Overview
Cryptocurrency trading and investment have seen a rapid and drastic increase in popularity in recent times. However, with more than 13,000 different cryptocurrency coins and projects available on the market, how will traders and investors choose the best ones?
While there are several factors to consider when choosing the right investment vessel, there are clear winners in the crypto space, and these are the best 15 cryptocurrencies to buy now.
Bitcoin
Features
Bitcoin is the original cryptocurrency that was created and launched in 2009 and in recent times, it has seen record all-time highs in its price.
Bitcoin is a medium of exchange as well as being a store of value. It is being used as an alternative payment method as opposed to conventional payments such as bank wire and VISA, which process fewer transactions and do not offer the same decentralisation and transparency that blockchain technology does.
Bitcoin is the blue-chip of all cryptocurrencies and while other emerging technologies threaten to take Bitcoin’s crown from it in future, it remains at the top of the chain as the king of digital money.
Why is Bitcoin a Good Investment?
Bitcoin can easily be converted to cash, and it is featured on the most popular, reputable cryptocurrency exchanges. It is an inflationary cryptocurrency with a limited supply that is slowly running out, making it rarer and pushing the demand higher.
Bitcoin is a good investment if it is managed correctly. Bitcoin investment is risky, but with the right investment strategy, investors can earn a generous return on their investment.
Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
| Bitcoin has high accessibility and liquidity | There are high risks involved with significant market volatility |
| It provides user anonymity and transparency | There are powerful emerging technologies that are catching up to Bitcoin |
| It is independent and immune to censorship | Bitcoin’s price can be influenced easily by key players in the market such as Elon Musk, and others. |
| There is high return potential with investment in Bitcoin over long-term |
Ethereum
Features
Ethereum is the second-largest cryptocurrency and the largest alternative coin in the market. Ethereum is known as the king of smart contracts and provides the best platform where developers can create and run smart contracts and different decentralised applications (DApps) and applications that can be used in decentralised finance (DeFi).
Why is Ethereum a Good Investment?
Ethereum serves more than one purpose as a digital currency and a smart contract platform. It can act as digital money and a medium of exchange while simultaneously serving as a viable store of value.
Ethereum is the go-to platform for developers to design and launch DApps and several other crypto-focused projects and as more developers use it, it grows. Many other projects have emerged, and they are growing their technology at a faster rate, but Ethereum remains the top alternative coin and smart contract platform, making it a viable investment option.
Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
| Ethereum allows for global transactions to be carried out | Scalability and transaction speed is an issue |
| Ethereum is easier to mine and is moving to a more effective Proof-of-Stake consensus | The gas fees charged are extremely high |
| Ethereum has a massive online community | The price on ETH sees high market volatility |
| Ethereum has a strong developer community with more than 3,000 DApps that have been launched on its blockchain | Ethereum is deflationary and could lose value over time |
Solana
Features
Solana is an open-source and decentralised blockchain project that provides decentralised finance (DeFi) solutions by allowing developers to create DApps on its platform. Solana aims to improve scalability issues that other blockchain projects face by using a Proof-of-History (PoH) combined with PoS.
Solana has extremely fast transaction processing times, making it attractive to investors and institutional traders.
Why is Solana a good Investment?
Solana has seen significant growth of more than 10,000% and it is considered one of the most popular alternatives to Ethereum. Solana currently processes 50,000 transactions per second, making it the fastest in the altcoin market.
Solana has a lot of growth potential, and it is set to appreciate significantly in future, making it a viable investment.
Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
| Solana has seen significant increases | Centralisation is an issue with fewer than 200 validators |
| Supports up to 50,000 transactions per second | The distribution and emission schedule is a problem |
| Solana has innovative interoperability | With issues in distribution, it leads to dilution of the circulating supply |
| Solana is an attractive platform for DApp developers |
Polkadot
Features
Polkadot is a blockchain project that connects several different blockchains and offers one single network. Polkadot facilitates data transfers across different chains, and it uses unique technology including the Relay Chain and Parachains to ensure the highest level of interoperability.
Why is Polkadot a Good Investment?
Polkadot is an extremely lucrative investment opportunity purely based on the potential growth that its technology has. Polkadot creates a heterogeneous blockchain and serves as a valuable link between other blockchains where transactions can run in parallel.
Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
| Cross-blockchain transfers are possible | There are several other strong competitors in the field |
| There is economic and transactional scalability | Hackers can easily exploit code vulnerabilities |
| Upgrades can be made without the risk of hard forks | |
| There is complete independence without sacrificing security |
Terra
Features
Terra was initially launched on the Ethereum blockchain in 2019 and it is a blockchain protocol that uses fiat-pegged stablecoins to drive global payment systems. Terra can provide fast and affordable payment settlements by using the price stability associated with fiat currencies and pairing it with the decentralised nature of cryptocurrencies.
Why is Terra a Good Investment?
Terra is seeing increased trading activity, and this could mean a generous return for early buyers. IN the past year, Terra has been one of the most successful cryptocurrencies, landing it a place in the top 50 alternative coins out of over 13,000 altcoins.
Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
| Terra solves scalability and centralisation issues | There are several fees payable on the platform |
| Several wallets support LUNA | Validators and delegators are subject to slashing as part of a penalty system |
| Many exchanges list LUNA | The field is extremely competitive |
| Terra has a user-friendly desktop platform and mobile trading app |
Bloktopia
Features
Bloktopia is a Virtual Reality (VR) skyscraper that consists of 21 million floors. This is in honour of the maximum supply of Bitcoin (21 million BTC) and it forms part of the VR metaverse that aims to become an educational entertainment hub for traders, investors, crypto enthusiasts, and market participants.
Bloktopia features a Non-fungible Token (NFT) economy where entrepreneurs can own land. The plots of land can be developed and transformed into real estate where users can create advertisements and events that can create additional income streams for users.
Why is Bloktopia a Good Investment?
Bloktopia is a good investment for those who are interested in NFTs and who wish to diversify their cryptocurrency portfolio by adding this crypto coin.
Bloktopia is set to appreciate as interest in NFT increases. However, NFTs are extremely risky because they are trend-driven, and trends can start and end sporadically. It is extremely difficult to predict whether these projects will see long-term growth because of the emerging projects in the field.
Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
| Pays homage to Bitcoin | These cryptocurrencies are trend-based and highly influenced by social media trends and news |
| It aims to be an entertainment hub for different market participants | |
| It offers an amazing user experience | |
| It incorporates NFTs |
Scotty Beam
Features
Simply defined, Scotty Beam is the first-ever cross-chain NFT teleporter. This means that the project helps cryptocurrency holders move their NFTs across different blockchains by connecting different metaverses, NFT games, and a wide range of marketplaces.
Scotty Beam has several uses for businesses as well as individuals, providing a strong foundation for the NFT industry as well as the highest level of interoperability across different blockchains.
Why is Scotty Beam a Good Investment?
Scotty Beam is one of the cryptocurrency projects that is extremely well-publicised and has an extremely high likelihood of success because of the applications of the project. The project is still extremely new and while it has received widespread attention, it is still too early to determine its investment potential.
Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
| A solid roadmap that aims to start teleporting across Ethereum, Solana, and other major blockchains | The project was launched recently which means that acceptance is still slow |
| There are strategic partnerships with different popular NFT markets | |
| Ownership can be proven | |
| NFT exchange can happen between friends and members of the wider community |
Panther Protocol
Features
Panther Protocol is a blockchain project that provides some of the best privacy-enabling technology for the DeFi industry by providing interoperable, collateralised privacy-enhancing digital assets. The project uses Zero-Knowledge Succinct Non-Interactive Argument of Knowledge or zk-SNARK technology to guarantee complete privacy.
Why is Panther Protocol a Good Investment?
Panther Protocol is becoming increasingly popular where there is an inherent need to ensure decentralisation while maintaining the utmost anonymity and transactions that cannot be traced or tracked.
Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
| It offers the best solutions for private corporations and entities | It could attract the attention of malicious, criminal entities who wish to transact anonymously |
| Can promote regulatory environments because of its unique technology | |
| It ensures interoperable blockchain privacy | |
| It can have several important uses in DeFi |
Pocket Arena
Features
Pocket Arena is a new Play-to-Earn (P2E) NFT DApp game portal as well as a platform where users can participate in skill-based tournaments. The game features an NFT marketplace and its native token POC is an ERC-20 (Ethereum blockchain) token that can be used to reward participants in addition to its function as an NFT gaming token used in-game.
Why is Pocket Arena a Good Investment?
P2E NFT games are becoming increasingly popular, and Pocket Arena offers the opportunity for early investment that can lead to a decent return on investment.
Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
| Innovative NFT gaming portal and platform | The NFT and NFT-gaming field is extremely competitive and based on user interest, which means that long-term interest might wane |
| It can help boost the widespread acceptance of NFTs and cryptocurrency | |
| The project is transparent, and all information is given in a detailed whitepaper | |
| There is a detailed roadmap and an actively involved development team |
FTX Token
Features
FTX Token is the native token of the cryptocurrency derivatives trading platform FTX that was established in 2019. FTX Token serves as collateral on the platform for futures positions, obtaining different discounts on trading fees, receiving over-the-counter (OTC) rebates, and several other functions.
Why is FTX Token a Good Investment?
FTX Token is a profitable investment because it provides users multipronged benefits associated with the exchange of the token. FTX Token offers extremely high scalability in addition to speed and it is extremely reliable.
Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
| The FTX platform has an easy KYC procedure | Leveraged tokens are a risky investment |
| The FTX platform offers derivatives trading | FTX is still a new platform |
| The FTX token has several applications on the FTX platform | |
| The FTX platform is known for its liquidity |
Kucoin Token
Features
Kucoin Token (KCS) is the native token of the KuCoin exchange trading platform. The token was launched in 2017 to serve as a profit-sharing token that allows traders to obtain value from the KuCoin exchange itself.
Kucoin Token was developed on the Ethereum blockchain and it was launched as an ERC-20 coin, which makes it compatible with most Ethereum compatible wallets.
Why is Kucoin Token a Good Investment?
KuCoin offers a wide range of advanced features including low fees and a wide range of coins that can be exchanged. By investing in the KuCoin Token, users can draw several advantages from the exchange associated with profit sharing, which makes it worth the investment.
Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
| KuCoin is known for its low transaction costs | KuCoin is not suitable for novice traders |
| KuCoin has a strong user base | |
| Users can earn interest on their cryptocurrencies | |
| KuCoin offers profit-sharing for KCS holders |
GateToken
Features
GateToken is the native coin of the Gate.io cryptocurrency exchange trading platform, one of the largest and most reputable exchanges in the industry. GateToken is the native token to the Gatechain public chain, and it is a vital part of the overall Gate.io ecosystem.
Why is Gate Token a Good Investment?
GateToken is especially useful to those who operate on the GateChain network because it allows them to pay transaction fees. In addition to this, another benefit of investment is that users can stake their coins on the platform to receive PoS staking rewards.
Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
| Gate.io is an extremely popular platform | There is a lack of transparency in the development team of the platform |
| The trading fees on the platform are extremely low | |
| There are many useful features and tools on the platform | |
| GateToken provides holders with an additional income stream through staking |
The Sandbox
Features
The Sandbox is a blockchain-based virtual world where participants can perform several actions such as creating, building, buying, and selling assets. The Sandbox uses decentralised autonomous organisations (DAO) along with NFTs to provide users with a decentralised platform in addition to a large and active gaming community.
Through The Sandbox’s unique technology, blockchain technology can become more accessible and widely accepted around the world.
Why is The Sandbox a Good Investment?
The Sandbox is attracting a lot of attention because of the massive drive behind P2E NFT games. Another benefit of the game is that users can earn $SAND when they play games, which makes it even more popular.
Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
| Users can easily trade and buy products on the platform | There is a high risk of data theft through cyberattacks |
| There is secure ownership for all participants | The project can be outsourced which increases the risk of failure in the code |
| Users can participate in governance on the platform | |
| The community is educated through an innovative Ask Me Anything (AMA) initiative |
Cardano
Features
Cardano is a PoS blockchain platform and one of the largest smart contract projects and platforms. Cardano is one of the first projects that successfully employed PoS and all technology that is developed is peer-reviewed.
Cardano aims to become the most prominent DApp development platform that features verifiable smart contracts in addition to a multi-asset ledger.
Why is Cardano a Good Investment?
Cardano is an open-source decentralised programmable blockchain where peer-to-peer transactions can be carried out. Cardano allows for developers to create and launch DApps and the smart contracts on the platform are self-executing.
These factors make Cardano extremely attractive amidst several others.
Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
| Cardano features multiple layers including a settlement and computational layer | Cardano is still experiencing development |
| Cardano is the perfect solution to scalability issues as well as slow transaction speeds that other projects struggle with | Cardano is planning to employ an open voting system that could lead to decisions that are not technically sound |
| Cardano has an amazing development team and academic support | There are issues with ledger synchronisation |
| Cardano is completely open-source, and its code is written in the Haskell Programming Language |
Binance Coin
Features
Binance Coin is the native token of the Binance exchange, the largest cryptocurrency exchange trading platform in the world that experiences more than 1.4 million transactions every second.
Why is Binance Coin a Good Investment?
Binance coin is a lucrative investment because it is the native token to the largest crypto exchange and it can be used to pay transaction fees on the Binance Smart Chain (BSC), the proprietary blockchain of Binance. The BSC is a programmable blockchain that is fast becoming a popular option where DApps and other crypto projects can be built and launched.
Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
| Binance is the largest crypto exchange | The discounts offered through Binance coin decrease over time |
| Binance coin is one of the most popular utility tokens | Binance coin may be susceptible to regulation |
| Binance coin has a unique and efficient burn policy | Binance is a utility token that is limited to the Binance crypto exchange |
| Binance offers discounts to users who operate on the Binance exchange |
FAQ
How many cryptocurrencies are there and what are they worth?
There are over 14,300 cryptocurrencies [2021/11/17} and the overall market cap of the cryptocurrency market (Bitcoin included) is $2.6 trillion.
Why are there so many cryptocurrencies?
There are different coins with different functions linked to cryptocurrency projects that have several useful applications in the real-world, metaverse, and virtual realities.
Why are cryptocurrencies so important?
Cryptocurrencies are considered a more secure alternative to conventional, or paper money currently being used because of their cryptographic and decentralised nature.
Are cryptocurrencies legal?
Cryptocurrencies are legal but they are not regulated due to their decentralised nature. Some countries have banned cryptocurrency trading because they cannot be regulated.
Can cryptocurrency investment/trading make me rich?
Yes, investment in the right cryptocurrencies can provide a lucrative return on investment depending on the coin in which you invest, the market movements associated with the price, the overall adoption of the coin, and the investment strategy that you use.
How do I protect myself while I trade cryptocurrencies?
Make sure that you use a cold wallet and that your internet connection is secure. Only use a trusted cryptocurrency exchange with strong security measures and strict KYC policies. Always keep your private keys and seed phrases safe and away from prying eyes.
Make sure that you protect the device that you use, change your passwords regularly, and do not fall for any scams.
How and where can I buy cryptocurrencies?
You can buy and sell cryptocurrencies from most major cryptocurrency exchange trading platforms. You can also trade cryptocurrencies as contracts for difference (CFDs) through regulated brokers. When you trade CFDs through a broker, you will not own the cryptocurrency.
CFDs allow you to speculate on the price movements of the underlying asset without taking physical ownership of the asset.
Top 4 Brokers
