ChainLink (LINK) Historical Price and Return Analysis: Should I buy LINK now?

Summary

This article provides a comprehensive review of LINK’s historical prices and market fluctuations since its inception, analyzing data from bull and bear market phases. It evaluates the potential returns for investors who purchase 10 LINK tokens and answers the key question, “Should I buy LINK now?” to help both beginners and long-term investors identify optimal entry points and growth opportunities.

Beginning of Bull Market and Early Market Cycles: Historical Price Review (2017 to 2020)

LINK is an ERC20 token based on the Ethereum blockchain, used to pay Chainlink node operators for retrieving off-chain data, formatting data into blockchain-readable formats, executing off-chain computations, and ensuring uptime. Historically, its early trading price was approximately $0.1884.

Below are LINK’s price changes during the initial bull market phase:

2017

• Opening Price: $0.1884
• Closing Price: $0.5763
• Highest Price: $0.5763
• Lowest Price: $0.175
• Annual Return: 205.89%

2018

• Opening Price: $1.38
• Closing Price: $0.3883
• Highest Price: $1.38
• Lowest Price: $0.1781
• Annual Return: -71.79%

2019

• Opening Price: $0.445
• Closing Price: $1.83
• Highest Price: $3.4
• Lowest Price: $0.3858
• Annual Return: 310.54%

2020

• Opening Price: $2.24
• Closing Price: $13.64
• Highest Price: $18.76
• Lowest Price: $1.99
• Annual Return: 510.18%

An investor who bought 10 LINK tokens early in 2017 and sold at the end of 2020 could have realized a potential gain of 6,625%.

Bear Market Adjustment and Mid-Cycle Market Analysis: Returns and Risks (2021 to 2022)

During this period, LINK experienced significant volatility. 2021 marked the peak of the crypto bull market, with LINK reaching a record high of $52.27, but then faced a severe correction. In 2022, the market entered a bear phase, with prices dropping from $27.54 to $5.63, a decline of 79.56%.

Potential returns for purchasing 10 LINK tokens in different years are as follows:

• Bought in 2021 and held until now: -73.49%
• Bought in 2022 and held until now: -186.79%

Recent Market Cycle: Should I Buy LINK Now? (2023 to 2026 so far)

In recent years, LINK has shown signs of volatility and recovery. In 2023, prices rebounded from $5.96 to $14.94, with an annual return of 150.53%. In 2024, it continued upward to $23.58, a gain of 79.28%. However, in 2025, LINK faced a correction pressure, with a year-to-date return of -32.29%. In 2026 so far, prices have declined further, with a year-to-date return of -32.93%.

2023

• Opening Price: $5.96
• Closing Price: $14.94
• Highest Price: $16.37
• Lowest Price: $5.16
• Annual Return: 150.53%

2024

• Opening Price: $13.15
• Closing Price: $23.58
• Highest Price: $29.25
• Lowest Price: $10.0
• Annual Return: 79.28%

2025

• Opening Price: $19.84
• Closing Price: $13.43
• Highest Price: $25.82
• Lowest Price: $11.3
• Annual Return: -32.29%

2026 (so far)

• Opening Price: $13.21
• Closing Price: $8.86
• Highest Price: $13.31
• Lowest Price: $8.79
• Year-to-date Return: -32.93%

Potential returns for buying 10 LINK tokens in these years are:

• 2023 purchase: +28.99%
• 2024 purchase: -42.9%
• 2025 purchase: -109.74%
• 2026 (so far): -43.5%

Conclusion: Bull and Bear Markets and Investment Timing Analysis

By analyzing LINK’s historical prices and potential returns, we observe clear cyclical patterns: the early explosive growth from 2017-2020, the high-level correction in 2021-2022, and the oscillating recovery from 2023-2026. Long-term, an initial investment in 2017 has yielded positive returns, but recent market trends show a downward trajectory. Currently, LINK’s price is relatively low, and investors should carefully assess risk versus reward, considering their investment goals and risk tolerance, to determine if it’s an appropriate entry point.