8 Best Cryptocurrencies To Invest In for 2021
Cryptocurrency is digital money that isn’t managed by a central system like a government. Instead, it’s based on blockchain technology, with Bitcoin being the most popular one. As digital money continues to gain traction on Wall Street, more and more options become available. There are currently more than 5,000 cryptocurrencies on the market.
While you can use cryptocurrency to make purchases, most people treat it as a long-term investment. However, volatility makes investing in cryptocurrency risky, so it’s important to know what you’re getting into before you buy in. These are the top eight cryptocurrencies that are most worthy of investment in 2021.
Top 8 Cryptocurrency Investments in 2021
Cryptocurrency | Price | Market Cap |
|---|---|---|
Bitcoin | $65,864.43 | $1.247 trillion |
Ethereum | $4,686.97 | $554.178 billion |
Binance Coin | $657.28 | $109.822 billion |
Cardano | $2.06 | $68.633 billion |
XRP | $1.07 | $50.045 billion |
Solana | $240.35 | $73.230 billion |
Polkadot | $47.04 | $46.522 billion |
Tether | $1 | $73.884 billion |
Data is accurate as of Nov. 14, 2021. | ||
1. Bitcoin (BTC)
Bitcoin has been around for the longest of any cryptocurrency. It’s easy to see why it’s the leader, with a price and market cap that’s much higher than any other investment options.
Many businesses already accept Bitcoin as payment, which makes this cryptocurrency a smart investment. Visa, for example, transacts with Bitcoin. Additionally, Tesla announced in February that it had invested $1.5 billion in it, and for a time, the company accepted it as payment for its cars — and it soon might again. Plus, the larger banks are beginning to incorporate Bitcoin transactions into their offerings.
Risks of Investing In Bitcoin
The value of Bitcoin tends to fluctuate a lot. You may see the price go up or down thousands of dollars during any month. If wild fluctuations like these make you nervous, you may want to avoid Bitcoin. Otherwise, as long as you keep in mind that cryptocurrency could be a smart long-term investment, these fluctuations shouldn’t be too concerning.
Another reason to reconsider investing in Bitcoin is its price. With a single Bitcoin costing more than $65,000, most people can’t afford to buy whole Bitcoins. For investors who want to avoid buying a fraction of a Bitcoin, this is a negative.
2. Ethereum (ETH)
Ethereum is different from Bitcoin because it isn’t only a cryptocurrency. It’s also a network that allows developers to create their own cryptocurrency utilizing the Ethereum network. While Ethereum is far behind Bitcoin in value, it’s also far ahead of the other competitors.
Even though it came out years after some other cryptocurrencies, it has far exceeded its place in the market because of its unique technology, and it’s currently the second-largest crypto behind Bitcoin.
Risks of Investing In Ethereum
While Ethereum utilizes blockchain technology, it only has one “lane” for conducting transactions. This can lead to transactions taking longer to process when the network is overloaded.
In 2016, a hack that took advantage of a security flaw led to the loss of more than $50 million worth of Ether.
3. Binance Coin (BNB)
Binance Coin is one of the few cryptocurrencies to reach its peak after 2017. During that year, there was a bull market and the price of all cryptocurrencies rose on it, reaching a peak before plateauing and decreasing in value.
Unlike other cryptocurrencies, Binance Coin continued a slow but consistent trend upward after 2017. It has soared more recently, gaining 1,637% since January. Because of its performance, Binance Coin has proven to be one of the more stable investment options, but it’s still a highly volatile investment.
Risks of Investing In Binance Coin
What sets Binance Coin apart from its competitors is that it was created by a company instead of a group of tech developers. Although Binance Coin’s commitment to maintaining a strong blockchain has won over many skeptics, some investors remain leery of this cryptocurrency and its potential security issues.
4. Cardano (ADA)
The Cardano network has a smaller footprint, which is appealing to investors for several reasons. It takes less energy to complete a transaction with Cardano than with a larger network like Bitcoin. This means transactions are faster and cheaper.
Cardano also claims to be more adaptable and more secure. It consistently improves its development to stay ahead of hackers.
Risks of Investing In Cardano
Even with a better network, Cardano may not be able to compete with larger cryptocurrencies. Fewer adopters mean fewer developers. This isn’t appealing to most investors who want to see a high adoption rate. The platform has big plans, but there are doubts about whether it can live up to that potential.
Don’t be discouraged by fluctuations in the market. Your investment may lose money one day and make a profit the next. Instead of getting caught up in the day-to-day changes, look at the big picture.
5. XRP (XRP)
XRP was created by founders of the digital payment processing company Ripple. It serves as a crypto PayPal of sorts, allowing exchanges between both crypto and fiat currencies.
Ripple is investing heavily in non-fungible token projects that use XRP Ledger, which is a public blockchain. This investment suggests Ripple is positioning itself as another “Ethereum killer,” according to Inside Bitcoins.
Risks of Investing In XRP
In December 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed a lawsuit against Ripple and two of its executives, alleging that they violated registration provisions of the Securities Act of 1933 by raising over $1 billion through an unregistered digital asset securities offering. The implication that XRP is a security, not a currency, could have consequences not just for XRP, but for other cryptos as well.
6. Solana (SOL)
Solana has taken the crypto world by storm, starting 2021 with 0.01% of the market and soaring to a top 10 crypto by market cap by September, giving its main competitor, Ethereum, a run for its money. Solana currently ranks fifth in terms of market share, with a market capitalization of $68.63 billion, according to CoinMarketCap. Its appeal lies in the speed and scalability of its network and the ease with which it can be used to create decentralized apps that run on a blockchain, Decrypt explained.
Risks of Investing In Solana
Solana has seen an astounding 12,000% appreciation this year, according to CNBC, and prices could drop as quickly as they grew. Reliability might also be an issue, considering Solana suffered a nearly day-long outage due to “resource exhaustion,” according to Bloomberg, as reported by CNBC.
7. Polkadot (DOT)
Polkadot was created by Ethereum leaders who broke away to form their own cryptocurrency with a better network. Instead of having a single “lane” to complete transactions in, Polkadot has several.
This cryptocurrency was designed to reward genuine investors and weed out people who are just trading to make money fast. Investors who are engaged in the platform also help to make decisions on things like:
Network fees
Network upgrades
Establishing or removing parachains
Risks of Investing In Polkadot
Polkadot’s founder, Gavin Wood, first introduced the cryptocurrency via a white paper in 2016. Its launch took place in 2020. With such a short history, Polkadot doesn’t have a track record for comparison, making it a riskier investment for potential buyers.
8. Tether (USDT)
Tether is a stablecoin, which means its value tracks the U.S. dollar. Because of that, it doesn’t experience the volatility other cryptos do. The value is always at or near $1. You can’t buy Tether low and sell it high to make a profit, but you can use it to hold funds you move out of other cryptos without converting them to cash.
With a market capitalization of nearly $74 billion, Tether is the fourth-largest crypto, according to CoinMarketCap.
Risks of Investing In Tether
Although Tether is fully backed by assets like cash and bank deposits, reverse repurchase notes, U.S. Treasury bills, secured loans, corporate bonds, funds and precious metals, U.S. government regulators say digital assets, including stablecoins, are actually not stable. The regulators said stablecoins should be subject to bank-like rules to protect investors, CNN Business reported.
Don’t settle on any number of cryptocurrency investments without continuing to learn about the market. A new cryptocurrency network could easily climb the ranks and emerge as a leader above other platforms. As an investor, the smartest thing you can do is to stay abreast of market happenings.
Rating the Top Cryptocurrency Choices
Run a quick online search and you’ll find dozens of recommendations for how to invest in cryptocurrency. In choosing the top eight picks, the following factors were considered.
Longevity
How long has the cryptocurrency been around? New cryptocurrencies aren’t immediately ruled out, but having historical data for comparison helps you see how a company has performed up until now.
Track Record
How has the company performed during its years in business? If you see stability in prices, that’s a good sign. If you notice that the cryptocurrency is gaining traction and becoming more valuable with time, that’s even better.
Past performance is not indicative of future performance. At any time things can change, and an investment may perform better or worse than it has in the past.
Technology
How does the platform compare to others in terms of usability and security? The first thing you want to look for is the speed at which transactions occur. The network should be able to handle transaction traffic with ease.
You also want to make sure your investment is secure. Most cryptocurrencies use blockchain technology, making all transactions transparent and easy to track. Blockchain technology doesn’t necessarily make it harder for hackers to steal your cryptocurrency. It does make it easier to track your investment so it can be recovered instead of being lost following fraud.
Adoption Rate
How many people are investing in the cryptocurrency you’re considering? When you see a high level of adoption, that means the cryptocurrency has better liquidity. Trading, selling or spending will be easier in the future.
Final Take
There’s no question about it: Cryptocurrencies are here to stay. The question becomes, where is the best place to invest your money in the market?
As you decide which cryptocurrency is the best investment for you, here are some other things to keep in mind:
The speed at which transactions are completed
The fees associated with transacting
The ability to use your cryptocurrency for regular purchases and bank transfers
If you’re strictly looking to invest without transacting within the network, remember that cryptocurrency isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme. Instead, you should consider it a long-term investment.
Daria Uhlig contributed to the reporting for this article.
Data is accurate as of Nov. 14, 2021, and subject to change.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 8 Best Cryptocurrencies To Invest In for 2021
