Despite expectations for Bitcoin’s (BTC-USD) surge following the highly-anticipated approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs by the Securities and Exchange Commission, it’s been a rather rocky road in this sector, to say the least. Many of the top cryptocurrencies to buy have actually underperformed expectations, by a wide margin. Accordingly, some in this space are now souring on the key catalysts that were supposed to underpin crypto.
That said, certain small-cap tokens have indeed provided big returns over the past 12 months. Tokens tied to the rise of decentralized finance (DeFi) and other crypto trends appear to outperform Bitcoin and the big dogs. Accordingly, perhaps investors looking at this sector should look outside the few projects that are most-discussed, and look for other tokens providing real-world utility.
In this article, I’ve picked three cryptos I think can outperform in 2024, with the potential for 10 times gains over the long-term. Of course, these tokens are highly speculative and investors concerned about capital preservation shouldn’t bet the farm on these assets, by any means. However, there is the potential for these sorts of exponential gains.
With that, let’s dive into our list of some of the best cryptocurrencies to buy.
Cryptocurrencies to Buy: Solana (SOL-USD)
Solana (SOL-USD) has been among the best-performing cryptocurrencies in recent months. After being ousted out of a top-10 spot in the crypto rankings by market capitalization, Solana has soared back into favor. In fact, this token is now the fifth most valuable in the world, already soaring more than 1,000%.
Now, since Solana is so large, it’s hard for many investors to fathom another 10 times move from here. However, the platform’s swift and cost-effective status makes it a prime Ethereum (ETH-USD) alternative. This network boasts inherent proof-of-stake technology for superior transaction speed and throughput.
Additionally, Solana’s on-chain activity surged in 2023, notably in NFT and decentralized exchange volumes, positively impacting total value locked. Both retail and institutional investors flocked to Solana, with a potential 50-fold value increase predicted within the year.
In other key Solana news, Solana’s new release, the Solana Mobile 2, received 30,000 preorders in the first 30 hours, surpassing total sales of its predecessor. With web3-focused features, the Android-based device features a built-in crypto wallet, enhanced security with a seed vault, and a dedicated decentralized app store. Priced at $450, it offers an affordable proxy to the $599 Saga.
Overall, Solana’s recent triumph into fifth spot in the crypto rankings signals its superiority as a long-term investment. Investors should take notice and consider Solana as the emerging crypto champion.
Avalanche (AVAX-USD)
From mid-January to December, Avalanche (AVAX-USD) surged from $15.80 per token to an 18-month high of $48 apiece. However, a poor start this year saw a 10% loss in the past week, raising questions about its potential. Despite current trading at $35.06, down 2.8% in a day and 11.30% in a week, a previous rally from $33 to $41 proved short-lived.
December saw heightened investor interest with consistently over $1.5 billion in trading volume. Presently trading at a market capitalization of $11 billion, Avalanche is nearly 10% below January 18 levels. Currently, Avalanche holds a top 10 crypto position, maintaining robust on-chain fundamentals, including increased daily active addresses and transactions since the year began.
Impressively, Avalanche has integrated inscriptions into its transactions, maintaining consistency despite a recent decrease. Dune Analytics hourly chart highlights Avalanche’s lead in inscriptions earlier this week and continued dominance, recording over 222,000 daily inscriptions. Notably, inscription transactions surpassed 20% in the last 24 hours, peaking at more than 50% on January 17. When it comes to the top cryptocurrencies to buy, this is a solid pick.
Aptos (APT-USD)
Aptos (APT-USD) surged in early January as OKX announced support for Aptos inscriptions on its NFT marketplace. The move validated Aptos as a prominent blockchain for NFTs and related applications, as the network leverages its unique architecture via its Move programming language. Developed by Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) and now part of Aptos, the Move programming language allows developers to create NFTs and Web3 applications.
As digital asset exchanges, including OKX, seek expansion, Aptos emerges as an attractive network for partnerships. OKX’s renowned NFT marketplace, known for zero-fee transactions, enhances Aptos’ appeal for those investing in NFT space growth.
Aptos has continued to show strong momentum, and if this bull market rally continues, a 10 times from here is certainly possible. One of the more higher-risk tokens on this list, Aptos has the technology and team to make a big run. It’s just a matter of whether investors will jump on board. If you are looking for the top cryptocurrencies to buy, start here.
On the date of publication, Chris MacDonald did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.
