The takeaway
Grayscale Ethereum Trust (ETH) shows a pronounced seasonal pattern over 7 years of data — strongest in October (+22.6%) and softest in September (−16.2%).
Right now
In July, the fund has risen 57% of years, averaging +11.8%, about +9.7 pts better than the S&P 500.
The full picture
Grayscale Ethereum Trust (ETH)'s most dependable month has been October, higher in 6 of 7 years; September has been its least reliable, up just 29% of the time.
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
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| 2019 | — | — | — | — | — |
Month by month
The fund's clearest edge over the S&P 500 lands in October (+21.5 pts); it has trailed the market most in September (−16.1 pts).
“vs S&P” is Grayscale Ethereum Trust (ETH)’s average for a month minus the S&P 500’s average for that same month — isolating Grayscale Ethereum Trust (ETH)’s own seasonal edge from broad market drift.
Reality check
Over the last 5 years, October has closed higher 80% of the time versus 86% across the last 7 years — the pattern is weakening.
Figures are the typical (median) October return and how often it rose — the last 5 years versus the last 7(the heatmap’s default window). This verdict stays anchored to that 7-year window even if you zoom the chart, so it never disagrees with the badges above.
In plain English
The seasonal story is really one month's story — October. It has closed higher in 6 of 7 Octobers, a concentration the rest of the calendar can't touch.
The strength looks broad-based rather than freakish: its average (+22.6%) and median (+24.8%) sit close together, so no single blow-out year is flattering the figure. Few months are steadier: October's returns vary by just 20.2% year to year, and even its worst October in 7 years lost only 10.5% — the gentlest downside anywhere on its calendar. Better still, that strength is the fund's own and not just a buoyant market — October has outpaced the S&P 500 by +21.5 points on average. Few peers keep such company in October — the typical stock clears it just 53% of the time.
Only May comes anywhere near it for reliability. The weaker half of the year is plainer: September has been the soft spot — the weakest of 4 months that average a loss (−16.2%), and the edge isn't year-round — the fund has trailed the S&P 500 in September, December, and March. Its roughest month on record was a −49.1% August in 2020 — a reminder of how hard even a seasonal name can fall.
One run worth flagging just ended: a 6-year streak of positive Octobers was snapped by a −10.5% close in 2025. The pattern has softened of late, October's last five years slipping below its longer-run record.
For a fund this dependable in October, the sharper question is the rest of the year — outside its strong stretch, the calendar gives far less to lean on. With a short 7-year record and returns that swing hard year to year, the signal is best held loosely.
Short answers on the fund's best month (October), its worst (September), and whether it really trades seasonally.
Yes, to a pronounced degree. Since 2019 its best month (October, +22.6%) has run well ahead of its worst (September, −16.2%) — the heatmap above shows how steady that gap has been year to year.
October has been the strongest, averaging +22.6% and closing higher in 6 of 7 years since 2019.
It's the weakest, averaging −16.2% — historically a soft spot, though it still varies from year to year.
Explore
These names have the strongest July track records on record — a starting point for comparison.
Before you trade