HBAR, the native token of the Hedera network, is currently priced roughly 88% below its all-time high, according to recent analysis, positioning it ahead of many other major cryptocurrencies from the 2021 market cycle in terms of proximity to past records. However, this relative performance reflects the broader, ongoing weakness in the sector rather than robust strength for HBAR itself.
HBAR’s performance among 2021 tokens
The Cheeky Crypto YouTube channel, known for its market commentary, reviewed CoinMarketCap data from November 7, 2021, focusing on the 50 largest cryptocurrencies outside of stablecoins and wrapped tokens. Of these, 41 had declined by at least 80% from their record highs. The median decline stood at approximately 97%, highlighting a sweeping market downturn since late 2021.
Cheeky Crypto emphasized that these figures represent historical analysis, not predictions about future movements. The assessment distinguishes between documenting what has happened and offering a market outlook.
Cheeky Crypto clarified that the analysis is intended to outline HBAR’s past performance instead of projecting a recovery’s likelihood, underscoring, “It’s not a forecast.”
Key price targets and recent rallies
At a reference price near $0.07, HBAR would need to increase nearly eightfold to reclaim its intraday peak of about $0.57, set in September 2021 on Binance. The analyst further distinguishes between the token’s swift spike and its strongest daily closing price, which stood just above $0.50 during the same month.
Potential recovery milestones identified include $0.10—around 43% higher than the current reference price—followed by $0.25, and then its record high. Despite substantial growth from late 2022, HBAR has not restored earlier peak values for many holders.
The token managed its highest daily close since 2021 at about $0.37 in January 2025, still around 25% beneath the record daily close. This performance illustrates that sizeable rallies can occur without fully offsetting deep prior losses.
Supply challenges and valuation implications
The report highlights increased HBAR supply as a significant challenge in any recovery effort. Since the previous high, the amount of HBAR released from the project’s treasury has more than tripled, which fundamentally alters the market dynamics. At current supply levels, a token price of $0.57 would imply an overall market capitalization near $25 billion.
Achieving HBAR’s historical peak market cap with today’s circulating supply would instead require a price between approximately $0.11 and $0.16 per token, depending on the precise historical emission figures.
This calculation highlights the difference between token price recovery and network valuation recovery—a crucial distinction for investors assessing potential upside. Additional token releases could further increase the capital required to revisit past price levels.
Cheeky Crypto specified that market capitalization is not synonymous with the volume of money invested, clarifying the technical nuance for the audience.
Mini dictionary: Hedera is an enterprise-focused network offering decentralized ledger technology with fast transaction speeds and low fees, using a unique consensus mechanism known as hashgraph. HBAR is the platform’s native token, used for network services and securing the platform.
| Price Benchmark | Required Price for New Supply | Market Cap at Price |
|---|---|---|
| All-time high ($0.57) | $0.57 | ~$25 billion |
| Historical peak market cap | $0.11–$0.16 | ~Peak 2021 market cap |
Broader context
Despite recording a smaller drawdown than many peer assets, HBAR’s outlook remains complicated by dilution and higher supply levels. The path to earlier all-time highs is not guaranteed simply because the percentage drop from peak is lower than average among major 2021 cryptocurrencies.
Market watchers continue to monitor shifts in supply, valuation metrics, and investor sentiment as possible catalysts or headwinds for HBAR’s future price movements.
For investors, distinguishing between token price recovery and network valuation recovery is key, as increasing supply can dampen the prospects of revisiting old price records even if sentiment or demand improves.
