What if you bought Solana at its 2021 all-time high?
This uses real data to show what would have happened if you had made a lump-sum investment in Solana (SOL) in early November 2021 — right at the top, at its ~$260 all-time high — and held until now. The ~95% crash that followed into the FTX collapse is the star of this page.
⚠️ Know the risk first
Right after entry, Solana crashed to about 95% below its high. The final return only holds if you held through that extreme drawdown and long loss period without selling.
What happened that day
In early November 2021, Solana hit an all-time high near $260. Nicknamed the 'Ethereum killer,' it led the altcoin frenzy, but through the market cooldown and the 2022 FTX collapse it crashed to roughly 95% below its high.
Why this date
The buy date is set to around Solana's 2021 peak-range close in this service's data, computing the worst-timing question 'what if you bought right at the all-time high' directly.
Investment conditions
Asset · Solana (SOL) · lump-sum at the 2021 all-time high, then held
Method · Lump-sum (all at once)
Period · 2021-11-06 ~ 2026-07-01
Amount · $7,407
As of · 2026-07-01
Key metrics
These results do not reflect taxes. Based on historical data.
Buy and final prices are shown in the asset's local currency (US & crypto $, Japan ¥, Korea ₩). Total invested and final value are in Korean won (₩).
Risk & recovery
As important as returns. This service does not hide maximum drawdown or loss periods.
Maximum drawdown (MDD)
-96.3%
Largest drop from peak
Longest loss period
57months
Months in loss: 57
Recovery period
23months
Growth over time
Invested principal (dashed) and portfolio value (solid). Values below match the calculation.
Total invested $7,407 → Final value $2,220 (-70.0%), Maximum drawdown (MDD) -96.3%
Why this period and asset
In early November 2021, Solana hit an all-time high near $260. Nicknamed the 'Ethereum killer' and riding the NFT/DeFi mania, it was a poster child of the altcoin frenzy. But right after the peak the market began to cool, and especially as the FTX exchange — closely tied to the Solana ecosystem — went bankrupt in November 2022, Solana crashed roughly 95% from its high. That is the scale of a 1,000 becoming 50.
Interpreting the result
The recovery and return figures below only hold under the extreme assumption that you held to the very end without selling. The heart of this peak-entry case is a maximum drawdown near -95% — soberly consider whether you could actually have endured a stretch where your holding all but vanished. Most would have sold in that fear, and then recovery is someone else's story. Solana is a single altcoin, not an index, with extreme volatility, and far more coins that peaked in the same era never recovered.
Caveats & limits
The heart of this case is 'a -95% crash after buying at the peak.' Emphasizing only the final number hides that extreme drawdown and long loss period. Altcoins are even more volatile than Bitcoin, carry added exchange, hacking, and regulatory risks, and many never recovered. This page recommends no coin. Figures use USD close and exclude exchange rates, fees, and taxes; always review the maximum drawdown.
Event fact sources
- MEXC / Forbes, Solana November 2021 all-time high coverage
- CoinGecko / Yahoo Finance SOL-USD historical price (2021-11)
Requested date vs actual trading date
Crypto has no market holidays, so the requested day's close is used directly. The 'effective trading date' below is the date actually used.
Data sources & limits
- Price data source: Yahoo Finance / FinanceDataReader
- Collected on: 2026-07-28
- Effective trading date: 2026-07-01
- Price basis: Adjusted close (reflects dividends and stock splits)
- Trading fees and taxes are not reflected — figures are pre-tax.
- Based on historical data; does not guarantee future returns.
Frequently asked questions
Did it really fall 95%?
Yes. After its ~$260 high in November 2021, Solana crashed to about 95% below its peak through the 2022 FTX collapse and more. See that stretch in the maximum drawdown metric below. The final return only holds if you held through that crash without selling.
It's recovering now, so doesn't holding always work out?
Solana is just a case that recovered. Far more altcoins that peaked in the same 2021 mania disappeared for good. 'Hold and it recovers' can be the illusion of looking back only at survivors, and this page recommends no coin.
Why use November 6, 2021 as the buy date?
That is around when Solana recorded its 2021 all-time-high-range close in this service's data. We chose it to honestly show the worst-timing assumption of 'buying right at the top.'
Are FX and taxes reflected?
No. Figures use USD close and exclude exchange rates, trading fees, and taxes. In real investing, exchange rates, exchange fees, and taxes would additionally affect your results.
Related scenarios
📋 Results are based on historical data; past returns do not guarantee future returns.
📋 This service is provided for educational purposes to help you understand investing, not as investment advice.