It has been over five years since the U.S. government distributed its initial $1,200 COVID-19 stimulus payments. For many Americans, these funds were allocated towards bills, groceries, or other essential expenses.
If you had invested that money in Bitcoin and held onto it without selling, you would currently have a total estimated at $21,617 — an impressive 1,701% increase.
This calculation is based on the original payment issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. If you had invested your $1,200 on April 15, 2020, when Bitcoin was priced around $6,642, you would have obtained roughly 0.18 BTC.
Today, with Bitcoin’s value exceeding $120,000, that investment has multiplied significantly and is likely to continue increasing.
The narrative becomes even more compelling when you take into account additional stimulus checks. Some Americans received two more payments — $600 in January 2021 and $1,400 in March 2021.
If someone had invested all three payments, totaling $3,200, around the time they were issued, their Bitcoin assets could now easily exceed $50,000, depending on timing and BTC’s price fluctuations.
No matter where you purchased, those who endured through market volatility — including various price dips and surges — have reaped significant rewards.
Bitcoin to $150,000?
The increase in Bitcoin’s value over the past five years has been driven by institutional adoption, increasing mainstream acceptance, and macroeconomic conditions that have attracted investor interest to crypto and Bitcoin.
Now that we are in October, seasonal trends indicate that early-quarter strength may be especially crucial for pushing Bitcoin prices higher. Since 2015, October has delivered average gains of 21.8%, while November has contributed an additional 10.8%, according to data from Bitcoin Magazine Pro.
If these patterns hold true this year, Bitcoin could surpass $150,000 before the year’s end.
Moreover, Citigroup analysts provided an optimistic 12-month forecast for Bitcoin in a recent client note, establishing a price target of $181,000 while adjusting their year-end estimate to $132,000.
The bank highlighted strong inflows — expected to be around $7.5 billion by year-end — and rising demand from institutional investors.
“We are more optimistic about Bitcoin compared to Ether, as it captures a larger share of incremental flows into crypto markets,” the Citi analysts stated.
