DOTPolkadot: history, founders and key events
From May 26, 2020 to today, every major rally, crash and upgrade, each with a dated, sourced price.
Open the interactive timelineLatest close in our data: $1.15 (Coinbase Exchange DOT/USD daily close, 2026-10-14).
Origin story
Polkadot was designed by Gavin Wood, an Ethereum co founder, to connect many specialized blockchains (parachains) to a shared relay chain for security. The Web3 Foundation ran a token sale in October 2017.
Weeks later, a bug in a Parity multisig wallet library froze about 513,000 ETH, including much of the sale proceeds. Polkadot's mainnet still launched in May 2020.
Founders: Gavin Wood, Robert Habermeier and Peter Czaban; Web3 Foundation and Parity Technologies.
Source: Binance DOT/USDT daily closes 2020-08-18 to 2021-06-15; Coinbase Exchange DOT/USD daily closes 2021-06-16 to 2026-10-14. Fetched Oct 14, 2026 from free public APIs. Click a dot for the event and its price on that day.
Browse by year
Key events
- Nov 6, 2017crash
Parity wallet freeze
A wallet bug locks Polkadot's ICO funds. - May 26, 2020launch
Polkadot genesis
Polkadot's chain starts under proof of authority. - Aug 18, 2020milestone
First daily close in our data $3.10 (Binance DOT/USDT daily close, 2020-08-18)
Our sourced DOT price history begins on this day. - Aug 21, 2020milestone
DOT redenomination $2.83 (Binance DOT/USDT daily close, 2020-08-21)
One old DOT becomes 100 new DOT. - Nov 4, 2021rally
Highest close in our data $53.90 (Coinbase Exchange DOT/USD daily close, 2021-11-04)
The highest daily close for DOT in our price history. - Nov 11, 2021upgrade
First parachain auctions $47.49 (Coinbase Exchange DOT/USD daily close, 2021-11-11)
Projects bid DOT for parachain slots. - Aug 18, 2026crash
Lowest close after the peak $0.7508 (Coinbase Exchange DOT/USD daily close, 2026-08-18)
The lowest DOT close in our data after its highest close.
Updated
Sources
Facts written in our own words. Last checked Oct 14, 2026.