83.61%

2023

• Opening Price: $0.1868
• Closing Price: $0.30989
• High: $0.32688
• Low: $0.15314
• Annual Return: +65.89%

Recent Market Cycle: Should I Buy IOTA Now? (2024 to 2026 to date)

IOTA’s performance in recent years reveals ongoing volatility with modest recovery attempts followed by renewed pressure. The market continues to debate whether IOTA has entered a new bull cycle or remains entrenched in a prolonged bear phase.

2024

• Opening Price: $0.24031
• Closing Price: $0.3582
• High: $0.4722
• Low: $0.106
• Annual Return: +49.06%

2025

• Opening Price: $0.3282
• Closing Price: $0.10202
• High: $0.3282
• Low: $0.08578
• Annual Return: -68.92%

2026 to date

• Opening Price: $0.10137
• Closing Price: $0.10137
• High: $0.10137
• Low: $0.10137
• Annual Return: 0.00%

Potential returns for investors purchasing 10 IOTA tokens during this recent period:

• 2024: -13.89% cumulative return (from 2017 entry)
• 2025: -22.68% cumulative return (from 2017 entry)
• 2026 to date: No change from 2025 closing levels

Summary: Bull Markets, Bear Markets, and Investment Timing Analysis

IOTA’s price history from 2017 to 2026 demonstrates extreme volatility characteristic of early-stage cryptocurrency projects with innovative but unproven use cases. An investor who purchased 10 tokens at the 2017 inception would face a substantial cumulative loss, highlighting the significant risks associated with early cryptocurrency investments. While IOTA experienced a notable bull run in 2021, subsequent market cycles have erased those gains multiple times over. Current price levels represent a decline of over 97% from 2018 peaks and remain substantially below early valuations, suggesting the market has yet to establish strong sustained demand for IOTA’s unique technology stack. Whether to purchase IOTA now requires careful consideration of the project’s fundamental adoption trajectory, technological progress, and one’s risk tolerance for long-duration cryptocurrency exposure with no guaranteed recovery timeline.