In this article, we will be discussing a popular topic that new and experienced crypto-traders are dying to know: What are the best cryptocurrencies to invest in? As new investors enter the crypto-playing field, the adoption is rising, which is great news for cryptocurrency as a whole. The increase in adoption also means exciting investment opportunities for you! Keep reading, and we promise this list will not disappoint!
- Also learn about: Best cryptocurrencies under $1 to invest in
Disclosure: No content in this article should be taken as financial advice. Investing can be risky, so it is recommended that you consult with your accounting, legal, and tax advisors before engaging in any kind of transaction.
What Are The Best Cryptocurrencies to Invest In?
Before we start analyzing the best cryptos to invest in, itâs essential to understand whatâs been happening in the market as of late. Thereâs been a lot of emotion in cryptocurrency, so the highs and lows have been really volatile. This volatility happens when thereâs a lot of anxiety, fear, and uncertainty about what will happen next for cryptocurrency. Along with this, we see people shilling âmoon shotâ coins as investors search for the next big cryptocurrency to invest in.
Please donât fall into the trap of investing in these âmoon shotâ scam coins. However, there are legitimate cryptocurrencies under $1 that may be worth looking into. In this article, we will be focusing on coins with real applications and technology behind them. These are coins that will withstand FOMO (fear of missing out) and are longer-term investments. So, letâs get started!
1. Polygon (MATIC)
The first coin on the list is Polygon. The goal of Polygon is to provide cheaper and quicker transactions on the Ethereum network. Ethereum is a bit of a beast in and of itself, in that scaling has always been a question and the congestion that ICOs have caused on the network. Due to Ethereumâs popularity, gas fees have been through the roof. Polygon is an excellent solution because, on top of layer 1 and layer 2 upgrades to Ethereum, Polygon offers a complete ecosystem of scaling solutions such as plasma, sidechains, ZK rollups, and optimistic rollups. Polygon is positioned to provide a long-term solution since it offers so many scaling solutions.Â
Polygon also has a solid team dedicated to ensuring the success of these solutions. Celebrities such as Mark Cuban have also invested in Polygon, as Mark has seen the solution work first-hand. Mark Cuban has referred to Bitcoin as a legitimate store of value, and Ethereum as a legacy, saying that these networks will not disappear. He added, âThen thereâs everybody else. Right now, Polygon is destroying these everybody else.â
In 1 year, Polygon has skyrocketed by over 8,000% in growth. Polygon is available on most of the mainstream cryptocurrency exchanges.Â
And hereâs a little life hack just for you guys, Coinbase will give you free MATIC for answering a few quiz questions on their website. Who doesnât want free coins? If you sign up for Coinbase using the link here, you can also get an extra $5 in free Bitcoin if youâre a new user.
Polygon Current Price
Rank: 98
2. Ethereum (ETH)
The second cryptocurrency on the list is Ethereum. When we look at the market cap, Ethereum is the 2nd largest Crypto next to Bitcoin. Ethereum still has a ton of growth potential within the next few years.Â
Ethereum is so exciting because there are so many uses for its technology. Ethereum is much more than just a store of value through its use of smart contracts, unlike Bitcoin. People have used the Ethereum network to create their own tokens, distribute royalty payments for music, build NFTs, create social media outlets, and so much more. Ethereum already has so many uses. As the world continues to adopt cryptocurrency increasingly, the value of Ethereum will continue to increase as the need increases, and more applications are released.
You might be wondering why an obvious coin like Ethereum is on the list. The reason is that itâs crucial to have a diverse portfolio. That means being smart about what you choose to invest in and not dumping all disposable income into coins that claim they are âgoing to the moon.âÂ
Ethereum is a really solid coin with a proven use case and applications in the real world. As of the making of this video, its all-time high was just a little while ago at over $4,000. Many investors are feeling bullish about the future of this coin as a solid, long-term investment. Some people are EXTREMELY bullish and even saying that they think Ethereum could overtake Bitcoin.
Ethereum Current PriceÂ
Rank: 2
3. Chainlink (LINK)
The third crypto that I have on the list is Chainlink. Chainlink is a decentralized oracle network and cryptocurrency that provides real-world data to blockchains using smart contracts. If you are a die-hard cryptocurrency enthusiast due to the decentralized aspect of crypto, then Chainlink should be on your list. Chainlink provides real-world applications and isnât just some concept or theory.Â
If youâre not familiar with Smart Contracts, theyâre just programs stored on a blockchain that will run when certain conditions are met. A simple example is, letâs say your birthday is on January 1st of each year. A smart contract can be programmed to release funds from an account for your birthday each year. This is a really elementary example, but the possibilities are endless. One popular use case for Chainlink has to do with bonds. Short-term capital can be raised by issuing debt to be paid back at a later date. A smart contract can provide the data required for settlement, including interest rates, overall settled payments, and more.
In addition, Chainlink smart contracts can be programmed to distribute salaries to workers in real-time. This could cut down significantly on accounting, overhead costs, and the cost of human error. You know how much of a headache payroll errors can be if youâre involved in the accounting or payroll world! The most significant advantage is the ability to provide immediate payment to employees. Getting paid quickly can be a game-changer for employees at lower-wage jobs or who may be living paycheck to paycheck. Experts believe that these types of smart contracts will be superior to escrows and third parties for payments.Â
Chainlink is an excellent choice for investors who believe the number of users for blockchain-based smart contracts will continue to increase.Â
Chainlink Current Price
Rank: 19
4. Aave (AAVE)
The fourth crypto weâll be discussing is AAVE. AAVE is a native governance token based on the Ethereum token. Basically, AAVE allows anyone to take out a loan without any kind of credit approval and 0 registration process. Itâs all about having open peer-to-peer lending and borrowing money market. Crypto enthusiasts are calling this the âWorldâs Bank.â Itâs surprisingly easy to get started as all you need to do is connect your crypto wallet to the platform. How it works is simple. Essentially, users who want to loan money will put the money into a bucket to be used by people who request the loans. This bucket is known as a liquidity pool.Â
Iâm sure you have questions and are thinking, âYeah…that sounds kind of risky. What could go wrong?â
Well, letâs look at a traditional loan as an example. When you take out a loan, you typically pay traditional interest to the bank or lender. What AAVE does, is collect the interest and pay it directly to the person lending the money. So, if you deposit money into the platform, you will get a reward on an APY yield bonus. If you decide to borrow money on the platform, youâll pay the borrow interest rate that then will be sent to the people lending you the money from the liquidity pool. There is a transparent and open-source protocol thatâs shared with the public. So hopefully, you can feel a little bit better that this isnât some kind of scam token. As of the making of this article, Aave was trading right around $400 and ranked #27 on CoinMarket Cap.
There are many other ways to make money on AAVE besides loaning money. You can execute flash loans, stake, migrate and invest in the actual crypto asset. If you believe that decentralized lending will continue to grow in popularity, AAVE is a good choice.Â
Aave may interest traders or investors who believe decentralized lending will continue to grow in popularity over time.Â
Aave Current Price
Rank: 55
5. Bitcoin (BTC)
Many investors are already familiar with Bitcoin, but hereâs a quick recap on . Bitcoin is special because it initially enabled its creators to manage and hold a supply of digital money outside any bank or government system for the first time in history. The idea behind Bitcoin is to have a system where there is no central authority. You and only you have control of your money, and your transactions cannot be denied.
Bitcoin has such a high value due to a few reasons. For one, itâs scarce. Compared to silver and gold, the supply of BTC is even more limited as there will only ever be 21 million Bitcoin circulating in the economy. Bitcoin is also durable in that it can be used over and over again as well as portable. Itâs easy to store on a flash drive or card. Any currency of value is also divisible. For example, a dollar can be broken down into smaller coins to make payments more accurate. BTC is also divisible and can be subdivided up to the 8th decimal. For something to have value, people also need to accept that itâs worth something, which we know as Acceptability. Thousands of vendors currently accept payment in Bitcoin, and this number continues to increase as Bitcoin becomes more mainstream.
By now, youâre probably wondering, âIs it too late to buy Bitcoin?â Some experts are projecting Bitcoin to hit $100,000 eventually. If that happens, itâs not too late to invest part of your portfolio in Bitcoin. As discussed earlier, itâs wise to have a diverse investment portfolio. This means investing in more stable coins with proven uses like Bitcoin and Ethereum, as well as projects with good potential.
Bitcoin Current Price
No coins selected6. Cardano (ADA)
So sixth on the list, but certainly not last place, is Cardano. Cardano is a fully open-sourced cryptocurrency project with some exciting attributes, including a new smart contract feature. Cardano is the first blockchain platform to evolve out of a scientific philosophy and a research-first driven approach.Â
The development team includes engineers and researchers worldwide that work on the project collectively. Cardano aims to solve three problems that other cryptocurrencies in a similar space have faced. 1 is scalability. 2 is interoperability. And 3 is sustainability.Â
A layer 2 solution was implemented known as the Hydra protocol, where the proof of stake consensus is used. The solution is highly scalable and can be used for many different applications, including sports, gambling, and other types of industries. If youâre interested in the Hydra protocol, you can check out the Cardano website to dig a little deeper into the research and learn more. This project has excited investors because of the team of brilliant people behind it and the scientific methods they employ.
The takeaway of Cardano is that it aims to improve on Ethereum. Both Cardano and Ethereum are smart contracts that build decentralized systems. However, Cardano is a step above Ethereum in terms of innovative solutions such as the proof of stake consensus protocol known as Oroboros.
If you believe the market will favor staking protocols and blockchains built to enable decentralized applications, then Cardano is a great investment option.Â
Cardano Current Price
Rank: 10
The Bottom Line
The above cryptocurrencies have withstood the test of time and are solid picks. Some of the coins mentioned are pricey, but for good reason. As more and more cryptocurrencies crash, only the ones with true value to society will survive.
Most of these cryptocurrencies have real-world applications that have revolutionized the blockchain industry. Ultimately, your investment choices should come down to the coins you are confident about. Confidence should be based on market cap, technology, and price.