12 Best Crypto to Buy Right Now — January 2026

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 January 2026:

1. Monero – A privacy-first cryptocurrency with fully obfuscated transactions
2. Bitcoin – The world’s oldest and largest crypto
3. Ethereum – The leading DeFi and smart contract platform
4. XRP – The leading crypto remittance solution
5. Zcash – Privacy-focused cryptocurrency
6. Uniswap – A pioneering decentralized exchange protocol
7. BNB – The native coin of the Binance exchange
8. Chainlink – The leading decentralized oracle protocol
9. Solana – Smart contracts platform with high speeds and low fees
10. Hyperliquid – Decentralized perpetuals exchange with an efficient order book
11. Ethena – Ethereum-based stablecoin protocol
12. Cardano – A peer-reviewed blockchain built for smart contracts and scalable dApps

The best cryptos to buy right now: Discover top investments for January 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. 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 surged to its highest level since 2021 this week, reclaiming the spotlight among privacy-focused cryptocurrencies as XMR briefly pushed past $590 and entered fresh price discovery. The rally coincided with renewed interest in privacy assets and a sharp contrast with governance turmoil at rival Zcash, where internal disputes triggered developer resignations and a steep sell-off. With ZEC faltering, traders appeared to rotate toward Monero as the more stable and decentralized privacy exposure, lifting XMR back toward levels not seen in nearly five years.

Beyond relative strength against peers, Monero’s move also reflects a broader shift in sentiment around financial privacy. Institutional commentary from firms such as Grayscale and Coinbase has increasingly highlighted privacy as a structural theme for 2026, driven by tighter compliance rules, onchain transparency concerns, and growing demand for confidential transactions. While Monero faced scrutiny in 2025 following a large block reorganization and ongoing debates around mining concentration, those concerns have faded from price action as the network continued to operate without lasting disruption. As Zcash’s roadmap faces uncertainty, Monero has regained its position as the largest privacy coin by market capitalization.

From a technical perspective, XMR is now testing a historically critical zone. Previous attempts to break above the $500–$520 range have failed multiple times over the past decade, often followed by sharp corrections once momentum stalled. That history suggests near-term volatility remains likely unless Monero can decisively hold above former resistance. A confirmed breakout would invalidate the bearish fractal and open the door to higher targets around $750, based on long-term Fibonacci extensions. While pullbacks cannot be ruled out after such a steep rally, Monero’s reclaiming of its privacy crown and entry into price discovery place it among the more closely watched large-cap setups heading into 2026.

2. 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 just above the $90,000 level as the market digests one of the most aggressive long-term holder distribution phases in recent history. Onchain data shows that long-term holders sold nearly $300 billion worth of BTC throughout 2025, pushing a large amount of previously dormant supply back into circulation. While that wave of selling contributed to heightened volatility and capped upside late last year, analysts note that similar distribution events in past cycles often marked transition periods rather than the start of prolonged downtrends. Importantly, long-term holder supply has now stabilized near 13.6 million BTC, suggesting that the bulk of forced or opportunistic selling may be behind the market.

With selling pressure easing, attention has shifted toward whether Bitcoin can build a base for its next directional move. Momentum indicators are starting to improve, with the relative strength index flipping bullish on multiple timeframes. The weekly RSI recently broke out of a multi-month downtrend and continues to hold above its breakout level, a setup that previously preceded extended rallies. Short-term charts also show weakening sell-side pressure as Bitcoin attempts to hold the $90,000 area as support. While derivatives data suggests traders remain cautious, the absence of panic selling points to consolidation rather than distribution at current levels.

$BTC weekly RSI is calling for more upside here.

Broke out of its 3-month downtrend and holding above the breakout line.

I think BTC could hit $103K-$105K in 3-4 weeks. pic.twitter.com/ygh0NMrgLl

— BitBull (@AkaBull_) January 9, 2026

Network fundamentals add another layer to the reset narrative. Bitcoin’s mining difficulty recorded a modest decline in the first adjustment of 2026 after reaching repeated highs last year, reflecting the pressure miners faced following the halving and the late-2025 price drawdown. Despite tighter margins, the network remains resilient, with difficulty still near historical highs and hash rate holding steady. At the same time, large entities continue to accumulate. Tether added nearly 9,000 BTC to its reserves to close out 2025, while Strategy acquired 13,627 BTC for roughly $1.25 billion in early January, lifting its total holdings above 687,000 BTC. Taken together, the combination of supply stabilization, improving momentum signals, and steady institutional participation positions Bitcoin in a consolidation phase that could set the stage for renewed upside later in 2026.

https://x.com/saylor/status/2010698959426105389

3. 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 near the $3,100 level as institutional participation continues to deepen beneath the surface. One of the clearest signals came from BitMine Immersion Technologies, which recently crossed the milestone of 1 million staked ETH, following an additional 86,400 ETH deposit worth roughly $269 million. The move highlights a growing shift among corporate Ethereum treasuries toward generating yield rather than simply holding spot exposure. With more than $3.3 billion worth of ETH now staked, BitMine alone is estimated to be earning over $90 million per year in native ETH rewards, underscoring how staking has become a central pillar of Ethereum’s institutional appeal.

This accumulation trend is not limited to staking activity. BitMine also began 2026 with a fresh $105 million Ether purchase and still holds over $900 million in cash, signaling continued conviction even as some analysts expect near-term volatility. In total, the firm now controls more than 4 million ETH, representing over 3% of the circulating supply, and has publicly outlined ambitions to reach 5% over time. While BitMine’s stock price has suffered a steep drawdown since mid-2025, its ongoing ETH accumulation suggests a long-term strategy focused on network participation and yield generation rather than short-term price performance.

Market sentiment around Ethereum also shows signs of setting the stage for a potential recovery. According to Santiment, social media sentiment toward ETH has fallen to levels similar to those seen ahead of its last major rally in 2025, when the asset rebounded sharply from deep pessimism. Analysts note that Ethereum is once again being viewed as the market’s clear second-largest asset behind Bitcoin, with expectations anchored more around network fundamentals than speculative hype. Combined with rising interest in staking, expanding institutional treasuries, and Ethereum’s continued dominance in onchain activity, the current environment reflects consolidation rather than structural weakness as ETH heads deeper into 2026.

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 traded near $2.13 this week, extending a strong rebound that has lifted the token nearly 14% over the past seven days, even as questions linger about its longer-term upside. In 2025, the XRP community secured many of its most anticipated milestones, including the resolution of Ripple’s SEC case, regulatory clarity in the US, and the launch of multiple spot XRP ETFs. Despite those wins, XRP failed to sustain momentum, peaking near $3.66 before sliding more than 50% into October lows. The disconnect between headline progress and price performance has fueled debate over whether XRP is building a base for a fresh cycle or simply lagging broader market trends.

Institutional flows remain one of XRP’s strongest pillars. US-listed spot XRP ETFs have now recorded inflows for 29 consecutive days, pushing cumulative inflows to roughly $1.15 billion and total assets under management to about $1.24 billion. Notably, these inflows persisted through December, a period when Bitcoin and Ether ETFs saw heavy redemptions. Analysts say XRP’s regulatory clarity and cross-border payments narrative have positioned it as a differentiated exposure for longer-horizon capital, even as short-term trader sentiment remains cautious. While ETF demand has yet to translate into a decisive breakout, the steady absorption of supply suggests accumulation rather than speculative churn.

On-chain and technical signals, however, paint a more mixed picture. Activity on the XRP Ledger remains subdued, with daily active addresses hovering well below early-2025 peaks, pointing to limited organic usage growth. From a chart perspective, XRP has struggled to reclaim key long-term levels, with several analysts warning that a loss of support in the $1.80–$1.85 zone could open the door to deeper downside. Still, not all outlooks are bearish. Bulls argue that persistent ETF inflows and longer-term chart structures could support a renewed expansion phase in 2026, with some projecting upside scenarios toward the $5–$10 range if demand broadens beyond institutional products. For now, XRP sits at a crossroads between improving capital flows and unresolved questions around network activity and sustained price momentum.

5. 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?

Grayscale has taken steps to convert its long-standing Zcash Trust into a spot ETF by submitting an S-3 Zcash has extended its rally this week, trading near $521 and posting a 17% gain over the past seven days, as technical momentum and renewed interest in privacy-focused assets converge. Analysts point to a bullish ascending triangle formation on lower timeframes, a pattern that has been building for several weeks and typically precedes upside continuation. According to chart analysis shared by Ali Charts, a confirmed breakout above the former resistance zone could open the door to a 35% move, with measured targets clustering around the $650 level.

Momentum indicators have supported the constructive setup. The MACD has remained positive for multiple weeks, while shorter-term moving averages continue to trend above longer-term averages, signaling sustained buyer control. Analysts note that price compression near resistance often reflects accumulation rather than distribution, particularly when supported by improving volume and broader sector strength. With ZEC already reclaiming key levels, traders are watching closely for follow-through confirmation.

Beyond price action, onchain data highlights a deeper structural shift underway. According to recent metrics, Zcash’s shielded supply has stabilized at roughly 23% of total circulating ZEC, up sharply from around 8% at the start of 2025. Rather than fading as hype cooled, privacy usage has held firm, suggesting adoption is driven by practical demand instead of short-lived speculation. Large holders have also increased their ZEC balances during recent pullbacks, pointing to continued accumulation by long-term participants.

The broader privacy narrative continues to gain relevance as crypto moves toward more real-world payment and settlement use cases. Public blockchains expose wallet balances and transaction histories by default, creating friction for everyday users and businesses. As stablecoins and onchain payments scale, privacy solutions like Zcash are increasingly viewed as necessary infrastructure rather than niche features. With improving technicals, steady onchain adoption, and a renewed focus on privacy across the sector, Zcash is emerging as one of the more notable large-cap performers heading into 2026.

6. Uniswap

Uniswap is a decentralized cryptocurrency exchange that pioneered and helped popularize the automated market maker (AMM) model. This innovative approach eliminates the need for traditional order books, enabling users to swap tokens directly on the blockchain in a streamlined, intermediary-free manner.

The Uniswap protocol operates in a fully decentralized way, allowing anyone to create liquidity pools for any token. As a result, newly launched crypto assets are often traded on Uniswap before becoming available on centralized exchanges.

Uniswap’s model has since been adopted by numerous decentralized exchanges across various blockchain networks. Despite this, Uniswap continues to lead the decentralized exchange space in terms of trading volume.

Governance of Uniswap is handled by holders of the UNI token, who can propose and vote on protocol changes. UNI was initially distributed to past users of the protocol through an airdrop in 2020, and the token can now be bought and sold on many decentralized and centralized trading platforms.

Why Uniswap?

UNI has recently outperformed the broader market, rising 16.5% over the past seven days while many other leading crypto assets moved sideways. This rally appears to be fundamentally driven, as

Uniswap founder Hayden Adams has advanced the long-anticipated UNIfication proposal to a final on-chain governance vote, a move that could significantly reshape how value accrues to UNI holders.

Just submitted the Unification proposal for final governance vote

Voting starts on 12/19 at 10.30pm EST and ends on 12/25

If it passes, after a 2 day timelock period:

🔥 100m UNI will be burned

🦄 v2 + v3 fee switches will flip on mainnet and begin burning UNI, along with…

— Hayden Adams 🦄 (@haydenzadams) December 18, 2025

The proposal seeks to enable protocol fees on Uniswap v2 and selected v3 pools on Ethereum, directing a portion of trading fees into an automated UNI burn mechanism. After years of delays due to regulatory uncertainty, proponents argue that the environment has changed, allowing the protocol to finally implement a fee structure that directly links token value to usage.

A key component of the plan is a one-time burn of 100 million UNI from the treasury, intended to account for the value that might have accrued if protocol fees had been active since the beginning. Going forward, fees would be rolled out gradually to limit disruption for liquidity providers, with governance maintaining flexibility to adjust parameters as needed.

The proposal also broadens value capture beyond Ethereum mainnet by funneling Unichain sequencer fees into the same burn process, tying UNI supply reduction to activity on Uniswap’s Layer 2 network, which already handles significant trading volume.

Beyond token economics, UNIfication aims to unify governance, development, and operations under a single structure. Uniswap Labs would eliminate interface, wallet, and API fees, operate using governance-approved funding, and enter legally binding agreements to align its actions with the interests of UNI holders.

If the proposal passes, UNI would evolve from a purely governance-focused token into one with direct, usage-based value accrual, bringing renewed attention to the asset as the vote progresses.

7. 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.

8. Chainlink

Chainlink is a decentralized oracle network designed to provide blockchains with secure, reliable data from external sources. It addresses the long-standing “oracle problem” by safely connecting on-chain systems with off-chain information, enabling many applications that wouldn’t be possible using blockchain data alone.

Already the dominant oracle provider in decentralized finance (DeFi), Chainlink is also gaining traction in NFT projects and crypto gaming. For example, a DeFi protocol can pull price feeds from centralized exchanges through Chainlink to power its smart contracts, while NFT platforms often rely on Chainlink’s verifiable randomness to ensure fair minting processes and transparent distribution.

Why Chainlink?

Chainlink rallied 15% this week to $14.10, boosted by a major interoperability milestone: Solana and Coinbase’s Base have been connected using Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP). The new bridge allows seamless asset transfers between Solana and the Base L2 ecosystem, giving developers the ability to integrate SPL tokens directly into Base applications. This marks one of the first production-ready bridges linking an EVM chain to Solana’s non-EVM architecture, reinforcing Chainlink’s role as the industry’s dominant cross-chain infrastructure provider. Despite the breakthrough, LINK traded slightly lower on the day, mirroring broader altcoin weakness.

Chainlink also secured a significant step in institutional adoption as Grayscale’s spot LINK ETF debuted in the U.S., attracting $41 million in first-day inflows and posting “solid” trading volume, according to ETF analysts. While not a blockbuster launch like XRP’s, the ETF already manages $64 million in assets, showing that investor appetite is extending beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum into high-utility altcoins. Analysts noted the debut signals growing demand for regulated exposure to “long-tail assets,” especially those underpinning real-world tokenization infrastructure — a trend that plays directly into Chainlink’s strengths.

The new Grayscale spot Chainlink ETF did really solid volume on Day one of $13m and looks like it could see same again today (way more than it ever traded as a trust). Also $41m in first day flows. Another insta-hit from the crypto world, only dud so far was Doge but it’s still… pic.twitter.com/wlCemHxkQP

— Eric Balchunas (@EricBalchunas) December 3, 2025

Still, the LINK token remains down 73% from its all-time high, and the ETF launch alone has not reversed its long-term downtrend. But Chainlink’s strategic importance continues to grow: its oracle networks and CCIP are now core infrastructure for DeFi, tokenization protocols, and cross-chain applications across the industry. With Solana, Base, and multiple ETF providers integrating or backing the network, LINK’s recent strength suggests investors are beginning to reprice Chainlink as a foundational layer for the next phase of multi-chain development.

9. 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 dropped 12.3% this week to $175.79, bringing its market capitalization to $97.07 billion, even as it saw continued demand from institutional investors. According to SoSoValue, spot Solana ETFs recorded $44.5 million in inflows on Friday, marking their fourth consecutive day of gains and bringing total assets to more than $500 million. The Bitwise Solana ETF (BSOL) led the trend, boosted by a 7% staking yield and growing attention from investors rotating capital out of Bitcoin and Ether funds. Kronos Research’s Vincent Liu described the move as a “capital rotation” phase, as traders seek exposure to newer narratives and staking opportunities while major assets consolidate.

Institutional optimism around Solana remains strong. Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan said Solana offers investors “two ways to win” — by betting on both the expansion of the stablecoin and tokenization markets and Solana’s rising share of those sectors. He expects the blockchain to become a preferred network for stablecoin settlements and tokenized assets, citing its speed, cost-efficiency, and developer-driven ecosystem. Hougan also pointed to growing adoption, including Western Union’s decision to build a stablecoin settlement system on Solana, as proof of the network’s traction with traditional financial players.

Still, analysts note that Solana’s price decline reflects profit-taking after months of strong gains rather than fundamental weakness. Ethereum continues to dominate by overall network value, with over $85 billion in TVL and $163 billion in stablecoins, while Solana trails with $11.3 billion in TVL and $14.9 billion in stablecoins. Yet, the ongoing ETF inflows, institutional partnerships, and staking-driven demand suggest that Solana’s long-term outlook remains intact — even as short-term volatility pressures price action in the near term.

10. 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 rallied 22.5% this week to $47.07, lifting its market capitalization to $15.86 billion and marking one of the strongest performances among large-cap DeFi tokens. The jump followed confirmation that Hyperliquid Strategies, the merger entity formed by Sonnet BioTherapeutics and Rorschach I LLC, has filed to raise $1 billion to expand its treasury and purchase more HYPE tokens. Once completed, the merged company is expected to hold 12.6 million HYPE—worth roughly $470 million—plus another $305 million earmarked for future accumulation. The move positions Hyperliquid Strategies as the largest corporate HYPE holder, signaling growing institutional interest in DeFi-native assets beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum.

At the same time, the decentralized perpetuals market crossed a record $1 trillion in October trading volume, with Hyperliquid leading all platforms at $317.6 billion, according to DefiLlama data. Rivals Lighter, Aster, and edgeX followed at $255 billion, $177 billion, and $134 billion respectively, highlighting a broader boom in decentralized derivatives. Analysts attribute this surge to the appeal of perpetual swaps—24/7 markets with leverage, no expirations, and flexible long/short exposure—which have drawn speculative traders away from centralized exchanges. Infinex founder Kain Warwick described Hyperliquid as the “first DeFi perp exchange to truly get it right,” adding that MetaMask’s recent integration with Hyperliquid will further boost accessibility and adoption.

On the technical side, HYPE confirmed a bullish breakout from a multi-week falling wedge pattern, extending gains following its listing on Robinhood. The token reclaimed its 200-day EMA near $38, establishing a strong support base, and now targets an upside move toward $56.50—a potential 40% rally by November if momentum persists. Analysts, including Crypto Patel, see $50–$56 as the next resistance zone, while a dip below the $38 support could invalidate the setup and trigger a retest of the $32–$34 range. Despite short-term volatility, sentiment around Hyperliquid remains strongly bullish, underpinned by institutional inflows, surging platform activity, and expanding exchange accessibility.

11. Ethena

Ethena is a protocol built on the Ethereum blockchain that issues a synthetic dollar known as USDe, along with a yield-bearing counterpart called sUSDe. The stability of USDe is maintained through the protocol’s strategy of hedging its collateral with futures contracts.

By aligning the size of these hedges with the price exposure of the underlying assets, Ethena reduces the effects of market volatility as losses or gains in the assets are generally offset by opposite movements in the hedge.

This mechanism helps ensure that the collateral’s synthetic USD value remains relatively stable, even in shifting market conditions.

Why Ethena?

ENA is positioned to benefit from the growing trend of crypto-focused treasuries. TLGY Acquisition Corp. and StablecoinX Assets Inc., which plan to merge and debut on Nasdaq under the StablecoinX (USDE) name, have secured a fresh $530 million PIPE round, raising their total funding to $890 million.

The round attracted investors such as YZi Labs, Brevan Howard, Susquehanna Crypto, IMC Trading, and existing backers.

StablecoinX Inc. @stablecoin_x has announced an additional $530 million capital raise as part of its $ENA accumulation strategy.

To date, StablecoinX has raised a total of approximately $895M in PIPE financing, which is expected to result in a vehicle with over 3 billion ENA… pic.twitter.com/pdkl1D8u5x

— Ethena Labs (@ethena_labs) September 5, 2025

The capital will be used to purchase locked ENA tokens, Ethena’s native asset, from a subsidiary of the Ethena Foundation. Proceeds from this sale will be reinvested into spot ENA purchases. StablecoinX already holds 7.3% of ENA’s circulating supply and intends to grow that share to 13% with the new financing. The tokens will remain locked, with any potential sales after the SPAC merger requiring Ethena’s approval to avoid excess market pressure.

According to CEO Young Cho, the strategy enables StablecoinX to establish a long-term ENA position while providing investors with transparent exposure to the Ethena ecosystem.

The announcement has fueled strong momentum in ENA markets. The token has climbed 21% against the U.S. dollar over the past week, though it still trades about 49% below its $1.51 all-time high—suggesting there could be considerable room for further upside.

12. Cardano

Cardano is a decentralized proof-of-stake blockchain platform that aims to offer a more sustainable and scalable infrastructure for smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps). It was launched in 2017 by Input Output (IOHK), co-founded by Charles Hoskinson, one of the original creators of Ethereum. Cardano stands out for its strong academic roots, with its protocol development guided by peer-reviewed research and formal verification methods.

Unlike proof-of-work systems like Bitcoin, Cardano uses a unique proof-of-stake consensus mechanism called Ouroboros, which allows it to achieve network security and decentralization with significantly lower energy consumption. ADA, the native cryptocurrency of Cardano, is used for staking, paying transaction fees, and participating in governance.

Cardano’s development is organized into multiple phases, focusing on areas such as decentralization, scalability, and interoperability. Its layered architecture separates settlement and computation, making it easier to upgrade and maintain. The platform supports smart contracts through its Plutus framework and is actively expanding its DeFi and NFT ecosystems.

Why Cardano?

Cardano surged nearly 11% over the past week, briefly breaking above $0.97 and reaching a five-month high. The move comes amid strong altcoin momentum, with ADA outperforming much of the market as capital rotated out of Bitcoin and Ethereum following their respective highs. ADA has traded in a tight range recently, but technical analysts are eyeing a confirmed breakout above resistance as a setup for an extended rally.

Chart watchers have flagged a multi-month bull flag breakout pattern on Cardano’s three-day chart. If the move holds, projections by Clifton Fx suggest the token could gain as much as 150% in the coming weeks, potentially targeting the $1.60–$1.75 range. Trader sentiment is being reinforced by on-chain data showing over 15 billion ADA — roughly 45% of total supply — has remained unmoved for more than a year, signaling long-term conviction. Retail interest is also on the rise, with Google Trends data showing “Cardano” searches at a five-month high.

Cardano’s latest rally also comes after Grayscale registered a “Grayscale Cardano Trust ETF” entity in Delaware — a move that typically precedes an S-1 filing with the SEC. While no official filing has yet been submitted, such developments hint at increasing institutional attention toward ADA. If approved, a Cardano ETF could help boost demand further, particularly among U.S.-based investors.

Adding to the week’s activity was the Glacier Drop airdrop, which distributed NIGHT tokens across eight chains including Cardano. Despite initial technical hurdles for Ledger users, the issue was quickly resolved, allowing Cardano to reclaim a spot in the top 10 cryptos by market cap and surpass Tron. ADA is now one of the biggest gainers both daily and weekly, with analysts watching closely for a potential run toward the $1.30–$1.60 region if momentum continues.

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