Cardano vs Ethereum: 12 months, side by side.
Both fell in the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, but not by the same amount: Ethereum -34.7%, Cardano -62.0%, a gap of 27.3 percentage points. Cardano swung 1.2x as hard, and their daily moves lined up closely (correlation 0.82).
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How much each one swung
Cardano was somewhat more volatile than Ethereum, 76.2% annualized against 62.1%. Cardano moved more than 5% in a day 65 times, Ethereum 37 times. On a typical day Cardano moved 2.38%, 1.5x the 1.60% of Ethereum. Their worst day was the same, Feb 5, 2026: Cardano fell 14.3% and Ethereum 14.9%. The day they parted most was a rally for both, Aug 19, 2026, but Ethereum rose 17.5% and Cardano only 7.2%.
| Measure | Cardano | Ethereum |
|---|---|---|
| Close on Oct 10, 2025 | $0.6553 | $3,837 |
| Close on Oct 10, 2026 | $0.2488 | $2,504 |
| 1-year change | -62.0% | -34.7% |
| Annualized volatility | 76.2% | 62.1% |
| Median daily move | 2.38% | 1.60% |
| Days with a move over 5% | 65 | 37 |
| Best day | +15.2%, Aug 21, 2026 | +17.5%, Aug 19, 2026 |
| Worst day | -14.3%, Feb 5, 2026 | -14.9%, Feb 5, 2026 |
| Maximum drawdown | -80.3% | -63.1% |
| Lowest close | $0.1435, Jun 25, 2026 | $1,565, Jun 25, 2026 |
| Days that closed higher | 151 of 365 | 182 of 365 |
| $500, one buy | $189.84 | $326.29 |
| $500, 52 weekly buys | $480.93 | $538.10 |
How closely Cardano and Ethereum moved together
Their daily moves were closely linked, with a correlation of 0.82. They closed in the same direction on 294 of the 365 days and in opposite directions on 71. On average Ethereum moved 0.66% for every 1% move in Cardano, a smaller reaction than one for one.
Ethereum had the better day more often than Cardano: on 216 of the 365 days. $500 in each, bought on Oct 10, 2025 and held, ended at $189.84 in Cardano and $326.29 in Ethereum. Ethereum stayed in front for most of the year, and the gap was widest on Aug 30, 2026, when its holding was worth 2.14 times the Cardano one. Ethereum also did better in seven of the 11 full months. The sharpest split was March 2026, when Cardano went -14.1% and Ethereum +7.1%.
The deepest falls
Cardano's maximum drawdown went 17.2 percentage points deeper: 80.3%, from $0.7295 on Oct 13, 2025 to $0.1435 on Jun 25, 2026. Ethereum's worst run was 63.1%. Both hit their lowest close of the window on the same day, Jun 25, 2026. By Oct 10, 2026, Cardano was 65.9% below its 12-month high and Ethereum 41.0% below its own.
Next to the other 17 comparisons
- Ranked by correlation, from most to least linked, this pair came eleventh of 18.
- Ranked by how far apart the two 1-year results were, it came fourth of 18.
- By the difference in volatility between the two coins, it ranked ninth of the 18 pairs.
$500 in each: one buy or 52 weekly buys
Spreading the $500 over 52 weekly buys beat a single buy on Oct 10, 2025 for both coins: almost every weekly buy, 50 for Cardano and 49 for Ethereum, came below the starting price. Only the Ethereum test ended above $500 ($538.10); the Cardano one finished at $480.93. Ethereum's weekly test finished $57.17 ahead of Cardano's.
Cardano, one buy
$189.84
-62.0%
763 ADA at $0.6553.
Cardano, 52 weekly buys
$480.93
-3.8%
Average cost $0.2587 per ADA.
Ethereum, one buy
$326.29
-34.7%
0.13 ETH at $3,837.
Ethereum, 52 weekly buys
$538.10
+7.6%
Average cost $2,327 per ETH.
Method: Kraken daily closes (UTC) from Oct 10, 2025 to Oct 10, 2026, one buy of $500 at the first close or $500 / 52 at every seventh close, both valued at the last close with no fees. Other amounts: DCA calculator.
What sets Cardano and Ethereum apart
Cardano and Ethereum are both proof-of-stake platforms for smart contracts, and Cardano was founded by Charles Hoskinson, one of Ethereum's co-founders. Cardano caps its supply at 45 billion ADA and builds its upgrades on peer-reviewed research. Ethereum has many more apps and users, and no fixed supply cap.
Both let holders help secure the network. ADA holders delegate to stake pools and keep their coins free to move, while staked ETH is locked until it is withdrawn. The two are often compared on how many developers and apps they attract.
Each coin's full year: Cardano trading simulator and Ethereum trading simulator.
How to compare Cardano and Ethereum in Staxo
- Step 1
Find both in the Market tab
Cardano and Ethereum are both among the 10 coins on Staxo's free plan, so you can trade them with the $500 in demo money you start with, using market orders and up to 10 trades a day.
- Step 2
Buy the same amount of each
Put $100 into each at the same moment: over the last year, the Cardano position moved about 1.2x as much as the Ethereum one.
- Step 3
Check them side by side
Open your Portfolio once a day and count the days the two positions go opposite ways. Over the last 12 months that happened on 71 of 365 days, often enough to notice within two weeks.
- Step 4
Read the RSI on both charts
The coin screen shows the RSI(14) on the free plan. Over the last year Cardano spent more days below 30 (29 against 22) and Ethereum more days above 70 (12 against 6), so watch how differently the two stretch. Staxo Pro adds MACD, Bollinger Bands and candlestick charts, plus short selling and leverage at 1x, 2x and 5x.
Cardano vs Ethereum questions
Which was more volatile, Cardano or Ethereum?
Cardano, at 76.2% annualized volatility against 62.1% from Oct 10, 2025 to Oct 10, 2026. Its worst day was -14.3%, Ethereum's -14.9%.
Do Cardano and Ethereum move together?
Mostly. The correlation of their daily returns was 0.82 over the 365 days to Oct 10, 2026 (1 means always together), and 71 days went in opposite directions.
Which did better over the last 12 months, Cardano or Ethereum?
Ethereum lost less: -34.7% against -62.0% for Cardano from Oct 10, 2025 to Oct 10, 2026. $500 in 52 weekly buys ended at $480.93 in Cardano and $538.10 in Ethereum. That describes the past year only and says nothing about which will do better next.
More comparisons
Trade Cardano and Ethereum with $500 in demo money.
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Educational content, not investment advice. The figures describe prices from Oct 10, 2025 to Oct 10, 2026 and say nothing about which coin does better next. Staxo is a simulator: you practice with demo money, never real money.