By now it’s a given that thanks to rapid digital adoption and an increase in overall online traffic, cryptocurrency has become far more than a niche asset class. Indeed, even previous naysayers like billionaire David Rubenstein have acknowledged that cryptocurrency is “here to stay” and “has come from nothing to be a force in the market.”
If anything that’s still understating things a little. For all intents and purposes though, cryptocurrency now represents its own massive investment market as we head into 2022. And while history shows that there’s no telling exactly how this market will evolve from month to month, the following appear to be among the most interesting investments looking forward.
1. Bitcoin (BTC)
Inarguably the most famous cryptocurrency, it’s hard to believe that it’s now been some 12 years since Bitcoin was founded by “Satoshi Nakamoto.” In that span however, it has risen to continually more astonishing heights. As of this writing, BTC’s market cap is roughly $1.25 trillion US, and the value is hovering between $65,000 and $70,000. Granted, Bitcoin has not been spared the fluctuations of the market, and took an initial crash alongside most other assets in the world in the early days of the pandemic. The day-to-day activity, too, remains volatile. But for those who want to trust in the flagship cryptocurrency that has reliably led the class, BTC remains a strategic investment.
2. Ethereum (ETH)
While Bitcoin remains far out in front of the crypto market, ETH has established itself as the most consistent and robust competitor. Earlier this year in fact, FXCM compared the two coins on the basis of “valuation,” noting that both have posted “meteoric gains” between 2016 and 2021. Other altcoins have also seen gains following similar patterns and trajectory in that span of time, but none have reached the heights of ETH. That alone makes it a similarly appealing investment to BTC to a lot of people. Additionally, however, there are also many who buy into ETH as a long-term play, because of Ethereum’s versatile functionality. The thinking is that the Ethereum network has yet to reach its full potential, and that ETH thus has lots of room to grow.
3. Cardano (ADA)
Birthed by the same brains behind Ethereum, Cardano is a more affordable crypto option (at $2.23 US per coin at the time of writing) that carries significant potential thanks to thee Ouroboros blockchain it operates on. This blockchain is believed to be highly scalable and useful, and also helps Cardano to put forth a “green” reputation that appeals to a growing number of investors who are concerned about cryptocurrency’s environmental impact. On top of these attributes, Cardano has also had a sort of “next big thing” buzz for some time now –– with a recent analysis at The Wistle suggesting the price is on track to hit $5 this year, with $10 in the range of possibilities. Like all crypto predictions, this should be taken with a grain of salt. But there is some analysis to back up the idea.
4. Dogecoin (DOGE)
Dogecoin is for all intents and purposes the original “meme” coin –– essentially a spoof cryptocurrency, at least in its conception. Over time however it has gained an enthusiastic following of investors ranging from amused crypto fans on the internet to Elon Musk himself. As a result, DOGE now has a market cap of $36 billion US, and is worth $0.2718 as of this writing (high enough to have made lots of investors absolute fortunes). As our own analysis of Dogecoin this past summer acknowledged, there’s a world in which DOGE hits $10 at some point in the near future.
5. Polkadot (DOT)
Another altcoin founded by Etherum creators, Polkadot has already risen to become the eighth-largest cryptocurrency by market cap. As of this writing, that market cap sits at $50 billion US, with the price of DOT sitting right around $51 (very close to an all-time high). What makes Polkadot unique is its interoperability among networks to allow for parachains. Through this concept of shared security, DOT empowers its developers to create their own blockchains protected with the tight security that Polkadot already has in place. This is exciting functionality that many view as fuel for further growth.
At the end of the day, investing in cryptocurrency doesn’t assure profit. The truth is no one can fully declare the “best” cryptos to invest in, or the right ones. If you’re looking ahead to 2022 and considering the market with respect to value, trends, and potential though, it’s hard to argue with these five options.