OP (Optimism) Historical Price and Return Analysis: Should I buy OP now?

Summary

This article provides a comprehensive review of OP’s historical price movements and market volatility since its inception, analyzing data from bull and bear market phases. It evaluates the potential returns for investors purchasing 10 OP tokens and answers the key question, “Should I buy OP now?” to help both beginners and long-term investors grasp timing and growth opportunities.

Beginning of Bull Market and Early Market Cycle: Historical Price Review (2022 to 2023)

Optimism is a low-cost, lightning-fast Ethereum Layer 2 blockchain, with OP as its native governance token primarily used for protocol governance. According to market data, the early trading price of OP was approximately $1.50.

Below are the price changes of OP during the initial market phase:

2022

• Opening Price: $1.50
• Closing Price: $0.9224
• Highest Price: $1.91
• Lowest Price: $0.5088
• Annual Return: -38.51%

2023

• Opening Price: $1.26
• Closing Price: $3.71
• Highest Price: $3.71
• Lowest Price: $1.09
• Annual Return: +193.76%

An investor who bought 10 OP in 2022 and sold at the end of 2023 would have a potential loss of -$9.988; if holding until the end of 2024, the potential loss would be -$29.075.

Bear Market Adjustment and Mid-term Market Cycle: Profit and Risk Analysis (2024)

During this period, OP’s price experienced a significant downward trend.

The potential returns for an investor purchasing 10 OP in 2024 are:

• 2024: -$29.075

2024

• Opening Price: $3.17
• Closing Price: $2.09
• Highest Price: $4.54
• Lowest Price: $1.31
• Annual Return: -34.02%

Recent Market Cycle: Should I buy OP now? (2025 to date)

Recently, OP has experienced a sharp decline, with the market under significant pressure.

2025

• Opening Price: $1.78
• Closing Price: $0.2631
• Highest Price: $1.78
• Lowest Price: $0.2631
• Annual Return: -85.23%

The potential returns for an investor buying 10 OP in 2025 are:

• To date in 2025: -$15.186

Conclusion: Bull Market, Bear Market, and Investment Timing Analysis

By analyzing OP’s historical prices and potential returns, we see dramatic fluctuations since 2022—from early declines in 2022, to a strong rebound in 2023 (+193.76%), and then a continued downtrend in 2024 and 2025. Investors who bought at any point are currently at a loss, reflecting that OP is in a long-term bear market correction phase. Investors should carefully assess risks and consider waiting for clear market reversal signals before making new investments.