Bitcoin vs Tesla: Which was the better investment?

Published: April 13, 2025 | By: WhatIfInvested.com Team

In the past decade, few assets have gained as much attention as Bitcoin and Tesla. Both have delivered extraordinary returns—but which was the superior investment? In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into historical price data, growth trends, risk, and long-term performance to settle the debate: Bitcoin vs Tesla.

How they started: Bitcoin and Tesla in 2015

In January 2015, Tesla (TSLA) was trading around $12–$13 (split-adjusted), and Bitcoin was priced under $300. Both were seen as speculative and high-risk, but the risk paid off—big time.

Raw returns: 2015–2025

Bitcoin: From ~$300 to ~$70,000 → over 23,000% growth
Tesla: From ~$13 to ~$250 (split-adjusted) → ~1,800% growth

Clearly, Bitcoin had the higher absolute return—but Tesla’s performance as a stock is also remarkable, outperforming virtually all other equities.

Volatility and drawdowns

Bitcoin experienced multiple drawdowns over 50%, with some crashes exceeding 80%. Tesla was also volatile, particularly in 2020–2022, but generally less extreme than Bitcoin.

Sharpe ratio and risk-adjusted performance

When adjusted for volatility, Tesla often has a higher Sharpe ratio in stable periods. Bitcoin, while more explosive, also carries greater downside risk—especially for short-term investors.

Key milestones

Bitcoin: 2017 bull run, 2021 ATH, 2024 ETF approval
Tesla: Model 3 rollout, 2020 profitability, EV market dominance

DCA strategy comparison

If you had invested $100/month in each asset since 2015, you’d have:

Bitcoin: ~$420,000 from $12,400 invested
Tesla: ~$95,000 from $12,400 invested

Risk profile and investor suitability

Bitcoin suits those seeking asymmetric upside and are comfortable with volatility. Tesla may appeal more to tech-focused investors wanting high growth with slightly more predictability.

Which one wins?

It depends. In terms of pure return, Bitcoin wins. In terms of company fundamentals, Tesla is more grounded. For a diversified portfolio, holding both would have been a wise choice.

Simulate it yourself

Use our interactive simulator to see how your money would have grown with Tesla, Bitcoin, or both.

Expert commentary

Analysts continue to debate both assets’ futures. Bitcoin may become digital gold; Tesla, the next trillion-dollar company in clean tech. Either way, their past performance is a case study in innovation-driven investing.

FAQ

Is Bitcoin riskier than Tesla?

Yes, historically Bitcoin has had more extreme drawdowns and higher volatility.

Can Tesla keep outperforming?

Past returns are hard to repeat, but Tesla still leads a fast-growing EV market.

Should I invest in both?

Diversification is usually smart. Both assets have different risk-reward profiles.

Compare any assets now

Want to simulate other investment pairs like Ethereum vs Apple or Nvidia vs Bitcoin? Try our What If Invested tool.

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