With thousands of cryptocurrencies to choose from, it can be challenging to decide which one to invest in. Here are some factors to consider when deciding which cryptocurrency to buy now:
- Market Performance: Assess the crypto's price movement over the past week to 12 months, considering both short-term and long-term trends.
- Market Capitalization: Consider the overall market value of the cryptocurrency, as larger market caps indicate more community interest and resilience to market manipulation attempts.
- Utility and Use Cases: Evaluate the cryptocurrency's real-world applications and unique features.
- Technological Innovation: Research the underlying technology and any recent innovations that contribute to the crypto's utility.
- Community and Adoption: Analyze the level of activity and engagement on social media, forums, and community platforms. Also, look at how widely the crypto is accepted by merchants, businesses, and other users.
- Development Team: Investigate the track record and reputation of the development team. Transparent teams that regularly share project updates are generally more trustworthy.
- Network Security: Evaluate the security features of the blockchain technology, including the consensus mechanism and resistance to attacks.
- Regulatory Compliance: Ensure the cryptocurrency complies with legal and regulatory frameworks in the regions where it operates.
- Roadmap and Future Plans: A clear and well-defined roadmap can instill confidence in investors.
- Bitcoin (BTC): The original cryptocurrency and the largest by market cap. It offers unmatched security, global recognition, and significant growth potential.
- Ethereum (ETH): The second-largest crypto by market capitalization and the most widely used blockchain for dApp development. Ethereum recently transitioned to a proof-of-stake validation mechanism, enhancing transaction speed and reducing fees.
- XRP (XRP): The native token of the Ripple payment network, which facilitates fast and low-cost cross-border transactions. XRP has strong ties with financial institutions and payment providers, ensuring its longevity.
- Solana (SOL): A fast and cost-effective blockchain created as a challenger to Ethereum. Solana supports DeFi, NFTs, and Web3 applications and has seen significant growth in the past year.
- Binance Coin (BNB): The official cryptocurrency of the world's largest crypto exchange, Binance. It offers discounts on trading fees and early access to crypto launches on the exchange.
- Dogecoin (DOGE): The original meme coin, Dogecoin gained attention in 2020-21 and has since become widely accepted for payments in the crypto world and, increasingly, in the real world.
- Cardano (ADA): A third-generation blockchain platform known for its scientific approach to development and emphasis on interoperability and sustainability. Cardano utilizes a proof-of-stake consensus mechanism, which is more energy-efficient than traditional proof-of-work models.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Market Performance | +5.80% price change in the last week |
+142.53% YoY return | |
Market Capitalization | $1.26 trillion market cap |
Utility and Use Cases | Used for online purchases, investments, and transferring money across borders |
Recognized as legal tender in countries like El Salvador | |
Used by major entities, possibly including institutions and governments | |
Used for payments in the crypto world, and increasingly in the real world | |
Technological Innovation | First spot Bitcoin ETFs began trading on US stock exchanges in 2024 |
Community and Adoption | Widely traded with significant daily volume |
Active and supportive online community | |
Development Team | Track record and reputation of the development team |
Transparent in sharing project updates, development progress, and challenges faced | |
Regulatory Compliance | Complies with legal and regulatory frameworks in the regions where it operates |
Roadmap and Future Plans | Clear and well-defined roadmap |
What You'll Learn
Bitcoin
According to a Bitcoin price prediction for 2024, the minimum cost of Bitcoin will be $57,742.78, with a maximum level of $69,064.91. The average trading price is expected to be around $80,387.03. In September 2024, the forecasted average of Bitcoin is nearly $69,933.50, with a potential maximum of $75,444.
In October 2024, the average level is expected to be $74,022.37, with a potential range of $67,657.71 to $80,387.03. In November 2024, the minimum price is expected to be $57,742.78, with a maximum of $76,608.01. The average trading value will be around $67,175.40.
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Ethereum
If you're looking to make a long-term cryptocurrency investment for diversification purposes, you may be more interested in mature coins like Bitcoin and Ethereum, which have longer track records, larger market caps, and more adoption by major financial institutions.
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XRP
The XRP Ledger is a distributed platform on a blockchain with a native cryptocurrency, XRP. It serves as a decentralized market for XRP trading between users. The ledger and its cryptocurrency, XRP, are primarily intended to function as a form of settlement for cross-border finance.
The most common way to buy XRP is by using hard cash, credit and debit cards, wire transfers, or even via other cryptocurrencies.
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Stablecoins
- Fiat-collateralized stablecoins: These maintain a reserve of fiat currency (or other currencies) as collateral, assuring the stablecoin's value. Tether (USDT) and TrueUSD (TUSD) are popular examples, backed by US dollar reserves.
- Commodity-backed stablecoins: These are pegged to the market value of commodities such as gold, silver, or oil. Tether Gold (XAUt) is an example of a commodity-backed stablecoin, backed by gold reserves.
- Crypto-collateralized stablecoins: These are backed by other cryptocurrencies and are generally overcollateralized to insure against the volatility of the reserve cryptocurrency. Dai (DAI) is an example of a crypto-backed stablecoin, pegged to the US dollar but backed by Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies.
- Algorithmic stablecoins: These may or may not hold reserve assets. They control the supply of the stablecoin through an algorithm, which is essentially a computer program running a preset formula. TerraUSD (UST) is an example of an algorithmic stablecoin.
The most popular and largest stablecoin by market capitalisation is Tether (USDT). Other popular stablecoins include USD Coin (USDC), Binance USD (BUSD), and Paxos Standard (PAX).
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Cardano
The Cardano blockchain is divided into two layers: the Cardano Settlement Layer (CSL) and the Cardano Computing Layer (CCL). This helps the network process a high volume of transactions per second.
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Frequently asked questions
Bitcoin and Ethereum are the best cryptocurrencies to buy for long-term growth. Bitcoin is the oldest cryptocurrency and the largest by market cap by a wide margin. It’s the only cryptocurrency that’s officially recognised by many major governments, including the US. Ethereum, meanwhile, is the second-largest crypto by market capitalisation and is the most widely used blockchain network for dApp development.
Dogecoin has been one of the best-performing cryptocurrencies in the past 12 months, with the greatest gains coming in 2024. Meme coins have always fared well when the crypto market is hot, which it is right now.
Beginners should stick to cryptocurrencies that have been around for a while and have a well-developed ecosystem of resources. The coin should have a significant market capitalisation, be listed on many cryptocurrency exchanges, and be easily exchangeable against fiat currencies. Examples include Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and Cardano.
More advanced investors with a higher risk appetite may want to try investing in cryptos under $1 or participating in the latest crypto presales.