17 Best Cryptocurrency to Invest in 2024 – Compare Top Crypto to Buy Now

Are you looking to gain exposure to cryptocurrencies but unsure which projects to invest in?

There are more than 25,000 cryptos available to purchase and while many offer the potential for massive gains, others turn out to be total failures or outright scams.

For both new and experienced crypto investors, the sheer size of the market can be overwhelming.

In this guide, we analyze the best crypto to buy now and over a wide range of projects to suit both short and long-term investors, from upcoming projects still in their presale stage to established favorites such as Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Read on to discover the top crypto assets for 2024.

  • Pepe Unchained - the first meme crypto project running on its own Layer 2 blockchain with presale raising $210k within days.
  • Offers early investors double the staking rewards currently over 22,000% APY.
  • $PEPU's Layer 2 blockchain means reduced operational costs, faster speeds, and lower fees.
Project Launched
June 2024
Purchase Methods
  • ETH
    ETH
  • USDT
    USDT
  • Debit
    Debit
  • BNB
    BNB
  • +1 more
  • Enter the Meme Games everyone's favorite meme characters such as Doge, Pepe, Brett, Turbo, and Dogwifhat
  • Earn a 25% token bonus by entering the 169 meter dash when you purchase tokens in the presale
  • Keep increasing your chances of winning big with multiple entries
Project Launched
July 2024
Purchase Methods
  • ETH
    ETH
  • USDT
    USDT
  • BNB
    BNB
  • Debit
    Debit
  • +1 more
  • WienerAI is a unique meme token merging the appeal of crypto memes with AI
  • $WAI is an ERC20 token built on the Ethereum blockchain offering stakers rewards in excess of 100% p/a
  • With a total supply of 69Bn tokens 30% has been allocated to the presale, which has already raised $7 million
Project Launched
April 2024
Purchase Methods
  • ETH
    ETH
  • USDT
    USDT
  • BNB
    BNB
  • Matic
    Matic
  • +1 more
  • PlayDoge brings real-life utility to the Doge meme scene with mobile-based P2E Tamagotchi-style game
  • $PLAY hodlers can stake their tokens to earn passive rewards and earn XP and bonuses whilst caring for their virtual pet
  • PlayDoge presale already raised over $200k within hours of launching
Project Launched
May 2024
Purchase Methods
  • BNB
    BNB
  • USDT
    USDT
  • Debit
    Debit
  • Viral community-driven meme coin project offering poker tournaments and treasure hunts with a crypto twist
  • Generous referral program dubbed 'Posse Rewards' for referrer and new members to earn bonus $SHIBASHOOT tokens
  • Buy and stake $SHIBASHOOT tokens for passive rewards at a rate of 125.5 per ETH block, disbursed over 2 years
Project Launched
April 2024
Purchase Methods
  • BNB
    BNB
  • ETH
    ETH
  • USDT
    USDT
  • Debit
    Debit
  • +1 more
  • Latest Base chain meme coin on a high-octane journey offering multi-chain interoperability and purchases.
  • Unique share-to-earn mechanics allowing users to earn $DAWGZ tokens when relevant content is shared on social media.
  • Right time, right place. $DAWGZ comes just in time as Base meme coins hit a market cap of $1.78 billion.
Project Launched
June 2024
Purchase Methods
  • BNB
    BNB
  • ETH
    ETH
  • SOL
    SOL
  • AVAX
    AVAX
  • BASE
    BASE
  • +2 more
  • Trending new GameFi Solana token $DICE raises over $600k since launch
  • Offers $2,250,000 airdrop for casino players, as well as a 25% rev-share referral program
  • Buy and stake $DICE tokens to earn daily rewards
Project Launched
April 2024
Purchase Methods
  • BNB
    BNB
  • ETH
    ETH
  • SOL
    SOL
  • First of a kind Learn-to-Earn crypto project that raised over $1 million within days of launching
  • As a PoS token participants can buy and stake $99BTC tokens for passive rewards
  • Token holders gain access to exclusive features including advanced courses and webinars
Project Launched
April 2024
Purchase Methods
  • BNB
    BNB
  • ETH
    ETH
  • Debit
    Debit
  • USDT
    USDT
  • +1 more
  • Hot Meme Coin Project With Play to Earn Utility and Staking
  • Price has Pumped 10x in Last Month, Rumored to be Listing on Binance
  • Over 12k Holders and Growing
Project Launched
December 2023
Purchase Methods
  • ETH
    ETH
  • USDT
    USDT
  • Debit
    Debit
  • With DOGE's decade as meme-leader, DOGE2014 emerges to celebrate its longevity.
  • Buy and stake DOGE2014 tokens for huge rewards distributed over 2 years.
  • DOGE2014 tokens can be easily transferred to most EVM wallets within minutes.
Project Launched
June 2024
Purchase Methods
  • ETH
    ETH
  • Tether
    Tether
  • Debit
    Debit
  • World's first crypto payment protocol that integrates efficiently with card machines, making crypto payments widely accessible.
  • Through a user-friendly payment APK, SpacePay lets customers buy with crypto while allowing merchants to receive funds in their local fiat.
  • SpacePay's native governance token, SPY, gives holders access to airdrops, exclusive features, as well as voting rights and quarterly connect webinars.
Project Launched
May 2024
Purchase Methods
  • ETH
    ETH
  • USDT
    USDT
  • AVAX
    AVAX
  • BASE
    BASE
  • BNB
    BNB
  • Debit
    Debit
  • USDC
    USDC
  • Matic
    Matic
  • +5 more
  • Upcoming $1 million giveaway for presale participants
  • Earn up to 15% when you take part in the presale
  • Gain access to premium features like advanced analytics
Project Launched
April 2024
Purchase Methods
  • Bitcoin
    Bitcoin
  • BNB
    BNB
  • DAI
    DAI
  • Debit
    Debit
  • ETH
    ETH
  • SOL
    SOL
  • USDC
    USDC
  • USDT
    USDT
  • +5 more
  • State-of-the-art crypto project allowing users to predict F1 racing outcomes to earn rewards.
  • Early presale investors can stake-to-earn tokens with dynamic rewards currently over 6,800% p/a.
  • 40% of total supply (2.5Bn) is allocated to the presale, with over $140k raised already.
Project Launched
June 2024
Purchase Methods
  • BNB
    BNB
  • Debit
    Debit
  • ETH
    ETH
  • USDT
    USDT
  • +1 more

The Best Crypto to Buy Now Shortlisted

Here’s an overview of the best crypto to buy now:

  1. Pepe Unchained (PEPU) – Best meme coin built on. the Ethereum layer-two blockchain.
  2. The Meme Games ($MGMES) – Olympic-themed meme crypto with high staking rewards.
  3. WienerAI (WAI) – AI dog-themed meme coin; last chance to buy in presale
  4. PlayDoge ($PLAY) – New play-to-earn (P2E) meme coin offers game and high staking rewards.
  5. Shiba Shootout (SHIBASHOOT) – Community meme coin with saving and staking utility.
  6. Base Dawgz ($DAWGZ) – Chain jumping dog meme coin with social and referral rewards
  7. Mega Dice (DICE) – Established crypto casino with token utility. Generous benefits and staking rewards.
  8. 99Bitcoins Token (99BTC) – Learn-to-Earn platform with high staking rewards, raised $2.3M+
  9. Doge2014 (DOGE2014) – Doge-themed meme token offers up to 28,000% APY.
  10. SpacePay (SPY) – Decentralized protocol uses user-friendly APKs to support crypto transactions at retail locations.
  11. Race to a Billion ($BDJ) – Blockchain-based F1 prediction platform with high staking APY.
  12. Polygon (MATIC) – An established layer-2 for the Ethereum ecosystem.
  13. Chainlink (LINK) – Collects and distributes real-time data for smart contracts.
  14. Ethereum (ETH) – Leading network to build on and enables developers to create smart contracts.
  15. Cosmos (ATOM) – ‘Blockchain interoperability’ chain, expected to play a major role in Web3.
  16. Bitcoin (BTC) – The largest cryptocurrency in the world, $1.2 trillion market cap.
  17. Stellar (XLM) – Stellar has formed many notable partnerships, including MoneyGram, IBM, and Circle.

A Closer Look at the Best Cryptocurrency to Invest in 2024

In the sections to follow, we evaluate the best cryptos for 2024.

1. Pepe Unchained – Best Pepe-Themed L2 Meme Coin Offers High Staking Rewards

Pepe Unchained ($PEPU) is a top meme coin that is built on Ethereum’s layer-two (L2) blockchain. It is inspired by the popular meme sensation Pepe but offers more benefits through its faster, cheaper, and more scalable L2 network. 

L2 chains allow the main blockchain to handle a higher volume of transactions, increasing the platform’s efficiency and reducing costs. Furthermore, the reduced operational costs allow Pepe Unchained to offer double the staking rewards compared to other projects. 

pepe unchained

Therefore, this top cryptocurrency can offer an annual yield as high as 595% through the staking mechanism. From a total supply of 8 billion tokens, more than 2 million are already locked on the staking mechanism. 30% of the token supply will eventually be distributed as passive income to staked token holders. 

The fast transaction speeds can also help Pepe Unchained to become one of the best new coins in 2024. Due to these reasons, Pepe Unchained has raised over $3 million within a few weeks of its presale launch. 

Stay tuned for more project updates by going through the Pepe Unchained whitepaper and joining the Telegram channel.

Hard Cap N/A
Total Tokens 8 billion
Tokens available in presale 1.6 Billion
Blockchain Ethereum
Minimum Purchase None
Purchase with ETH, USDT, BNB, Card

2. The Meme Games ($MGMES) – Olympic-themed Meme Crypto with High Staking Rewards

Another promising new cryptos to watch is The Meme Games ($MGMES). It’s a hot new gamified crypto presale themed around the 2024 Olympic Games. 

When you buy $MGMES tokens— you can pick a meme athlete like Doge, Pepe, Turbo, Brett, or Dogwifhat to compete in events.

These athletes will participate in a race called ‘169 dash.’If your character wins, you get 25% extra tokens. You can play this game whenever you buy tokens, and all characters have the same chance of winning. 

The Meme Games Presale

The token sale lasts until the end of the Olympics and Paralympics. After that, you’ll be able to trade $MGMES on DEXs. It’s worth noting that the races are fair and random, and you can play as many times as you want and stake your tokens (including any extra ones you win) to earn even more.

The platform’s staking portal offers an APY of over 4,000% at the time of writing. However, this rate will decrease as more investors join the staking pool.

You can get $MGMES for only $0.009 at press time. This price will surge in the next presale round and during DEX listings. Buyers can enter The Meme Games Telegram channel to interact with other users and follow its X handle to keep up with the most recent updates.

Hard Cap $7,095,132
Total Tokens 2,024,000,000
Tokens available in presale 769,120,000
Blockchain Ethereum
Minimum Purchase None
Purchase with ETH, USDT, BNB, Card

3. WienerAI – Hot New Dog-Themed Meme Coin Offering Impressive Staking Rewards

One of the hottest new cryptocurrencies to be right now is the latest dog-themed meme coin WienerAI. WienerAI ($WAI) is a brand new meme token that many experts believe could become a hit in 2024. Already $7 million has been raised and hype is reaching fever pitch as the presale enters its final week.

Looking to take the market by storm and go viral, the team behind WienerAI is expecting a trading frenzy when $WAI hits DEXs. If they can mirror some of the success of other successful meme tokens like $Doge and $Pepe, an early investment now could prove to be very lucrative indeed.

wienerai

WienerAI is more than just a meme coin with an AI-powered chat interface and trading bot. Once purchased, token holders can also put their $WAI coin to work and begin earning passive staking rewards immediately. A massive 40% of the 69 billion total token supply has been reserved for the presale.

To buy the $WAI token all you have to do is head over to the official presale site and connect your wallet. Once there, choose how you want to pay. You can use BNB, ETH, MATIC or USDT. Select how many you want, and click buy. You will immediately be credited with the tokens which can then be staked to earn impressive passive rewards.

For more information about the project head over to the official website and download the whitepaper. To keep up to date on all the latest news and updates, you should follow WienerAI on X and join the exclusive Telegram group.

Token symbol WAI
Presale supply 69,000,000,000 WAI
Token type ERC-20
Payment methods ETH, USDT, MATIC, BNB, Card
Listing price N/A

4. PlayDoge – P2E meme Token, $5.5M Raised on Presale

PlayDoge is a game-changing project that is a combination of the viral Doge meme with a play-to-earn (P2E) mobile game, allowing users to nurture a Tamagotchi-like virtual pet while earning $PLAY tokens.

Since the start of the presale, PlayDoge has raised more than $5.5 million. Currently, $PLAY is priced at $0.00517 per token. From a total supply of 9.4 billion tokens, 50% has been allocated for the ongoing presale. Another 12% of the token supply will be distributed through staking rewards.

playdoge presale

Since PlayDoge offers multi-chain utility, tokens can be staked on the ETH and BNB chains. Stakers will get a live APY (Annual percentage yield) of 89% on the ETH chain and over 73% on the BNB chain.

For the latest updates and community engagement, follow PlayDoge on X (Twitter) and join its Telegram channel.

This unique blend of gaming and meme culture makes PlayDoge a top investment choice in the cryptocurrency space for 2024

Hard Cap N/A
Total Tokens 9,400,000,000
Tokens available in presale 4,700,000,000
Blockchain (BNB) Binance Smart Chain
Token type BEP-20
Minimum Purchase None
Purchase with BNB, ETH, USDT

5. Shiba Shootout – Community Meme Token Driving For Premium Listings

Shiba Shootout is a brand new community driven meme coin that has potential to be the next big meme success. Based around the adventures of Marshall Shiba and his merry band of Shiba Sharpshooters, the Shiba Shootout presale gives investors the chance for buy the token early.

The ultimate aim is for native token $SHIBASHOOT to list on leading exchange Coinbase as well as feature on Coinmarketcap and Coingecko. Over $600,000 has been raised in just a few days which shows just how popular meme coins are right now.

shibashootout presale

However, Shiba Shootout is more than just a meme coin. The token features some pretty cool utilities including rewards for friend referrals, prizes for story telling as well as best meme competitions.

Moreover, $SHIBASHOOTER token holders can also play the in-house lottery and vote on any network governance proposals. Impressively, $SHIBASHOOTER holders can also stake the token or save for passive rewards.

Out of a 2.2 billion total supply, 35% (770 million) have been reserved for the presale. To get your hands on your $SHIBASHOOTER tokens, simply head to the official presale website and connect your wallet. Choose how many you would like to buy and click ok. You can use BNB, ETH, USDT or card.

For more information be sure to read the whitepaper and to keep up with all things Shiba Shooter, you can follow the project on X.

Token symbol SHIBASHOOT
Presale supply 2,200,000,000
Token type ERC-20
Payment methods ETH, USDT, BNB, Card
Listing price $0.0187

6. Base Dawgz – Doge Multi-Chain Meme Coin with Refer-to-Earn and Share-to-Earn Features in Presale

Next on our list of top cryptos to buy is Base Dawgs ($DAWGZ). This meme coin offers a wide range of benefits that helps it stand out in the crowded dog meme coin market, which has a market cap of $32 billion. First, the token is multi-chain, available on Solana, Avalanche, Base, BNB, and Ethereum. Using Wormhole and Bridge technology, the Doge mascot can base-jump from chain to chain, enabling low-cost swaps.

Teh token is currently available on presale and offers two ways of earning extra $DAWGZ tokens. First, presale participants can connect their wallet to generate a unique referral link. Then, if anyone uses this link, they’ll get 10% of each purchase. Secondly, users can connect their X (Twitter) account and gain points for creating and sharing memes and Base Dawgz content. This social-minded approach is designed to create an active and engaged meme coin community around the coin on all five blockchains.

There is also a future staking option, with Base Dawgz offering an APY of over 2,000% to participants. Currently, you can buy Base Dawgz (using any of the five chains) for a low price of just $0.0061 and there is over $2.4 million raised in just a few weeks since the presale was launched.

To learn more, check out the Base DAwgz whitepaper and follow them on X (Twitter) and Telegram.

Soft Cap $8 million
Total Tokens 8,453,000,000
Tokens available in presale 1,690,600,000
Blockchain Solana, Ethereum, Avalanche, Base, BNB
Token type
Minimum Purchase None
Purchase with SOL, USDT, ETH, BNB, AVAX, BASE Card

7. Mega Dice – Utility Driven Casino Token Offering Impressive Benefits and Staking Rewards

One of the hottest cryptocurrencies to invest in right now is Mega Dice. Mega Dice is an established crypto casino generating more than $50 million in monthly revenue. Its in-house token, $DICE is currently earned by casino players and used to access exclusive in-game benefits and rewards.

Mega Dice is now launching the $DICE token on the open market meaning everyone has a chance to purchase.

mega dice presale homepage

By buying the $DICE token you qualify for a number of attractive rewards. Firstly, you can stake your $DICE token to receive daily passive rewards in line with casino performance. Secondly, all $DICE token holders qualify for a share of a $2.25 million air-drop. Limited edition NFTs will also be awarded to randomly selected $DICE token holders.

By getting in early and buying your $DICE tokens, you also qualify for early bird bonuses. Finally, anyone who refers a friend will be in line to receive a generous 25% share of revenue.

Buying the token is quick and easy. Simply head to the official website and connect your Metamask or Trust wallet. Choose how many $DICE tokens you wish to buy and click ok. You can use BNB, ETH, SOL or USDT.

To keep up to date with all the latest news and developments, be sure to follow the team on X and join the exclusive Telegram channel.

Hard Cap N/A
Total Tokens 420 million
Tokens available in presale 147 million
Blockchain Solana Network
Token type SPL
Minimum Purchase None
Purchase with SOL, USDT, ETH, BNB, Card

8. 99Bitcoins Token – Learn-to-Earn Platform with High Staking Rewards

99Bitcoins Token ($99BTC) is next on our list of best cryptos. $99BTC is the native token of the 99Bitcoins platform, which is quite well-known for teaching people about crypto through its YouTube channel. It has over 700,000 subscribers on YouTube and over 2 million registered users for its courses.

$99BTC is unique because it rewards users for learning about crypto via its Learn-to-Earn (L2E) model. Early buyers can get the token for only $0.00113 each at the time of writing. The platform has raised over $2.3 million in just a few weeks of its launch, showing strong investor support.

The 99Bitcoins platform makes learning fun with interactive lessons, quizzes, and tutorials that work for different types of learners.

99bitcoins presale homepage
Users can earn $99BTC Tokens by participating and using them for special content, discounts, and exclusive events. Users can also earn passive income by staking their $99BTC Tokens. The platform offers an APY of over 700% for early buyers at press time.

The $99BTC Token has plans to bridge to Bitcoin’s BRC-20 standard. Doing this can make the token even more secure and attract new users, especially after the Bitcoin halving event.

99Bitcoins also plans to give away $99,999 worth of Bitcoin in an airdrop to early supporters. You can join the 99Bitcoins Token Telegram channel and follow it on X (Twitter) to stay updated on the latest news.

Hard Cap N/A
Total Tokens 99 Billion
Tokens available in presale 10.395 Billion
Blockchain Ethereum
Token type ERC-20
Minimum Purchase None
Purchase with ETH, BNB, USDT, Card

9. Doge2014 – ERC-20 Meme Token Created to Celebrate 10 Years of Dogecoin

Doge2014 ($DOGE2014) is a meme coin designed to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of Dogecoin. This ERC-20 token has launched on presale and is available at the same price that Dogecoin traded 10 years ago. 

Priced at $0.00027 per token, Doge2014 has raised $100K within a few days since the presale launched. This token offers meme coin enthusiasts the opportunity to celebrate the legacy of Dogecoin and offers further rewards to token holders through the staking mechanism. 

doge2014

Once you purchase $DOGE2014 on presale, the tokens can be instantly staked to earn an APY as high as 13,000%. So far, over 51 million tokens are already staked on the staking mechanism. 

Doge2014 has a total supply of 100 billion tokens, out of which 25% will be distributed as staking rewards, and 60% are being allocated for the presale. 10% will be used to maintain liquidity, and the remaining 5% of the supply will be used for marketing purposes. 

For more information, read the Doge2014 whitepaper and join the Telegram channel

Hard Cap N/A
Total Tokens 100 Billion
Tokens available in presale 60 Billion
Blockchain Ethereum
Token type ERC-20
Minimum Purchase None
Purchase with ETH, BNB, USDT, Card

10. SpacePay – Next-Gen Crypto Payment Protocol Offers Monthly Token Airdrops

SpacePay ($SPY) is a revolutionary decentralized protocol that facilitates crypto payments at retail locations. It offers its terminal-agnostic payment protocol which can process seamless and straightforward crypto transactions. 

Customers can make payments by scanning a QR code on the SpacePay device and connect with over 325 crypto wallets. Merchants can receive the funds in their local currency. This device will tap into a market of 400 million customers who trade digital assets. 

spacepay

To earn further benefits, users can purchase $SPY, the native token. SpacePay will introduce a revenue-share model and allocate a portion of its earnings to token holders. $SPY holders get monthly voting rights, where they can vote on crucial proposals and new initiatives. 

Every month, SpacePay distributed $SPY tokens via airdrops to the most active platform users. Currently, this new token is priced at $0.00162 during this presale round, but this will increase in stages The presale is allocating 6.8 billion tokens, which comprises 20% of the total 34 billion token supply. 

In a few days, the SpacePay presale has raised $260K. Read the SpacePay whitepaper and join the Telegram channel to learn more about this project. 

Token symbol SPY
Presale supply 6,800,000,000
Token type ERC-20
Payment methods ETH, USDT, USDC, Card
Listing price N/A

11. Race to a Billion ($BDJ) – Blockchain-based F1 Prediction Platform with High Staking APY

Race to a Billion ($BDJ) is a blockchain-based platform that combines the excitement of Formula 1 racing with prediction markets. Users can stake $BDJ tokens to earn rewards and participate in predicting race outcomes.

The platform aims to revolutionize F1 fan engagement using blockchains. It allows users to predict the top 10 finishing positions and compete for an end-of-season jackpot. The $BDJ token has a total supply of 2.5 billion, with 40% allocated to the presale.

Early buyers can get its native $BDJ tokens for just $0.0076. At the time of writing, they can also earn a high staking APY of nearly 6,200%.

Race to a billion token presale

Investors can buy and stake $BDJ tokens during the presale, and rewards will be distributed over two years. The roadmap outlines five phases: ICO launch, exchange listings, platform launch, jackpot implementation, and market expansion. The project also plans to eventually diversify into other sports markets.

To keep up with the latest project updates, you can follow Race to a Billion on X (Twitter) and join its Telegram group.

Token symbol BDJ
Presale supply 2.5 billion
Token type ERC-20
Payment methods ETH, USDT, BNB, Card

12. Polygon – Layer 2 Solution for Ethereum – Increasing Scalability to 65,000 Transactions per Second

Polygon was launched in 2019 with a simple objective – to help Ethereum-based projects to increase scalability, speed, and cost-effectiveness.

In a nutshell, ERC20 projects ‘bridge’ to the Polygon network, while remaining on the Ethereum blockchain. This increases the efficiency of ERC20 projects considerably.

Polygon price chart

For instance, Polygon can handle up to 65,000 transactions per second. While the Ethereum network can currently handle just 12 transactions per second. Additionally, Polygon transactions take just two seconds to process. What’s more, Polygon transaction fees are much lower than Ethereum.

In light of this, the Polygon ecosystem now boasts over 200 ERC20 projects. This includes everything from Chainlink, Render, and Decentraland to Aave, Dai, and Gala. To operate within the Polygon ecosystem, projects pay fees in MATIC. This is Polygon’s native token and it currently has a market capitalization of $6.3 billion. This is 70% lower than its all-time high.

13. Chainlink – Connecting Blockchains and the Real-World With Reliable Data

Chainlink is an established crypto project that connects blockchains with real-world data. Ordinarily, blockchains can only obtain data from within their respective ecosystems.

This prevents blockchains from accessing real-world information – something that will be crucial in the Web 3.0 space.

Chainlink price

Chainlink solves this issue through ‘Oracles’. Put simply, Oracles obtain data from online sources and feed it back into blockchain smart contracts. Chainlink Oracles are decentralized and data is only considered after it has reached consensus. This ensures that data is free from manipulation and inaccuracies.

For example, suppose Chainlink provides flight information to an insurance-based smart contract. It will check thousands of data providers in real-time to ensure the information is correct beyond doubt. Developers pay fees to use Chainlink Oracles, settled in LINK tokens. LINK is currently valued at $3.8 billion – 80% below its former peak.

14. Ethereum – Large-Cap Smart Contract Ecosystem Supporting Over 450,000 ERC20 Tokens

Launched in 2015, Ethereum is the most valuable cryptocurrency after Bitcoin. As per CoinMarketCap data, Ethereum currently has a market capitalization of over $220 billion.

Its decentralized framework enables developers to build and execute smart contracts. More than 450,000 ERC20 tokens have built their ecosystems on top of Ethereum.

Ethereum price chart

Some of the most recognized ERC20 projects include Tether, USD Coin, Shiba Inu, Dai, the Sandbox, Decentraland, and Enjin. Whenever an ERC20 transaction goes through the Ethereum network, fees are paid in ETH. This creates demand for ETH, making it one of the best cryptocurrency to buy now for utility.

Ethereum also has a solid investment thesis – especially at current prices. For instance, while investors will currently pay around $1,800 per ETH, this is over 60% below its all-time high. Additionally, the Ethereum Foundation is working on many core improvements to the network. This includes a significant increase in scalability and a decrease in GAS fees.

15. Cosmos – Market Leader in Interoperability – Enabling Blockchains to Communicate and Share Data

Cosmos is the best coin to invest in preparation for Web 3.0. After all, blockchains are expected to play a major role in the next generation of the internet.

But currently, blockchains can only share data within their own networks. This limits the real-world use cases for blockchain.

Cosmos price chart

This is where Cosmos comes in. It has developed the Inter-Blockchain Communication protocol, which supports blockchain ‘Interoperability’. Put simply, this enables multiple blockchains to communicate and share data. This means Web 3.0 technologies – like crypto, NFTs, and the metaverse, can operate across multiple networks.

For example, an Ethereum NFT can obtain data from the Solana ecosystem. Or XRP tokens can transfer data to Cardano. Cosmos is fueled by ATOM, its native crypto token. ATOM currently has a market capitalization of just under $3 billion. That said, during the prior bull market, ATOM was valued at over $10 billion. This offers a discounted price of over 70%.

16. Bitcoin – Long-Term Store of Value With a Discounted Entry Price of Over 55%

Bitcoin is the most recognized crypto asset globally. According to CoinMarketCap data, Bitcoin has generated gains of over 4.7 million percent since 2011.

At its peak, Bitcoin was valued at over $1.2 trillion. Currently, Bitcoin is trading over 55% lower, giving it a market capitalization of approximately $565 billion.

Bitcoin price chart

This offers a great entry price for investors. After all, the next Bitcoin halving event is expected in April 2024. This is often the catalyst for a new, extended rally – considering the Bitcoin mining reward is reduced by 50%. Bitcoin is also considered a great store of value. Its supply is predictable and limited – capped at 21 million BTC.

Unlike other stores of value – such as real estate and gold, Bitcoin is easily transferred. It can also be fractionalized into small units, making it accessible to all budgets. Bitcoin is also used as a hedge against hyper-inflationary currencies, such as the Turkish lira and Argentine peso. Most importantly, Bitcoin is completely decentralized and is not controlled by any government.

17. Stellar – Financial Inclusivity for the Unbanked With Fast and Low-Cost Global Transfers

Stellar is an established cryptocurrency that was launched in 2014. It has its own blockchain network, which is one of the most efficient in the market.

For instance, Stellar can handle up to 1,500 transactions per second. It has an average block confirmation time of 5-6 seconds and fees cost just 0.00001 XLM (about $0.0000013).

Stellar price chart

Stellar has many use cases, especially for people living in the developing world who do not have access to basic financial services. According to the World Bank, more than 1.4 billion people are still without access to a bank account. This means that people rely on third-party remittances more than ever.

The Stellar network cuts out the middleman and drastically reduces fees and transfer times. In other words, beneficiaries receive the vast majority of their remittance payments. Stellar is also suitable for companies needing to make cross-border payments. IBM and MoneyGram, for instance, have already partnered with Stellar.

Stellar’s native cryptocurrency, XLM, currently has a market capitalization of $3.8 billion. This is over 75% below its former all-time high. As such, XLM is the best crypto to buy now for a hugely discounted entry price.

How to Decide Which Cryptocurrency is Best for You

It is important to know that not all cryptocurrency investments will generate profits. Bitcoin, for example, has shown incredible gains over its lifecycle but investors who bought during the 2021 bull run now hold an asset that is more than 50% down from its all-time high.

BTC may well recover to reach new all-time highs but it is not guaranteed – cryptocurrency is a highly volatile asset class and many projects see huge gains only to fall away and fail to ever recover.

Therefore, research is absolutely crucial when selecting the best crypto to buy now and investors should also be aware of their own tolerance for risk and budget before investing in any token.

Here’s what to consider when searching for the best upcoming ICOs.

Does the Token Have Utility?

A good starting point is to evaluate the utility of a crypto token. In simple terms, utility refers to the token’s use case.

Over time, a token’s utility can increase demand, especially for non-crypto investors.

In contrast, some crypto tokens do not have any utility. While they can still generate investment gains, the target market is smaller. This is because people will only buy the respective token for speculation, rather than any identifiable use cases.

Meme coins are the most obvious example of this, with that particular crypto niche existing solely on hype, community interest, and FOMO (fear of missing out).

Several meme coins such as Pepe, Wojak, and Sponge have made incredible headlines in 2023 after returning thousands of percent in profits for early buyers. There are dozens more, however, that have failed and left investors with nothing.

Does the Project Have a Sizable Community?

Some crypto projects have had unparalleled success because of a large community following. After all, token holders are incentivized to promote their crypto investments to the broader market.

This means sharing and liking posts on social media and spreading the word on Reddit and other forums – this can quickly create hype and FOMO, meaning more people invest in the project.

Shiba Inu is a great example of a cryptocurrency that witnessed huge growth without any identifiable use cases. Due to the size of its community, Shiba Inu became a multi-billion dollar cryptocurrency within a year of its presale.

Does the Crypto Project Solve Any Existing Problems?

When choosing the best crypto investments, investors should research what problems the project solves, if any. This can help the project grow as more people become aware of the solution.

Word of caution – many crypto projects have highly ambitious objectives and while they might claim to have a solution for a real-world problem, this isn’t always the case.

The project might need several years to achieve its goals, if they ever achieve them at all, which increases the risk significantly.

Again, proper research and due diligence comes into play. Even if a project promises to solve a major issue, does it have a plan and the capability to do so?

What is the Upside Potential of the Crypto?

The upside potential is extremely difficult to ascertain with any certainty, after all, the crypto markets are unpredictable and often irrational.

For instance, at its peak, Shiba Inu had a market capitalization of $38 billion. This means Shiba Inu was worth more than the majority of US-listed companies, despite its limited real-world utility.

Shiba Inu has since added various utilities to its ecosystem – including its own layer-2 blockchain, decentralized exchange, NFT collection and metaverse – but its price has struggled to recapture those highs of early 2021.

shibarium

Nonetheless, the market capitalization is one of the most effective ways to assess the upside potential of a crypto.

For example, while Bitcoin is one of the best crypto to buy now, it is already valued at over $500 billion. Similarly, Ethereum is currently valued at over $200 billion.

There is still an upside on these large-cap cryptocurrencies, and they are considered much safer than newer coins, but gains will be limited when compared to smaller projects.

This is why presales are so attractive to crypto investors. After the presale finishes, the majority will be listed on exchanges with a market capitalization of under $10 million. If the project then takes off, it can appreciate rapidly.

As an example, BTC20 recently launched on exchanges having sold out its $6 million presale in just two weeks – the token then pumped 500% from $1 to almost $6 within three days of its listing.

Bitcoin, on the other hand, would need to reach a price of around $160,000 to make a 500% gain.

While that’s definitely possible in the future, it could take years because of the sheer size and volume needed for a move to that price, before even considering the resistance it would face on the way up as other investors took profits.

Different Types of Investors and Understanding Risk Tolerance

Investors are not built equally and each individual person will have a different appetite and tolerance for risk, based on various internal and external factors.

This can come down to the make-up of their personality – with some people naturally more cautious or risky than others – as well as influences such as their overall financial situation and investing goals.

There are three general profiles for an investor – conservative, moderate and aggressive – and it is vitally important for individuals to understand where they fit into those descriptions before they begin their investment journey.

Furthermore, it is important to fully grasp your current individual financial situation. $1,000 can be pocket change to some or a month’s wages to another, so investing those funds appropriately is wiser than chasing huge gains that may never come.

We would always suggest keeping a diverse investment portfolio not only within crypto niches but also one that has stocks, real estate and so on.

Are There Any Bear Market Discounts Available?

Bear market discounts are highly attractive. They enable investors to ‘buy the dip’ when the broader markets are down. In other words, the best cryptocurrencies to invest in can be purchased at a huge discount.

This strategy is also used in the stock market. For example, in early 2020, the S&P 500 declined from 3,380 points to just 2,304 points in a week. Those buying the dip would have secured a discount of over 30%. Since then, the S&P 500 has hit highs of 4,607 points, translating to growth of almost 100%.

S&P 500 price

Currently, the majority of cryptocurrencies are also trading at a huge discount. This has been the case since the markets peaked in late 2021.

Bitcoin and Ethereum, for instance, are trading at over 55% and 60% below their all-time highs. In turn, now could be a smart time to start buying quality cryptocurrencies while prices are still low.

Does the Project Have Notable Partnerships or Endorsements?

The cryptocurrency markets are very reactive – especially when a positive news development is announced. For example, if a project secures a promising partnership with an established company. Or if a public figure endorses a specific cryptocurrency.

Crucially, this often gives a crypto project credibility. For example, Stellar has formed partnerships with IBM and MoneyGram, which highlights that its payments network offers real-world value and is valued by globally recognizable firms.

Important Considerations When Looking for the Best Cryptocurrency to Invest in

The risk-reward spectrum of cryptocurrencies is much higher than the stock market, which means that while the upside potential is high, so are the risks.

Before investing, consider the important points discussed below.

Evaluate Affordability

After choosing the best crypto to buy right now, one of two things can happen, the investment can either yield a profit or a loss.

Investors should, therefore, ensure that they are only investing money they can afford to lose.

So before investing, it’s wise to do some calculations on everyday expenses, such as rent, food, and taxes and take all of that into account before setting an investment budget.

As outlined in the risk profile box above, some investors will have more spare cash than others based on wide variety of factors and financial responsibilities.

Independent Research is Crucial

Never buy a cryptocurrency because of third-party advice. While analysts can help with insights and predictions, these should be taken with a grain of salt, with many influential players in the industry being paid to offer positive opinions.

Instead, take these recommendations as a prompt to look further into a project and then carry out independent research.

This will ensure that the crypto investment is made in an informed manner. There are many ways to research the viability and potential of a cryptocurrency. This includes the project’s whitepaper, which should outline its goals and unique selling points.

If the cryptocurrency is already established, consider reading relevant news stories. CoinMarketCap can also be used to analyze the financials, such as market capitalization and real-time pricing.

How to Conduct Crypto Coin Research and Spot Red Flags

Once you have found an interesting project or one that looks like it may have potential, it is important to conduct research.

The first step should be a project’s website, where a whitepaper and roadmap should be available to view. The whitepaper should essentially be a comprehensive manual of everything the project is setting out to do, including information on its utility, developing team, tokenomics and more. The roadmap is a plan of action that shows how the project will achieve its aims – any project can promise a $1 billion market cap, but showing how it plans to get there is another thing.

Next, investors should look at the developers behind the project. Having a doxxed and KYC-verified team is a major advantage, which usually means the project will not be a scam. Anonymity should be seen as a red flag with many projects, but is common with meme coins – in that case, it is important to look at the past track record of developers.

Partnerships and collaborations are also a good way to measure if a project has potential. If they have managed to secure partnerships with major brands or venture capital funds, that can be a huge seal of approval.

Check the sentiment around a project on social media, decide whether it is positive or negative and that there is sufficient community support for the project to grow. As outlined earlier, having a large number of followers in itself is not always necessarily a great sign, posts need to have high engagement as well.

Finally, check that a project has had its smart contract audited by reputable third-party firms. Legitimate projects will have nothing to hide in that regard, while nefarious ones will make them difficult to find.

Again, even following these steps does not guarantee that a project will be a success – ultimately, the market decides.

Create a Diversified Portfolio

Seasoned investors will need to build a diversified portfolio as it reduces project-specific risks. In essence, do not put all your eggs in one basket.

  • For example, consider an investor who went all-in on FTX Token near its peak of $77.
  • Currently, the investor’s crypto portfolio would be down 98%.
  • An experienced investor might have allocated just 5% of their portfolio to FTX Token.
  • The balance would have been made up of other cryptocurrencies.
  • This means that the FTX collapse wouldn’t have had a major impact on their overall portfolio.

The specific breakdown of a portfolio will depend on the investor’s risk profile. For example, some investors will allocate a small percentage to cryptocurrencies and the rest to other assets. This might include index funds and stocks.

CoinMarketCap cryptos

Either way, the crypto-portion of the portfolio should be well diversified. For instance, if the investor has $1,000 to invest, they could buy 20 different cryptocurrencies at $50 each. Or 10 cryptocurrencies at $100 each, etc.

Create a Suitable Investment Strategy

There are many different ways to buy and sell cryptocurrencies. Investors should choose a suitable strategy for their goals and risk tolerance.

For example, some investors prefer buying and holding crypto tokens long-term. This often means ignoring short-term trends and buying more tokens when prices are cheap. This strategy is ideal for beginners and those looking to invest passively.

Alternatively, some investors prefer trading cryptocurrencies, taking advantage of market volatility.

However, this requires knowledge of chart analysis and technical indicators, which won’t suit newbies and takes a while to master.

Get Ready for Volatility and Unpredictability

Cryptocurrencies are still a new concept, especially when compared to stocks and other assets. This makes it a lot more difficult to predict market cycles. The speculative side of cryptocurrencies is also an issue.

The markets are extremely volatile, which can be intimidating for novice investors. Irrespective of the crypto being purchased, volatility cannot be avoided.

Investors must be prepared to see their portfolio rise and fall rapidly, and over short periods of time.

While timing the markets is often impossible, investors should have an exit strategy in place – cashing out a percentage of gains once the crypto hits a specific price to ensure some gains are earned.

Is Now a Good Time to Buy Crypto?

Similar to other financial markets, even the most successful investors find it difficult to predict broader cycles. This is especially the case in the volatile crypto markets. For example, Bitcoin peaked at over $68,000 in late 2021.

It has since hit lows of around $16,500 in December 2022, a decline of approximately 75%, but in July 2023 returned to almost $32,000, a gain of 90% in those seven months.

The key point is that predicting these wild highs and lows is beyond realistic for most, even industry experts make poor calls and are unable to confidently pick when Bitcoin and other cryptos will improve or decline.

With this in mind, rather than trying to time the market, it might be best to dollar-cost average (DCA) crypto investments.

This is a strategy where investors buy a small amount of crypto every week or month. When the markets are declining, the investor will buy crypto at a lower price point. And when the markets are rising, the investor will see their portfolio grow.

It will mean that short-term volatility has a lesser affect on a portfolio and is more in line with a longer-term strategy. This strategy should be used in conjunction with diversification.

Another option is to fully capitalize on the crypto bear market. For instance, some investors will ‘double down’ when prices are low, as they are right now. This enables investors to buy the best cryptos at a huge discount.

This strategy will pay off if the chosen cryptocurrencies regain their prior highs during the next bull run. But of course, there are no guarantees that this will happen and prices can always drop lower than they currently are.

Conclusion

In summary, we have cleared the mist on the best crypto to invest in in 2024. However, investors should still do their own research and ensure they create a well-diversified portfolio.

In our view, Pepe Unchained ($PEPU) is the best crypto coin to buy now. This Pepe-themed meme token offers dynamic staking rewards and is built on the efficient and high-speed L2 Ethereum blockchain.

References

FAQs

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About ReadWrite’s Editorial Process

The ReadWrite Editorial policy involves closely monitoring the tech industry for major developments, new product launches, AI breakthroughs, video game releases and other newsworthy events. Editors assign relevant stories to staff writers or freelance contributors with expertise in each particular topic area. Before publication, articles go through a rigorous round of editing for accuracy, clarity, and to ensure adherence to ReadWrite's style guidelines.

Alan Draper
Tech & Crypto Editor

Alan is the Chief Cryptocurrency & Blockchain Editor for ReadWrite. He has worked in the industry for many years and has been featured on a wide range of publications, including sites like Techopedia and FXStreet.

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