With crypto investment opportunities having gone mainstream with the introduction of spot-market exchange-traded funds (ETFs), it’s become a public service announcement to warn anybody directly bearish against virtual currencies: for your own good, don’t. Playing on the railways might net you some social media views but believe me, the train is coming. And you might not hear it coming until it’s too late.

Sounds hyperbolic? Yeah, maybe. But the reality of the situation is that cryptos don’t just represent an investment class. No, it’s an entirely new paradigm shift. Unlike every publicly listed stock that has its roots tied to an analog past, cryptocurrencies represent their first cause. In other words, nothing of this kind came before the blockchain.

Not only that, cryptos align with the rising power and prominence of Generation Z. As the first truly digital age cohort, Gen Z members have zero recollection of the analog past. Study after study shows that crypto ownership skews young. And among zoomers who invest, their majority holdings tend to be in decentralized digital assets.

So, should you worry about the occasional dips? You don’t want to be cavalier about anything. However, the focus should be on the long-term narrative, which is quite compelling. With that, below are crypto investment opportunities to put on your watch list this week.

Bitcoin (BTC-USD)

With the approval of the first Bitcoin (BTC-USD) ETFs, some might have stated that its subsequent volatility was inevitable. We’ve all heard the phrase, buy the rumor, sell the news. Well, when we’re talking about cryptos, it might as well be buy the rumor and the news. After falling below the $40,000 level and spending some time below 39K, Bitcoin bounced higher. Of course, it did.

Here, you’re looking at both the fundamentals and the technicals. Regarding the former category, I’ve already touched on what I believe to be the core catalyst. Basically, the people want crypto investment opportunities and therefore, Bitcoin is only responding to the demand. And when I hear comments about a possible price target of 170K, I don’t necessarily view that as impossible.

Factor in the point that Gen Z is only rising in purchasing power and yeah, I think it’s not impossible.

On the technical front, a look at the supply demand dynamics as presented by the point-and-figure (P&F) chart of BTC reveals that there’s a near-term pathway to 45K. If we established a foothold there, I see 49K as a legitimate upside target.

Ethereum (ETH-USD)

With Bitcoin enjoying mainstream access via ETFs, the natural question arises: how many other crypto investment opportunities will get the nod? Logically, many point to Ethereum (ETH-USD) as a clear choice. It’s not hard to see why given its position as the number two blockchain asset by market capitalization. Still, given ETH’s shift to a proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus mechanism – which is arguably less meritocratic – not everybody is bullish on an Ethereum ETF happening anytime soon.

For now, ETH is riding the coattails of Bitcoin and that’s not a bad place to be. In the trailing 24 hours, ETH perked up, gaining almost 2% of market value. However, it’s been a slow week for the number two crypto, which lost about 1% in the trailing seven days. In contrast, Bitcoin gained nearly 9%. Nevertheless, over the long run, Ethereum’s prominence should serve it well.

From a fundamental perspective, I see the same catalysts driving BTC helping Ethereum swing higher. Essentially, cryptos are to young people what stocks were to baby boomers during their peak earning years. So, I do believe ETH will be one of the transformative virtual currencies.

Regarding the technicals, Ethereum’s P&F chart suggests a possibility of a gap up to $2,430. From there, $2,500 should be within easy reach.

Tether (USDT-USD)

As a stablecoin or digital asset tied to a fiat currency, Tether (USDT-USD) lacks the same profitability directive as most other crypto investment opportunities. Instead of gambling on its future trajectory, investors choose to convert their wealth into decentralized form so to speak. By doing this, they can respond to opportunities that arise immediately rather than wait for a cumbersome fiat-to-crypto conversion process.

Nevertheless, assessing Tether can provide important clues as to broader sentiment for cryptos. Interestingly, as of this writing (in the late hours of Monday night), Tether sits just below its one-to-one peg with the dollar. It’s not a cause for serious alarm. However, what the market is communicating is that people would rather hold dollars than USDT units.

Of course, that could change in the blink of an eye. Nevertheless, TipRanks blockchain analysis reveals that sentiment for USDT is mostly bearish. Specifically, on-chain signals such as net network growth and large transaction count are all pinging negative.

Again, it’s not an excuse to panic. However, investors should be mindful of the possibility of volatility risks in the crypto ecosystem.

Solana (SOL-USD)

Although one of the strongest performers as of late, Solana (SOL-USD) still ranks among alternative cryptos or altcoins. And while it soared up the ranks, it remains a speculative venture. So, when SOL began correcting, some concerns rose to the forefront. That was especially the case when the coin dipped below its 50-day moving average for a few sessions.

Apparently, stakeholders had nothing to worry about. Almost as soon as SOL fell below a key technical barometer, it bounced back. At time of writing, SOL trades hands at just under $102. Previously, it was flirting with the $80 level. Notably, in the past 24 hours, the coin gained 5% of market value while over the trailing week, it skyrocketed over 19%.

Looking at Solana’s P&F chart, its price action points to what’s known as a double top breakout. According to Stock Chart School, “Double Top Breakouts are bullish patterns that are confirmed with a resistance break.” I don’t want to get too ahead of myself; however, the action seems to point to a clear path to $124.

From there, who knows? The next logical target would lie around the $145 level.

XRP (XRP-USD)

After being the toast of the town, XRP (XRP-USD) just can’t seem to catch a break. Last year, of course, the crypto coin skyrocketed as a federal ruling essentially favored the argument that Ripple Labs – the founder of XRP – issued a digital asset rather than a security. However, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) begged to differ, leading to a protracted battle.

However, since the wild ebb and flow in July 2023, XRP was steadily charting a series of higher lows. Sadly, this trajectory incurred a serious test around mid-January. With the price conspicuously falling beneath its 200 DMA, the technical profile of XRP looks rather ugly. Indeed, the blockchain asset runs counter to the enthusiasm witnessed in many other cryptos.

Looking at XRP’s P&F chart, no distinct patterns exist to confidently declare which side (bulls or bears) has control of this market. Theoretically, the downside risk target sits at 38 cents, which would put it at levels not seen since March of last year.

I think that’s a bit too steep. Realistically, XRP should – given the enthusiasm of cryptos overall – soon attempt to hit the upside targets (based on supply demand dynamics) of 63 cents and 75 cents.

Cardano (ADA-USD)

While cryptos have generally responded well to Bitcoin’s dramatic resurgence, context matters. Case in point is Cardano (ADA-USD). On the surface, it printed very respectable figures. In the past 24 hours, ADA shot up over 7%. In the trailing one-week period, ADA returned stakeholders more than 9% of market value. However, it’s also a crypto that’s in technical limbo.

That’s not just my opinion. BeInCrypto noted a bearish trend developing in the popular altcoin. It headlined the possibility of ADA slipping to 50 cents or even down to 40 cents. At the time of writing, units trade hands at just under 53 cents.

To be fair, ADA’s resurgence has pushed the price level close to its 50 DMA, which stands at 55.9 cents. However, it encountered bearish resistance before it could cross this level. What’s worrisome is that its positive momentum occurred against fading volume. Typically, you’d like to see rising volume levels confirm a rising price action.

Looking at its P&F chart, ADA has an opportunity to reach 63 cents. However, it also could legitimately fall to 38 cents, which is close to where its 200 DMA lies (36.9 cents). Frankly, I would exercise caution here.

Avalanche (AVAX-USD)

At first blush, the technical profile undergirding Avalanche (AVAX-USD) appears extremely similar to Cardano. In the past 24 hours, AVAX popped up around 2.5%. Over the trailing week, it managed to gain nearly 20% of equity value. Sounds great on paper. However, the broader context seems ugly, with AVAX’s price action below its 50 DMA and above its 200 DMA.

As with Cardano, Avalanche’s upward movement contrasts with generally fading volume. Again, the lack of confirmation from the volume metric presents concerns. Also, AVAX encountered heavy resistance as it attempted to cross above its 50 DMA. Just from eyeballing the situation, it seems the bulls have a lot to lose.

But there’s just one wrinkle – AVAX’s P&F chart. Demonstrating a low pole reversal, this pattern implies that the supply that was contributing to falling prices has been absorbed. Moving forward, the demand side may take over. If that’s the case, AVAX could be looking at challenging the $41 level near term.

It also warrants a closer examination of Cardano. Maybe, it’s just not as ugly as it looks?

On the date of publication, Josh Enomoto held a LONG position in BTC, ETH, USDT and XRP. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.