Time for average US worker to earn one BTC exceeds 12 months

The average US full-time worker now needs more than a year of wages to afford a single bitcoin. That has not been true for most of bitcoin's history.

The calculations are on a pretax basis before living expenses, based on a full-time private sector employee using entire wages to acquire bitcoin.

Despite how expensive bitcoin appears now, it is actually cheaper in terms of wages compared to its July 2025 peak.

In July 2025, the average bitcoin price was $115,101, requiring 394 full-time workdays (1.6 years) for the median US worker.

Measured in average US wages, the cost of bitcoin has fallen since that 1.6-year peak in mid-2025.

Data comes from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics' private sector average pay rates.

The data begins on October 12, 2009, when New Liberty Standard sent Martti Malmi $5.02 for 5,050 BTC — the first time bitcoin was sold for US dollars. Before that date and for over a year after, the price was essentially zero or negligible.

Since 2009, bitcoin has climbed from fractional pennies to an expense that takes years of post-tax, post-living savings.

Work required to buy one BTC

• In October 2009, it took under one second.
• In October 2010, it took 14 seconds.
• In October 2011, it took 10 minutes.
• In October 2012, it took 30 minutes.
• In October 2013, it took six hours.
• In October 2014, it took 15 hours.
• In October 2015, it took 11 hours.
• In October 2016, it took 25 hours.
• In October 2017, it took 202 hours (five weeks).
• In October 2018, it took 235 hours (six weeks).
• In October 2019, it took 297 hours (seven weeks).
• In October 2020, it took 402 hours (two and a half months).
• In October 2021, it took 1,860 hours (11 months).
• In October 2022, it took 601 hours (four months).
• In October 2023, it took 873 hours (five months).
• In October 2024, it took 1,849 hours (11 months).
• In October 2025, it took 3,100 hours (18 months).
• In September 2026, it took 2,127 hours (12 months).