With thousands of cryptocurrencies available, choosing the right one to invest in can be challenging. Here are some factors to consider when deciding which coin to invest in:
- Market Capitalization: Look at the coin's market cap, which is the total value of all the coins currently in circulation. Coins with larger market caps are more established and less volatile than smaller coins.
- Liquidity: Consider the coin's liquidity, which refers to how easily it can be bought and sold. Coins with higher liquidity are typically more stable and have lower transaction costs.
- Use Case: Understand the coin's use case and what problem it is trying to solve. Some coins focus on payments and transactions, while others are designed for smart contracts, decentralised finance, or specific applications.
- Technology: Evaluate the technology behind the coin, such as the consensus mechanism it uses (e.g., Proof-of-Work or Proof-of-Stake) and the security and efficiency it offers.
- Team and Development: Assess the credibility and qualifications of the team behind the coin. Consider their level of activity and transparency, as well as their track record in delivering on their promises.
- Risk Profile: Determine your own risk tolerance and investment goals. If you are comfortable with higher risk, you may consider newer, more speculative coins. If you prefer a more conservative approach, stick to established coins like Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Remember, investing in cryptocurrencies is risky, and the market is highly volatile. Always do your research, consider your financial situation, and only invest what you can afford to lose.
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Coins with the biggest market capitalisation
When considering which coins to invest in, it's important to look at their market capitalisation, or the total value of all the coins currently in circulation. Here are some of the coins with the biggest market capitalisation:
Bitcoin (BTC)
Bitcoin is the original cryptocurrency, created in 2009 by Satoshi Nakamoto. It is a decentralised digital currency with a market cap of $1.2 trillion as of August 2024. It runs on a blockchain, a ledger logging transactions distributed across thousands of computers. The current price of a single bitcoin is around $60,596, a growth of 12,019% since May 2016.
Ethereum (ETH)
Ethereum is both a cryptocurrency and a blockchain platform, with a market cap of $317.5 billion. It is a favourite of program developers due to its potential applications, such as smart contracts and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Ethereum has experienced tremendous growth, with a price increase of 23,896% from April 2016 to August 2024.
Tether (USDT)
Tether is a stablecoin, meaning it is backed by fiat currencies like the US dollar and aims to maintain a value equal to one of those denominations. This makes its value more consistent than other cryptocurrencies, and it is favoured by investors wary of extreme volatility. Tether has a market cap of $117 billion.
Binance Coin (BNB)
Binance Coin is a cryptocurrency used to trade and pay fees on Binance, one of the largest crypto exchanges in the world. It can also be used for trading, payment processing, and travel arrangements. It has a market cap of $83 billion and its price has risen from $0.10 in 2017 to around $569 by August 2024, a gain of 568,839%.
Solana (SOL)
Solana is a cryptocurrency that powers the Solana blockchain, which helps power decentralised finance (DeFi) uses, decentralised apps (DApps), and smart contracts. It runs on a unique hybrid proof-of-stake and proof-of-history mechanism to process transactions quickly and securely. It has a market cap of $67.9 billion and its price has risen from $0.77 at launch in 2020 to around $145.52 by August 2024, a gain of 18,799%.
U.S. Dollar Coin (USDC)
The U.S. Dollar Coin is another stablecoin, backed by the U.S. dollar, with a market cap of $35.1 billion.
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Coins with the biggest year-over-year return
As of August 2024, here are some of the coins with the biggest year-over-year return:
Binance Coin (BNB)
Binance Coin is a cryptocurrency that can be used to trade and pay fees on the Binance exchange, one of the largest crypto exchanges in the world. It was launched in 2017 and has since expanded to be used for trading, payment processing, and even booking travel arrangements. As of late August 2024, its price was around $569, a gain of 568,839% since its launch. Its year-over-year return is 173%.
Solana (SOL)
Solana is a cryptocurrency that powers the Solana blockchain, which was developed to support decentralized finance (DeFi) uses, decentralized apps (DApps), and smart contracts. It runs on a unique hybrid proof-of-stake and proof-of-history mechanism to process transactions quickly and securely. Launched in 2020, its price started at $0.77 and had risen to around $145.52 by late August 2024, a gain of 18,799%. Its year-over-year return is 592%.
Dogecoin (DOGE)
Dogecoin, famously started as a joke in 2013, has become a prominent cryptocurrency thanks to its dedicated community and creative memes. There is no limit to the number of Dogecoins that can be created, leaving it susceptible to devaluation over time. Nonetheless, its price has risen from $0.0002 in 2017 to $0.10 by August 2024, a gain of 51,988%. Its year-over-year return is 67%.
Toncoin
Toncoin is a blockchain project based on a platform initially designed by the team behind the Telegram messenger. It is a scalable blockchain with smart contract functionality and a Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism. The world's leading cryptocurrency exchange, Binance, has listed Toncoin spot markets, providing some momentum to the coin. Its year-over-year return is 408%.
Bitcoin (BTC)
Bitcoin, the original cryptocurrency, was created in 2009 and has seen its price skyrocket as it has become a household name. As of August 20, 2024, a single bitcoin's price was around $60,596, a growth of 12,019% since May 2016. Its year-over-year return is 133%.
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Coins with the biggest 24-hour volume
When it comes to investing in cryptocurrency, it's important to remember that it is a risky venture and the market is highly volatile. It's always best to do your own research and consider your financial situation before investing. That being said, here are some coins with the biggest 24-hour volume as of August 2024:
- Tether (USDT): One of the first and most popular stablecoins, Tether's value is pegged to the US dollar to reduce volatility. It is widely used for transactions and exchanges, and is often used to transfer profits from other cryptocurrencies back into a more stable form.
- First Digital USD (FDUSD): This coin has consistently been among the top 10 cryptocurrencies by 24-hour volume.
- Wrapped Solana: Wrapped tokens are backed 1:1 with the token they wrap, in this case, Solana. They are often used to transfer a cryptocurrency from one blockchain to another.
- Binance Coin (BNB): This is the native token of the Binance exchange, one of the largest crypto exchanges in the world. It offers several benefits to users, including reduced trading fees, and can also be used for trading, payment processing, and booking travel arrangements.
- Ethereum (ETH): Ethereum is a well-established cryptocurrency and blockchain platform that supports smart contracts and decentralized applications. It is the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization and is widely used by developers and in DeFi applications.
- Bitcoin (BTC): As the original cryptocurrency, Bitcoin remains the most widely used and highest-valued cryptocurrency. It has a large and active community and its blockchain is secure and decentralized.
- Dogecoin (DOGE): This coin was created as a joke in 2013 but has since become a prominent cryptocurrency. It is accepted as a form of payment by some major companies.
- XRP: XRP is the native token of the XRP Ledger, which was created as a payment system by Ripple in 2012. It provides fast and low-cost transactions and is suitable for use cases such as remittances.
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Coins with the biggest gains in the past week
- Uniswap's governance token UNI has been the best performer among the top 100 cryptocurrencies in the past week, recording a +12% price increase.
- Aave (AAVE) is up 19% in the last 7 days, the second-best performance among the top 100 largest crypto assets by market capitalization.
- Toncoin (TON) is up 24.3% in the last 7 days.
- Solana (SOL) has recorded a 55% price increase since early July.
- Bitcoin (BTC) has gained 11.1% over the past week.
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Coins with the biggest gains in the past month
As of August 2024, here are some of the top-performing cryptocurrencies in terms of market capitalization and year-over-year returns:
- Binance Coin (BNB): With a market cap of $83 billion and a year-over-year return of 173%, BNB is a cryptocurrency used for trading and paying fees on the Binance exchange. It has expanded beyond its initial use case and can now be used for payment processing and travel bookings.
- Solana (SOL): SOL is the native token of the Solana platform, which helps power decentralized finance (DeFi) uses and decentralized apps (DApps). With a market cap of $67.9 billion and a year-over-year return of 592%, SOL has seen impressive growth since its launch in 2020.
- Dogecoin (DOGE): Starting as a joke in 2013, Dogecoin has become a prominent cryptocurrency with a dedicated community. It has a market cap of $15.2 billion and a year-over-year return of 67%. Dogecoin is accepted as a form of payment by some major companies.
- Toncoin: With a market cap of $17.1 billion and a year-over-year return of 408%, Toncoin is a blockchain project continuing the development of a platform initially designed by the Telegram messenger team. It aims to provide users with access to Telegram's TON Space wallet.
- XRP: Created by Ripple, XRP facilitates exchanges between different currency types, including fiat currencies and other cryptocurrencies. It has a market cap of $33.8 billion and a year-over-year return of 15%.
- Ethereum (ETH): Ethereum is a well-known blockchain platform for smart contracts and decentralized applications. Its native token, Ether (ETH), has a market cap of $317.5 billion and a year-over-year return of 58%.
It is important to note that the cryptocurrency market is highly volatile, and past performance does not guarantee future results. Always conduct thorough research and consider your financial situation before investing.
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Frequently asked questions
There are thousands of cryptocurrencies to choose from, but the most well-known and popular ones are Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, Binance Coin, Solana, USD Coin, XRP, Dogecoin, and Toncoin.
Cryptocurrencies are incredibly volatile and not for all investors. They are also highly speculative investments. It is important to do your own research and consult a financial advisor before investing.
Cryptocurrency can be used to pay for purchases online without going through an intermediary, such as a bank, or it can be held as an investment. They also have the potential for high returns.
You can buy cryptocurrencies through crypto exchanges, such as Coinbase, Kraken, or Gemini. Some brokerages, such as WeBull and Robinhood, also allow consumers to buy cryptocurrencies.