Every market cycle has its milestones, and Valentine's Day offers a surprisingly clean way to track Bitcoin's long-term journey. A simple look at the price on February 14 each year captures the full arc of growth, volatility, and structural transformation.
In 2011, Bitcoin traded at just $1. Fifteen years later, on February 14, 2026, it stood at $69,500. The path between those two numbers tells the story of an asset that has repeatedly expanded, corrected, and rebuilt at higher structural levels.
The Early Years: From Experiment to Breakout
2011: $1
2012: $5
2013: $25
2014: $655
The move from $1 to $655 in just three years marked Bitcoin's transition from a niche experiment to a globally noticed digital asset. That early surge was followed by a sharp reset.
2015: $235
2016: $405
The 2014–2015 drawdown established the first major cycle template: rapid appreciation followed by deep correction and gradual recovery.
The Institutional Awakening Cycle
2017: $1,005
2018: $9,500
2019: $3,600
The 2017 bull run pushed Bitcoin into mainstream headlines, culminating in valuations near five digits by early 2018. As in prior cycles, the expansion was followed by compression. By Valentine's Day 2019, price had retraced significantly.
The recovery phase began again:
2020: $10,300
2021: $48,700
The 2020–2021 period marked the arrival of institutional capital, treasury allocations, and growing derivatives markets. Bitcoin's valuation expanded dramatically once more.
Consolidation and Reacceleration
2022: $42,600
2023: $22,200
The post-2021 correction mirrored earlier patterns: deleveraging, liquidity stress, and structural consolidation.
The next phase showed renewed strength:
2024: $51,800
2025: $97,500
2026: $69,900
While 2025 marked another significant expansion, 2026 reflects stabilization after volatility, reinforcing the cyclical rhythm that has defined Bitcoin's history.
