Are you looking to invest in cryptocurrencies but unsure which one to buy? With so many options available, it can be overwhelming to decide how to invest your money. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the best crypto to buy now, based on factors such as project developments, price performance, and market capitalization, as well as the overall potential for growth.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the most promising cryptocurrencies, including staples such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, and a combination of several other promising crypto projects. We’ll discuss their features, advantages, and potential drawbacks, as well as provide insights into market trends. Whether you’re a seasoned investor or just starting out, this article will help you make an informed decision about the best crypto to buy now.
So, let’s dive in and explore the best cryptocurrencies to invest in October 2026:
- Bitcoin – The world’s oldest and largest crypto
- Ethereum – The leading DeFi and smart contract platform
- Zcash – Privacy-focused cryptocurrency
- XRP – The leading crypto remittance solution
- Solana – Smart contracts platform with high speeds and low fees
- NEAR Protocol – AI and scalability focused blockchain
- Uniswap – The pioneering automated market maker protocol
- Monero – A privacy-first cryptocurrency with fully obfuscated transactions
- Chainlink – The largest decentralized oracle network
- Cardano – Research-driven smart contract platform
- Hyperliquid – Decentralized perpetuals exchange with an efficient order book
- BNB – The native coin of the Binance exchange
The best cryptos to buy right now: Discover top investments for October 2026
The following three cryptocurrency projects highlight our investment selection thanks to important developments and upcoming events that make them especially interesting to follow in the near future. These projects are updated each week based on the most recent developments and trends taking place in the crypto market.
1. Bitcoin
Bitcoin (BTC) is the original decentralized digital currency, enabling peer-to-peer transactions without the need for intermediaries such as banks or financial institutions. It was created in 2009 by an unknown person or group of people using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. Bitcoin was the first digital currency to eliminate the double spending problem without resorting to any central intermediaries.
Bitcoin transactions are recorded on a public ledger called the blockchain, which is maintained by a network of computers around the world. This means that the transactions are secure and transparent, as anyone can view them, but they are also anonymous, as the identity of the participants in the transaction is not revealed.
Bitcoin is often referred to as “digital gold” or a store of value, as it has a limited supply of 21 million coins, and its value is determined by market demand. Some people also see it as a hedge against inflation or a way to diversify their investment portfolio. It is by far the largest cryptocurrency by market cap in the industry, accounting for the value of more than 50% of all digital assets in circulation combined, making it arguably the most popular crypto to buy.
Why Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is trading at $80,445 after slipping below the $81,000 level as renewed geopolitical tensions and rising oil prices weighed on global risk assets. Brent crude climbed to $116 per barrel, its highest level in seven months, amid concerns over further escalation in the US-Iran conflict. The resulting uncertainty pressured US equities and pushed Bitcoin below its 50-day simple moving average near $81,781, leaving traders focused on whether buyers can defend the $80,000 support area.
Despite the recent price weakness, institutional adoption continues to expand. Switzerland’s financial regulator FINMA approved the country’s first Bitcoin ETF that invests directly in BTC and is accessible to retail investors, marking an important milestone for regulated crypto investment products in Europe. Meanwhile, BlackRock filed for its third Bitcoin ETF, the iShares Bitcoin Managed Protection ETF (PBIT), which would use options linked to its existing IBIT fund to provide limited downside protection in exchange for capped potential gains. The proposed product highlights growing demand for alternative Bitcoin investment strategies, with BlackRock’s flagship IBIT already managing approximately $65.7 billion in assets.
Looking ahead, traders are closely watching Bitcoin’s ability to reclaim its 50-day moving average around $81,781. A sustained recovery above this level could improve short-term momentum, while failure to do so may trigger another test of support between $78,000 and $80,000. The $80,000-$81,500 region remains particularly important because it represents the aggregate cost basis of US spot Bitcoin ETF investors. Although expanding institutional access provides a positive longer-term backdrop, elevated oil prices and geopolitical uncertainty could continue to limit Bitcoin’s near-term upside.
2. Ethereum
Launched in 2015 by Vitalik Buterin and a team of developers, Ethereum is a decentralized, open-source blockchain platform that allows developers to build decentralized applications (dApps) and smart contracts.
Ethereum has a wide range of use cases beyond just a store of value or medium of exchange. Ethereum’s smart contract functionality allows developers to build dApps that can run without the need for intermediaries, like centralized servers or institutions.
The Ethereum platform has gained widespread adoption and has become the backbone of the decentralized finance (DeFi) industry. DeFi applications built on Ethereum allow users to access financial services without relying on traditional banks or financial institutions. Ethereum’s smart contract functionality has also enabled the creation of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), which have gained popularity in the digital art and gaming worlds.
While Ethereum has a strong community and has been highly influential in the cryptocurrency industry, it also faces challenges, such as scalability issues and high gas fees. These issues have spurred the development of various Layer 2 scaling solutions. In the long run, future updates are supposed to massively increase Ethereum’s throughput bringing the transaction per second (TPS) figure from 15 to 100,000.
Why Ethereum?
Ethereum is trading at $2,323 after briefly falling below $2,300 as renewed selling pressure and uncertainty surrounding its upcoming Glamsterdam upgrade weighed on market sentiment. ETH dropped to approximately $2,285 over the weekend, extending its decline to roughly 12% from early-October levels. Institutional demand has also weakened, with US spot Ethereum ETFs recording approximately $220.7 million in net outflows over five trading sessions, complicating attempts to recover toward the $2,500 level.
Ethereum’s development roadmap encountered a setback after researchers identified security concerns involving two gas-scaling proposals included in the Glamsterdam upgrade. The vulnerabilities could affect at least 13 DeFi smart contracts, prompting developers to postpone the planned Hoodi testnet activation while further investigations continue. Researchers from the Ethereum Foundation and Ethlabs have also deployed AI agents to examine potential vulnerabilities and coordinate their findings. Despite the delay, institutional adoption continues to advance, with JPMorgan deploying its JPM Coin deposit token on Ethereum’s mainnet, allowing approved institutional clients to make payments, settle tokenized asset transactions and transfer collateral around the clock.
Looking ahead, traders are watching whether Ethereum can maintain support around $2,300 and reclaim the $2,400 resistance level. A sustained breakout could open the door to a recovery toward 2,480-2,500, with 2,550-2,600 emerging as the next potential target if momentum strengthens. However, a decline below the recent $2,285 low could expose further downside toward $2,200. While JPMorgan’s expansion highlights Ethereum’s growing role in institutional finance, continued ETF outflows and uncertainty surrounding Glamsterdam’s testing schedule may limit near-term upside.
3. Zcash
ZCash (ZEC) is a privacy-focused cryptocurrency that was launched in 2016 by Zooko Wilcox-O’Hearn. It is a fork of Bitcoin, designed to enhance privacy and anonymity for its users. Unlike Bitcoin, where transaction details (such as sender, recipient, and amount) are publicly visible, ZCash allows users to choose between two types of transactions: transparent and shielded.
Transparent transactions work similarly to Bitcoin, where all transaction details are recorded on the blockchain and visible to everyone. However, shielded transactions use a cryptographic technology called zk-SNARKs to allow fully private transactions. In shielded transactions, the details are encrypted, meaning that only the parties involved have access to the information, while the validity of the transaction is still verifiable by the network.
ZCash is particularly valued by those who prioritize financial privacy and security, as it offers optional anonymity in a way that few other cryptocurrencies do.
Why Zcash?
Zcash is trading at $1,223 after rebounding from its recent October correction, supported by renewed buying interest and optimism surrounding the network’s upcoming NU7 upgrade. ZEC recently gained as much as 12% in a single day after developers agreed on a proposed mainnet activation block, extending its year-to-date gains to more than 148%. The recovery has also been amplified by short liquidations, with approximately $11.74 million in leveraged positions liquidated during one 24-hour period, predominantly affecting bearish traders. However, institutional demand remains uneven, with reported redemptions from Grayscale’s Zcash investment product exceeding $115 million across 13 October trading sessions.
The main catalyst behind Zcash’s recovery is progress toward its NU7 network upgrade, which developers are targeting for activation around November 5 at block 3,543,405. The upgrade aims to reduce Zcash’s target block time from 75 seconds to just 25 seconds, allowing transactions to receive confirmations significantly faster. Although developers have agreed on the activation height, several preparations remain unfinished, including Zebra node synchronization work and finalizing upgrade specifications. The Zcash Foundation’s readiness tracker recently showed six of 12 tasks completed, leaving some uncertainty around whether the planned activation date can be maintained.
Looking ahead, traders are watching whether Zcash can establish support above $1,250 and challenge resistance between $1,300 and $1,350. A sustained breakout above this region could open the door to $1,400, while renewed weakness below $1,200 may expose support around $1,100 and the recent $1,040 low. Although the upcoming NU7 upgrade provides a potential catalyst for renewed interest, continued investment product outflows and elevated derivatives activity suggest that ZEC could remain volatile as the activation date approaches.
4. XRP
XRP is a digital cryptocurrency that was created by Ripple Labs in 2012. It is used as a means of payment and transfer of value on the Ripple payment protocol, which is designed to enable fast and secure transactions between financial institutions as well as individuals.
XRP is unique in that it is not based on the blockchain technology used by many other cryptocurrencies. Instead, it uses a distributed consensus ledger called the XRP Ledger, which is maintained by a network of validators. This allows for faster transaction processing times and lower fees compared to traditional payment methods.
XRP has been popular among cryptocurrency traders and investors due to its high liquidity and clear potential for broader adoption, especially as a remittance solution. However, it has also been the subject of controversy and legal action, with US regulators alleging that it is a security and should thus be subjected to securities regulations. This has somewhat hindered the potential of XRP as an investment, and handcuffed Ripple’s growth as a company.
Why XRP?
XRP is trading around $1.31 as selling pressure from large holders continues to weigh on market sentiment. According to CryptoQuant, whale deposits to Binance reached 1.669 billion XRP over the past 30 days, their highest level in seven months and equivalent to approximately $2.2 billion. Exchange reserves have also increased, with tracked wallets adding nearly 84 million XRP between October 12 and 15. While these transfers do not necessarily represent confirmed sales, the growing amount of XRP moving onto exchanges has raised concerns about additional downside pressure, particularly as institutional investment demand becomes less consistent.
Meanwhile, the XRP Ledger is preparing for another network upgrade, with the fixCleanup3_4_0 amendment expected to activate on October 23 if validator support remains above the required threshold. The upgrade addresses technical issues involving token permissions, automated market makers, escrow transactions and other network functions. However, the proposed native lending protocol remains below the necessary approval threshold, delaying the introduction of additional decentralized lending capabilities. At the same time, former Ripple adviser Anthony Welfare has cautioned that growing institutional adoption of XRPL may not necessarily translate into stronger XRP demand, as banks can use stablecoins such as RLUSD for settlement without relying on XRP as the primary transfer asset.
Traders are watching whether XRP can stabilize around $1.30 as rising exchange inflows threaten to prolong the recent weakness. A slowdown in whale deposits, combined with stronger spot buying activity, could help ease selling pressure and support a recovery. Beyond short-term price movements, the October 23 network upgrade and progress toward native lending functionality remain important developments for the XRP ecosystem. However, analysts emphasize that sustained token demand will ultimately depend on whether expanding institutional adoption translates into meaningful XRP liquidity requirements rather than simply increased activity on the underlying ledger.
5. Solana
Solana is a smart contract platform known for its distinctive architecture, enabling it to handle thousands of transactions per second while maintaining very low costs. It accomplishes this by using a combination of a unique Proof-of-History algorithm and a Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism. SOL, the native cryptocurrency of the platform, is one of the cheapest to transfer, with users typically paying less than $0.001 per transaction.
Founded in 2018 by Anatoly Yakovenko, Solana’s mainnet went live in March 2020 and experienced a surge in adoption throughout 2021. Despite a significant drop in value during the 2022 bear market, Solana remains one of the most robust ecosystems in the cryptocurrency space and continues to be seen as a potential candidate for significant future growth.
Why Solana?
Solana (SOL) is trading at $104.62 as investors focus on the blockchain’s improving network resilience and an upcoming consensus upgrade that could significantly accelerate transaction settlement. According to a recent report from Fidelity’s Center for Applied Technology, Solana has made substantial progress in network stability, performance and economic security, recording no reported mainnet outages over the past two years. The report also highlighted strong staking participation, low transaction costs and improving network capacity, although concentration among validators, hosting providers and client software remains a potential risk to decentralization and reliability.
Meanwhile, Solana is preparing to activate its Alpenglow consensus upgrade on October 21, targeting a reduction in transaction finality from approximately 12.8 seconds to just 150 milliseconds. The upgrade replaces the existing TowerBFT voting mechanism with Votor, allowing validators to exchange votes more efficiently without recording them as ordinary blockchain transactions. As a result, reported transactions per second (TPS) could decline significantly after activation, since validator votes currently account for roughly 63% of Solana’s recorded activity. However, this change would primarily reflect a different accounting method rather than a reduction in actual user transactions.
Investors will be watching the successful rollout of Alpenglow and whether its faster transaction finality can strengthen Solana’s position in payments, decentralized finance and other high-frequency blockchain applications. The upgrade represents another important step in Solana’s broader performance roadmap, which also includes plans to reduce block slot times toward 200 milliseconds. However, the transition will require validator software changes, while concerns surrounding infrastructure concentration and client diversity remain unresolved. Although improved network performance could support Solana’s long-term adoption, its impact on SOL’s price will ultimately depend on sustained ecosystem activity and broader cryptocurrency market conditions.
6. NEAR Protocol
NEAR Protocol is a high-throughput Layer 1 blockchain that uses sharding to scale transaction processing while maintaining fast finality and low fees. In recent years, the project has expanded its focus beyond traditional smart contract applications toward cross-chain infrastructure and AI agents, with the goal of making it easier for both users and autonomous software to interact with assets and applications across multiple blockchains.
Developers can build smart contracts on NEAR using widely adopted programming languages, including Rust and JavaScript. The protocol also includes incentives for application developers, who can receive a portion of the transaction fees generated when users interact with their smart contracts. NEAR’s architecture is designed to scale dynamically as network activity increases, allowing additional capacity to be added through its sharding system.
One of the ecosystem’s most notable products is NEAR Intents, a multichain transaction framework that allows users to specify the outcome they want rather than manually determining how a transaction should be executed. Independent solvers compete to fulfill these requests efficiently, abstracting away much of the complexity associated with bridges, gas tokens and individual networks. In practice, NEAR Intents is primarily used for cross-chain cryptocurrency swaps, providing a unified execution layer for moving assets between otherwise separate blockchain ecosystems.
Why NEAR Protocol?
NEAR Protocol is trading at $5.73 after surging approximately 140% over the past 30 days, pushing the cryptocurrency into the top 20 digital assets by market capitalization. The rally has been supported by growing adoption of NEAR’s cross-chain infrastructure and the launch of the first US spot NEAR exchange-traded product. Bitwise introduced the fund on September 29 under the ticker NRR, giving traditional investors a new way to gain exposure to NEAR. Meanwhile, daily trading volume recently reached approximately $1.2 billion, reflecting increased market interest following the token’s sharp recovery.
One of the biggest drivers behind NEAR’s growing adoption is NEAR Intents, its cross-chain trading protocol, which has surpassed $31 billion in cumulative transaction volume. The ecosystem recently expanded through an integration with Infinex, allowing users to access Bitcoin, Dogecoin, XRP and other assets across multiple blockchains without manually managing bridges or separate wallets. NEAR Intents currently supports more than 100 assets across 31 blockchains, with transactions typically settling in around 30 seconds. The integration highlights NEAR’s growing role as cross-chain infrastructure, simplifying asset transfers and improving interoperability between otherwise disconnected blockchain networks.
Looking ahead, investors will be watching whether NEAR can maintain its recent momentum as adoption of its chain-abstraction technology continues to expand. The launch of Bitwise’s spot exchange-traded product could provide an additional channel for institutional demand, while integrations such as Infinex may help drive further transaction volume across NEAR Intents. The protocol also recently recovered all $3.8 million lost in an exploit affecting its deposit and withdrawal infrastructure, although the incident highlights the security risks associated with cross-chain services. While NEAR’s expanding ecosystem supports its longer-term outlook, the token’s rapid 140% rally also raises the possibility of short-term profit-taking as traders assess whether current valuations are sustainable.
7. Uniswap
Uniswap is the leading decentralized exchange (DEX) built on Ethereum, allowing users to swap cryptocurrencies directly from their wallets without relying on centralized intermediaries. The protocol pioneered the automated market maker (AMM) model, which replaces traditional order books with liquidity pools supplied by users who earn fees for providing liquidity.
The protocol is governed by the UNI token, which gives holders the ability to propose and vote on changes affecting Uniswap’s development and ecosystem. Since its launch in 2020, Uniswap has become one of the largest decentralized finance (DeFi) applications by trading volume and continues to expand through innovations such as Uniswap v4, introducing customizable liquidity pools and new infrastructure for tokenized real-world assets and institutional adoption.
Why Uniswap?
Uniswap is trading at $6.98 after rallying sharply alongside a broader rotation into altcoins and DeFi assets. UNI gained nearly 40% over the past week as trading activity on the recently launched Robinhood Chain surged, with Uniswap handling the vast majority of the network’s decentralized exchange volume. Daily DEX volume reached roughly $3 billion during one particularly active session, helping UNI break above a multi-year descending trendline as traders responded to the protocol’s improving value-accrual mechanics.
The key catalyst has been Uniswap’s fee switch, which uses a portion of protocol fees to buy and permanently burn UNI. Heavy Robinhood Chain activity recently resulted in approximately 184,000 UNI worth $1.15 million being burned in a single day, the first daily burn above $1 million. Cumulative DEX volume on Robinhood Chain has now surpassed $40 billion, while Uniswap reportedly generated nearly $79 million in trading fees from the network over a recent 30-day period. Tokenized stocks are contributing to this growth by increasingly using Uniswap’s higher-fee pools, strengthening the connection between UNI’s tokenomics and activity in tokenized assets.
Looking ahead, traders are watching whether UNI can maintain its breakout, with $6.35 identified as an important support area and the recent $7.48 high providing a near-term level to reclaim. Continued growth in Robinhood Chain activity could accelerate UNI burns and provide further support, although Uniswap’s increasing dependence on a single network introduces additional risk. Changes to Robinhood’s swap routing or fee structure, or regulatory challenges affecting the network, could reduce Uniswap’s fee generation and weaken the burn mechanism that has become a major catalyst for UNI’s recent rally.
8. Monero
Monero is a privacy-focused cryptocurrency designed to offer anonymous and untraceable transactions. Launched in 2014 as a fork of Bytecoin, Monero was introduced through a whitepaper written by the pseudonymous “Nicolas van Saberhagen.” Unlike Bitcoin or Ethereum, Monero conceals sender and receiver identities, as well as transaction amounts, through advanced cryptographic techniques such as stealth addresses and ring signatures. This strong focus on privacy has made Monero a favorite among users seeking true financial confidentiality.
Monero runs on a Proof-of-Work (PoW) consensus mechanism and is deliberately resistant to ASIC mining to support decentralization. It can be mined efficiently using consumer-grade hardware, and its privacy-preserving features also improve fungibility—individual XMR coins are indistinguishable from one another and can’t be blacklisted. Despite its strong standing within the crypto community, Monero has been the subject of regulatory scrutiny due to concerns over its potential use in illicit activities. Nonetheless, it remains the most widely adopted privacy coin in the market today.
Why Monero?
Monero is trading at $537.03 after extending a seven-week rally that has made August its strongest month since April 2021. XMR has gained more than 46% since the start of the month and pushed decisively above $500 as demand for privacy-focused cryptocurrencies intensified. The advance has been particularly notable given Monero’s limited availability on major centralized exchanges, while similar strength across other privacy coins suggests the move is part of a broader rotation toward the sector.
Derivatives activity has accelerated alongside the rally, potentially adding to recent volatility. Monero open interest nearly doubled from around $131 million at the beginning of August to almost $260 million, approaching the historical high of $277 million recorded in January. Short liquidations have also significantly exceeded long liquidations, suggesting forced buying may have contributed to the upside. Meanwhile, THORChain has reportedly introduced native Monero support, enabling swaps between XMR and assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum and potentially improving access to the cryptocurrency outside centralized exchanges.
Momentum remains firmly in favor of buyers, but the rapid advance has pushed XMR into overbought territory while derivatives positioning is close to record levels. That combination could produce elevated volatility if traders begin taking profits or leveraged positions unwind. On the other hand, sustained interest in privacy assets and improved accessibility through THORChain could provide fundamental support, leaving traders focused on whether Monero can consolidate its breakout above $500 after one of its strongest monthly performances in years.
9. Chainlink
Chainlink is a decentralized oracle network that enables blockchains and smart contracts to securely access trustworthy data from external sources. It is designed to solve the so-called “oracle problem,” which describes the challenge blockchains face when trying to obtain information that exists outside their own environments. By linking on-chain applications with off-chain data, Chainlink makes it possible to support use cases that could not rely on blockchain-native information alone.
Chainlink has established itself as the dominant oracle solution in decentralized finance and is also seeing growing adoption in areas such as real-world asset tokenization. DeFi protocols can use Chainlink to provide smart contracts with cryptocurrency price data from centralized exchanges, while RWA platforms can obtain accurate market valuations with a lower risk of manipulation. This can help tokenized real estate, commodities, and other assets maintain dependable and current valuations on-chain.
Why Chainlink?
Crypto investors may want to keep a close eye on Chainlink as it continues to establish itself as essential infrastructure for tokenized finance. BitGo’s move to select Chainlink CCIP as the sole cross-chain infrastructure for WBTC and future assets issued by BitGo is a notable vote of confidence in Chainlink’s security and interoperability technology.
Chainlink is already operating on a substantial scale. Its infrastructure has facilitated more than $32 trillion in transaction value, protects over $110 billion across DeFi and cross-chain applications, and underpins approximately 70% of oracle-dependent DeFi value worldwide. CCIP is expanding rapidly as well, with quarterly volume climbing to $4.9 billion in Q2 2026.
The bigger potential opportunity comes from the expansion of real-world asset tokenization. Standard Chartered forecasts that tokenized onchain assets could reach $4 trillion by the end of 2028 and believes Chainlink is particularly well placed to deliver the data, interoperability, and compliance infrastructure needed to support these assets.
This outlook prompted Standard Chartered to assign LINK a $200 price target for the end of 2030, partly based on projections that Chainlink’s fee generation could increase by roughly 25 times. A $200 LINK price would imply upside of more than 2,300% from its current level.
Chainlink’s expanding network of institutional relationships, including Swift, DTCC, JPMorgan, Mastercard, UBS, Fidelity and BitGo, further strengthens the investment thesis. The case is straightforward: if a larger share of the global financial system shifts onchain, Chainlink could emerge as one of the major infrastructure providers enabling that transition.
10. Cardano
Cardano is a decentralized, open-source blockchain platform designed for smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps), with a strong emphasis on scalability, security, and sustainability. Launched in 2017 by Ethereum co-founder Charles Hoskinson, Cardano uses its native cryptocurrency, ADA, for transactions, staking, and network governance. Unlike many blockchain projects, Cardano follows a research-driven development process, with its core technologies undergoing academic peer review before implementation.
Cardano is powered by Ouroboros, one of the first peer-reviewed Proof-of-Stake (PoS) consensus mechanisms, allowing the network to achieve security while consuming only a fraction of the energy required by Proof-of-Work blockchains such as Bitcoin. The blockchain is divided into two layers: the Cardano Settlement Layer (CSL), which handles ADA transactions, and the Cardano Computation Layer (CCL), which executes smart contracts and decentralized applications through the Plutus platform.
The Cardano ecosystem supports hundreds of decentralized applications spanning decentralized finance (DeFi), NFTs, gaming, wallets, and other blockchain services. The maximum supply of ADA is capped at 45 billion coins, with staking rewards distributed to network validators who help secure the blockchain. As one of the largest cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, Cardano continues to evolve through a multi-stage roadmap focused on decentralization, scalability, governance, and interoperability, positioning itself as one of the leading smart contract platforms in the crypto industry.
Why Cardano?
Cardano is trading at $0.1876 after gaining nearly 10% as investors shifted their focus to the blockchain’s next major development phase. Following the successful Van Rossem upgrade in July, attention has turned to the upcoming Dijkstra era, which aims to significantly improve scalability through features such as Nested Transactions, Linear Leios and Peras. While these upgrades are not expected to reach mainnet until late 2026, the roadmap has strengthened confidence in Cardano’s long-term technical direction.
The rally has also been supported by renewed accumulation from large investors. According to Santiment, whale wallets acquired more than 240 million ADA over the past five days, helping fuel a 22% price increase. The combination of growing whale activity and optimism surrounding Cardano’s development roadmap suggests investors are beginning to position ahead of future network upgrades, although analysts note that long-term price performance will ultimately depend on successful execution and broader ecosystem growth.
Despite the recent gains, Cardano remains well below its previous all-time high, leaving plenty of room for recovery if network upgrades translate into higher developer activity, stronger on-chain adoption and increased demand for the ecosystem.
11. Hyperliquid
Hyperliquid is a decentralized perpetual futures exchange built to rival centralized trading platforms in speed, liquidity, and user experience—all while remaining fully on-chain. Unlike traditional DEXs that often struggle with performance bottlenecks, Hyperliquid uses a custom high-performance layer-1 blockchain specifically optimized for trading. This allows it to offer ultra-low latency, high throughput, and a seamless trading experience without relying on external validators or rollups.
One of Hyperliquid’s key innovations is its order book-based model, which is uncommon among decentralized platforms. While many DEXs use automated market makers (AMMs), Hyperliquid implements a central limit order book (CLOB), giving traders more control over order execution and tighter spreads. This design makes it particularly appealing to professional and high-frequency traders who expect the responsiveness of centralized exchanges but want the trustlessness of DeFi. Its deep liquidity pools and tight integration with crypto-native assets further enhance its trading dynamics.
Why Hyperliquid?
Hyperliquid’s HYPE token is trading at $63.27 after a strong multi-week advance, with momentum accelerating alongside rising ETF activity. US-listed HYPE ETFs from 21Shares (THYP) and Bitwise (BHYP) have now recorded nearly $41 million in total trading volume since launch, with daily turnover jumping roughly 50% this week. For newly launched ETFs, that kind of post-debut volume expansion is atypical, as most products see front-loaded interest before fading. Instead, HYPE-linked funds are building participation during a broader risk-off environment in equities, bonds, gold and even Bitcoin.
The timing has amplified the narrative. While major asset classes have stalled or pulled back, HYPE has outperformed, rising sharply year to date and attracting capital rotation. The two ETFs posted their strongest combined net inflow day this week at $25.5 million, suggesting institutional exposure is increasing beyond launch-week speculation. At the same time, reports indicate wallets linked to Grayscale accumulated and staked roughly $25 million worth of HYPE, reinforcing the view that asset managers are positioning ahead of potential additional ETF approvals.
Structurally, Hyperliquid’s appeal extends beyond token price momentum. The protocol has captured a dominant share of onchain perpetual futures activity, positioning itself as a high-throughput derivatives venue rather than a single-asset trade. If ETF inflows persist and onchain volumes remain elevated, HYPE’s valuation case will increasingly hinge on sustained fee generation and ecosystem expansion. However, given the speed of the recent rally, near-term volatility should be expected as leveraged positioning adjusts to higher price levels.
12. BNB
BNB (formerly Binance Coin) is a cryptocurrency created by the popular cryptocurrency exchange Binance. Binance is the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world, allowing users to buy, sell, and trade a wide range of digital assets.
BNB was initially one of the ERC-20 tokens on the Ethereum blockchain but has since migrated to its own blockchain, known as BNB Chain. BNB is used as a utility token within the Binance ecosystem and has a variety of use cases. For example, users can use BNB to pay for transaction fees on the Binance exchange, receive discounts on trading fees, participate in token sales on Binance Launchpad, and purchase goods and services from merchants that accept BNB as payment.
One of the unique features of BNB is that it has a deflationary model. Binance uses a part of its profits each quarter to buy back and burn BNB tokens, reducing the total supply of the token over time. This mechanism is designed to create scarcity and increase the value of BNB over time, with the end goal of reducing the circulating supply of BNB from the initial 200 million to 100 million BNB.
Why BNB?
BNB reclaimed $900 this week after bouncing sharply from the $800–$820 demand zone, with multiple bullish technical structures now aligning behind a potential push back toward $1,000 in December. A double-bottom pattern on the 4H chart, combined with a clean breakout from a multi-week falling wedge, signals fading seller momentum and renewed appetite from dip-buyers. Liquidation heatmaps reveal over $112 million in short liquidations clustered near $1,020, suggesting a move toward that level could accelerate quickly if BNB breaks and holds above $900–$920.
However, BNB’s narrative this week also revolved around turbulence in the corporate treasury sector. CZ’s YZi Labs launched a formal attempt to overhaul the board of CEA Industries — the largest public BNB-holding company — accusing management of destroying shareholder value after the stock plunged 89% from its July peak. YZi aims to reverse recent bylaw changes, expand the board, and install its own nominees, arguing that CEA has failed to execute on its strategy of becoming the leading BNB treasury company. CEA responded by reaffirming its commitment to the BNB strategy while opening a dialogue with YZi to resolve concerns.
CEA stock collapses as YZi Labs pushes for a board takeover. Source: Google FinanceDespite governance drama and broader market pressure, BNB has held up better than many large-cap assets this quarter, outperforming even as it trades well below its mid-October all-time high of $1,367. CEA’s reported holdings of 515,054 BNB at an average entry of $851 place its treasury slightly underwater, yet BNB itself remains up 17.8% year-to-date, reinforcing its relative strength during the latest downturn. If bullish technicals continue to hold — and especially if liquidation clusters begin to trigger — analysts say BNB could feasibly revisit the $1,020–$1,115 range before year-end.
Best cryptocurrencies to buy at a glance
| Native Asset | Launched In | Description | Market Cap* | |
| Bitcoin | BTC | 2009 | A P2P open-source digital currency | $1.62 tln |
| Ethereum | ETH | 2012 | The leading DeFi and smart contract platform | $285 bln |
| Zcash | ZEC | 2016 | Privacy-focused cryptocurrency | $21.05 bln |
| XRP | XRP | 2015 | The leading crypto remittance solution | $82.18 bln |
| Solana | SOL | 2020 | Smart contracts platform with high speeds and low fees | $60.02 bln |
| NEAR Protocol | NEAR | 2020 | AI and scalability focused blockchain | $6.02 bln |
| Uniswap | UNI | 2020 | The pioneering automated market maker protocol | $4.40 bln |
| Monero | XMR | 2014 | A privacy-first cryptocurrency with fully obfuscated transactions | $11.11 bln |
| Chainlink | LINK | 2017 | The largest decentralized oracle network | $8.60 bln |
| Cardano | ADA | 2017 | Research-driven smart contract platform | $7.59 bln |
| Hyperliquid | HYPE | 2024 | Decentralized perpetuals exchange with an efficient order book | $19.67 bln |
| BNB | BNB | 2017 | The native coin of the Binance exchange | $97.59 bln |
Best crypto to buy for beginners
If you are just starting out in crypto, it is advisable to stick to cryptocurrency projects that are less prone to volatility and are generally more established. While this approach does have a downside, as it becomes much more difficult to expect triple-digit or larger gains, the major upside is that you are not exposed to projects that have a chance of failing and, thus, losing your entire investment.
In order to identify projects that are stable and thus feature low volatility, you can start by following the parameters listed below:
- The crypto asset has a market capitalization that places it into the cryptocurrency top 100 (roughly $200 million as of Autumn 2026)
- The crypto asset is available for trading on the best crypto exchange platforms and can be exchanged for fiat currencies
- The crypto asset boasts healthy liquidity ($100M/day and more), which allows you to execute buy and sell orders quickly and without slippage
- The crypto asset is part of a reputable crypto project with clear goals, a realistic roadmap, and products and services that look to address real-world problems
Some of the best cryptos to buy for beginners are those that follow the above criteria and have earned their standing in the crypto market due to robust security, popular products and services, and clear growth potential. Some beginner-friendly crypto investments are:
- Bitcoin
- Ethereum
- Litecoin
- Cardano
- BNB
It is worth noting that cryptocurrency investments are inherently risky, even if you stick to the biggest and most reputable projects. The reason for this is simple – the crypto sector is relatively new, and the landscape might look completely different in the future.
Best crypto for long-term
When deciding which cryptocurrency to buy for the long term, it’s important to consider projects that are well-established, have a strong community, are highly liquid, have a large market cap, and have a clear reason for existing (such as solving a real-life problem, introducing new functionality, etc.). Without these characteristics, a project might fail to survive in the long term, rendering it a bad long-term investment.
It is worth noting that, typically, most long-term crypto investors are looking for projects that have the potential to generate decent returns but also provide a degree of investment stability. Roughly speaking, only the largest cryptocurrencies fit the bill, as others have a low market cap and liquidity that doesn’t bode well for a long-term commitment (unless you’re prepared to take on more risk).
In addition to Bitcoin and Ethereum, there are a number of other cryptocurrencies that fit the criteria of being low-risk, long-term crypto investments.
If you are planning to hold onto your digital assets for a longer period of time, it is best to take care of crypto custody yourself. Holding large amounts of crypto on an exchange can be risky, as we’ve seen over the years with the collapse of high-profile exchanges like Mt. Gox and FTX. Use one of the reputable crypto hardware wallets to store your crypto. Ledger hardware wallets, for instance, allow you to manage your crypto holdings easily and provide a much higher degree of security than crypto exchanges or even software crypto wallets.
Best place to buy crypto
One crucial aspect to consider when choosing which platform to use to buy crypto is the range of cryptocurrencies and trading pairs available. Since different exchanges support varying digital assets, it’s important to choose a platform that accommodates the specific cryptocurrencies you intend to trade.
Additionally, assessing an exchange’s liquidity and trading volume is essential. Higher liquidity generally results in improved price stability and faster trade executions. Furthermore, it is prudent to examine the fees charged by the exchange, encompassing deposit, withdrawal, and trading fees. Comparing fee structures across different exchanges can help you identify the most cost-effective option that aligns with your trading style. With that said, here are some of the best exchanges on the market right now:
- Binance – The best cryptocurrency exchange overall
- KuCoin – The best exchange for altcoin trading
- Kraken – A centralized exchange with the best security
By diligently considering these factors, you can make an informed decision and select a cryptocurrency exchange that meets your requirements for security, variety, liquidity, and affordability.
How we choose the best cryptocurrencies to buy
At CoinCheckup, we provide real-time prices for over 40,000 cryptocurrencies, with the list growing by dozens each day. As you can imagine, making a selection of a dozen top cryptocurrencies to buy out of such an immense dataset can be difficult and will for sure lead to some projects that should be featured being omitted. To minimize the chance of that happening, we follow certain guidelines when trying to identify the best cryptocurrencies to invest in.
Availability
One of the most important factors for any cryptocurrency investment is the crypto asset’s availability, meaning how easy it is to buy and sell it across various cryptocurrency exchanges. We tend to stay away from assets that are not available on major exchanges and require complex procedures to obtain.
Market Capitalization
Another important metric for identifying whether a crypto project is worth covering its market cap. A high market cap means that the project has reached a certain level of adoption from users, making it less risky to invest in.
Growth Potential
While this metric is mostly subjective, it is still an important metric on which we curate our selection. We won’t feature projects that we think are stagnating or have no real upside in the future.
Purpose and Use Case
We consider the purpose and use case of cryptocurrency, particularly in a real-world setting. Some cryptocurrencies focus on specific industries or applications, such as decentralized finance, gaming, or supply chain management.
Team and Development
The team and people involved in the project can tell you a lot about the potential of a particular cryptocurrency project. We examine the team’s experience, expertise, and track record and evaluate the development activity and updates to ensure the project is actively maintained and evolving.
The bottom line: What crypto should you buy right now?
The decision of which crypto to buy now is dependent on your own risk profile and investment goals. For some, investing in a crypto asset with a proven track record like Bitcoin is the only type of exposure to crypto they are willing to take on.
Meanwhile, those with a higher risk tolerance might see Bitcoin as too stable, looking instead toward newer and smaller projects that carry a higher degree of upside.
If you are looking for more investment ideas, check out our crypto price predictions section.
