Ethereum vs BNB: 12 months, side by side.
Ethereum and BNB fell by almost the same amount in the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026: 34.7% and 36.3%. Ethereum swung 1.3x as hard, and their daily moves lined up fairly closely (correlation 0.80).
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How much each one swung
Ethereum was somewhat more volatile than BNB, 62.1% annualized against 48.3%. Ethereum moved more than 5% in a day 37 times, BNB 20 times. On a typical day Ethereum moved 1.60%, 1.3x the 1.20% of BNB. Their worst day was the same, Feb 5, 2026: Ethereum fell 14.9% and BNB 12.8%. The day they parted most was a rally for both, Aug 19, 2026, but Ethereum rose 17.5% and BNB only 3.9%.
| Measure | Ethereum | BNB |
|---|---|---|
| Close on Oct 10, 2025 | $3,837 | $1,177 |
| Close on Oct 10, 2026 | $2,504 | $749.62 |
| 1-year change | -34.7% | -36.3% |
| Annualized volatility | 62.1% | 48.3% |
| Median daily move | 1.60% | 1.20% |
| Days with a move over 5% | 37 | 20 |
| Best day | +17.5%, Aug 19, 2026 | +14.7%, Oct 12, 2025 |
| Worst day | -14.9%, Feb 5, 2026 | -12.8%, Feb 5, 2026 |
| Maximum drawdown | -63.1% | -58.1% |
| Lowest close | $1,565, Jun 25, 2026 | $545.61, Jun 30, 2026 |
| Days that closed higher | 182 of 365 | 184 of 365 |
| $500, one buy | $326.29 | $318.51 |
| $500, 52 weekly buys | $538.10 | $531.07 |
How closely Ethereum and BNB moved together
The link was real but looser than between most large coins: a correlation of 0.80, with 58 of the 365 days going opposite ways. On average BNB moved 0.62% for every 1% move in Ethereum, a smaller reaction than one for one.
Head to head, day by day, it was close to even: Ethereum had the better day on 187 of the 365 days, BNB on 178. $500 in each, bought on Oct 10, 2025 and held, ended at $326.29 in Ethereum and $318.51 in BNB. The lead changed hands during the year: the Ethereum holding was ahead by up to 18% on Apr 13, 2026, and behind by up to 16% on Jun 6, 2026. Ethereum also did better in seven of the 11 full months. The sharpest split was May 2026, when Ethereum went -11.2% and BNB +15.4%.
The deepest falls
Their deepest falls were almost equally deep: Ethereum 63.1% from Oct 13, 2025 to Jun 25, 2026, BNB 58.1% from Oct 12, 2025 to Jun 30, 2026. Their lows came within a week of each other: Ethereum on Jun 25, 2026, BNB on Jun 30, 2026. By Oct 10, 2026, Ethereum was 41.0% below its 12-month high and BNB 42.5% below its own.
Next to the other 17 comparisons
- Their two $500 holdings never drifted further apart than 1.19 times each other, the smallest maximum gap of all the pairs.
- Only XRP and Solana finished the year closer together.
- Ranked by correlation, from most to least linked, this pair came fifteenth of 18.
$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, 49 for Ethereum and 51 for BNB, came below the starting price. Both weekly tests ended above the $500 put in, Ethereum at $538.10 and BNB at $531.07. Ethereum's weekly test finished $7.03 ahead of BNB's.
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.
BNB, one buy
$318.51
-36.3%
0.425 BNB at $1,177.
BNB, 52 weekly buys
$531.07
+6.2%
Average cost $705.76 per BNB.
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 Ethereum and BNB apart
Ethereum and BNB Chain both run smart contracts, and BNB Chain was built to work with Ethereum's apps and developer tools. The difference is in who runs them: Ethereum has a large, open set of validators, while BNB Chain started at Binance and uses a much smaller set of validators, which keeps its fees low. BNB also burns part of its supply every quarter.
Many apps run on both chains, so traders compare their fees and activity directly. BNB is also used on Binance, the largest crypto exchange by trading volume, which ties part of its demand to the exchange rather than to the chain alone.
Each coin's full year: Ethereum trading simulator and BNB trading simulator.
How to compare Ethereum and BNB in Staxo
- Step 1
Find both in the Market tab
Ethereum and BNB 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 Ethereum position moved about 1.3x as much as the BNB 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 58 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 Ethereum spent more days below 30 (22 against 20) and BNB more days above 70 (14 against 12), 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.
Ethereum vs BNB questions
Which was more volatile, Ethereum or BNB?
Ethereum, at 62.1% annualized volatility against 48.3% from Oct 10, 2025 to Oct 10, 2026. Its worst day was -14.9%, BNB's -12.8%.
Do Ethereum and BNB move together?
Mostly. The correlation of their daily returns was 0.80 over the 365 days to Oct 10, 2026 (1 means always together), and 58 days went in opposite directions.
Which did better over the last 12 months, Ethereum or BNB?
Ethereum lost less: -34.7% against -36.3% for BNB from Oct 10, 2025 to Oct 10, 2026. $500 in 52 weekly buys ended at $538.10 in Ethereum and $531.07 in BNB. That describes the past year only and says nothing about which will do better next.
More comparisons
Trade Ethereum and BNB 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.