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

Summary

This article provides a comprehensive review of ChainLink’s historical price movements and market fluctuations since its inception. Combining data from bull and bear market phases, it evaluates the potential returns for investors who purchase 10 LINK tokens and addresses the key question, “Should I buy LINK now?” to help both beginners and long-term investors grasp timing and growth opportunities.

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

LINK is an ERC20 standardized 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. According to CoinMarketCap, its early trading price was approximately $0.1884.

Below are the price changes of LINK during the early 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 during the early bull market in 2017 and sold at the end of 2020 could have realized a potential return of 114.4 times.

Bear Market Adjustment and Mid-term Market Cycle: Return and Risk Analysis (2021 to 2022)

During this period, LINK’s price experienced volatility, rising initially and then falling from early 2021 highs to lows in 2022, influenced by market sentiment and macroeconomic factors.

Below are the potential returns for investors who bought 10 LINK tokens at different times:

2021

• Opening Price: $16.21
• Closing Price: $21.86
• Highest Price: $52.27
• Lowest Price: $15.48
• Annual Return: 34.85%

2022

• Opening Price: $27.54
• Closing Price: $5.63
• Highest Price: $27.54
• Lowest Price: $5.63
• Annual Return: -79.56%

An investor who bought 10 LINK tokens in 2021 could have experienced a potential return of -25.341 times, while buying in 2022 would have resulted in a loss of -138.64 times.

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

In recent years, LINK has undergone a phase of volatility and recovery, with a notable rebound in 2023, followed by a correction in 2025, as the market continues to seek direction.

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: $13.68
• Highest Price: $13.68
• Lowest Price: $13.21
• Annual Return: 3.52%

The potential returns for buying 10 LINK tokens during this period are:

• 2023: 77.13 times
• 2024: 5.25 times
• 2025: -61.59 times
• 2026 so far: 4.65 times

Conclusion: Bull and Bear Markets and Investment Timing Analysis

By analyzing LINK’s historical prices and potential returns, we observe clear cyclical patterns—from explosive growth in 2017-2020, significant retracement in 2021-2022, recovery phases in 2023-2024, to another correction in 2025. Historical data shows early investors gained substantial profits, while late entrants at high prices faced risks of losses. Currently, LINK’s price is relatively low, but the market still requires further trend confirmation. Investors should make cautious decisions based on their risk tolerance.