If You Had Invested in Nasdaq 100 (QQQ)
The 100 biggest non-financial Nasdaq companies — the tech-heavy index, tracked via the QQQ ETF. Pick an amount and a starting month above — the result, the chart and the S&P 500 comparison update instantly, with dividends reinvested.
Nasdaq 100 price history
$1,000 invested in Nasdaq 100 — what it became
| Invested | Value today | Total return | Per year (CAGR) | S&P 500 same period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start of 2025 (1 year ago) | $1,376 | +38% | 22.3% | $1,294 |
| Start of 2023 (3 years ago) | $2,471 | +147% | 28.7% | $1,970 |
| Start of 2021 (5 years ago) | $2,343 | +134% | 16.5% | $2,228 |
| Start of 2016 (10 years ago) | $7,384 | +638% | 20.8% | $4,689 |
| Start of 2011 (15 years ago) | $14,559 | +1,356% | 18.8% | $7,820 |
| Start of 2006 (20 years ago) | $19,894 | +1,889% | 15.6% | $8,746 |
| 1999-03 (27 years, since our data begins) | $16,137 | +1,514% | 10.7% | $9,598 |
Monthly investing in Nasdaq 100 — projected forward
What if you started investing a fixed amount into Nasdaq 100 every month from today? This projection applies the index fund's own historical average return to your plan — pick which history to assume, or set your own rate. Treat it as a what-if, not a forecast: few assets repeat their past.
Nasdaq 100 by the numbers
- Best full year: 2023 (+55%)
- Worst full year: 2008 (-42%)
- Deepest fall from a peak (monthly data): -81% — the price of holding any single index fund
- Average return since 1999: 10.7% per year
Reading the results
Returns are computed from monthly adjusted prices in US dollars, meaning stock splits and reinvested dividends are included. A euro investor's result would additionally move with the USD/EUR exchange rate. And the obvious but essential caveat: these are the results of one specific index fund picked with hindsight — past performance tells you what happened, not what happens next.
If numbers like these tempt you to invest, the boring path usually wins: a diversified index fund bought monthly. See how to start investing in Europe, compare costs in the broker comparison, or project your own plan with the compound interest calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What would $1,000 invested in Nasdaq 100 10 years ago be worth today?
About $7,384 in USD with dividends reinvested — a total return of +638% from a $1,000 investment made at the start of 2016.
What is Nasdaq 100's average annual return?
Since 1999, Nasdaq 100 has returned about 10.7% per year with dividends reinvested, and about 20.8% per year over the past 10 years. Averages hide large swings — see the best and worst years above.
Did Nasdaq 100 beat the S&P 500?
Over the past 10 years, $1,000 in Nasdaq 100 grew to about $7,384 while the same amount in an S&P 500 fund grew to about $4,689 — so Nasdaq 100 beat the index over that period. Other periods can tell a different story; use the calculator above to check any timeframe.