Getting Cryptocurrency Prices in Google Sheets

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Google Sheets offers superior functionality compared to MS Excel (in my opinion), and its googlefinance() function is a cornerstone of my financial spreadsheets. While powerful for fetching stock quotes, its support for cryptocurrencies is limited—excluding even moderately popular coins beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Standard Method for Cryptocurrency Quotes

For mainstream cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Cardano (ADA), use googlefinance() by combining the coin’s ticker with a fiat currency code (e.g., USD or BRL):

=googlefinance("BTCBRL")  // Bitcoin price in Brazilian Real  
=googlefinance("ETHUSD")  // Ethereum price in US Dollar

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Limitation: This method fails for lesser-known coins like Polygon (MATIC) or Chainlink (LINK).

Alternative Solution Using Crypto Prices API

When googlefinance() falls short, leverage the Crypto Prices service (cryptoprices.cc)—a simplified wrapper for CoinGecko’s API. It extracts prices via coin tickers (e.g., MATIC, LINK) through Google Sheets’ importdata() function:

=importdata("https://cryptoprices.cc/MATIC/")  // Fetches Polygon price in USD  
=importdata("https://cryptoprices.cc/LINK/")   // Fetches Chainlink price in USD

Handling Locale and Currency Conversions

  1. Locale Issues: Non-US locales (e.g., Brazil) may misinterpret decimal separators. Force en_US formatting:

    =importdata("https://cryptoprices.cc/SOL/";;"en_US")

  2. Currency Conversion: Multiply the USD result by a forex rate using googlefinance():

    // Chainlink price in BRL (Brazilian Real)  
=importdata("https://cryptoprices.cc/LINK/";;"en_US") * googlefinance("USDBRL")

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FAQs

Q1: Can I fetch prices for multiple cryptocurrencies at once?
A: Yes! Use an array formula or separate importdata() calls for each coin.

Q2: Why does importdata() return incorrect values?
A: Ensure the locale parameter (en_US) is set to avoid decimal separator conflicts.

Q3: How often do prices update?
A: Crypto Prices refreshes data in near real-time, but delays of 1–2 minutes may occur.

Q4: Is this method free?
A: Absolutely—no API keys or subscriptions required.

Q5: Can I use this for historical price data?
A: No, this method only fetches current prices. For historical data, explore dedicated APIs like CoinGecko.

Final Notes