Top Altcoins to Invest in now

There's always something fresh happening in the crypto space. Cryptocurrencies initially emerged to cut out institutional middlemen from currency exchanges. From this foundation, the core ideas have radiated in all directions. These days, the digital currency space is a confluence of complementary and competing ideas, use cases, products and ecosystems.

Latest calculations place the crypto industry at $2 billion. That's a mammoth figure considering how it all began in 2009. And it's just getting started. Bitcoin has climbed back above $60,000 on the heels of ETF approval in the US. Other crypto coins are gearing up for their own bull run. The long term forecast of the industry remains positive; all trends point towards even more explosive growth.

Bitcoin remains the king of crypto. It has led the charge for more widespread adoption of crypto as a medium of exchange and a store of value. Many other coins, dubbed alts, are snapping at its heels as they onboard their own community of enthusiasts, investors and promoters.

Amidst the enthusiasm, one simple fact remains: not all cryptocurrencies are created equal. With thousands of crypto assets in existence, some will be more popular or valuable than others. Every alternative currency has potential for huge gains or steep tanks. You can get very rich or lose all your money based on which coins you buy. For this reason, investors often get confused over the best digital coins to invest in.

Bitcoin vs Top Alt Coins

If you asked a typical crypto analyst for one coin to invest in, the answer would be "bitcoin" and for good reason. BTC is the most valuable crypto, the safest and the trendsetter for the whole industry. But this doesn't mean you can't find short and long-term gains elsewhere. Several popular alternatives to Bitcoin like Ether, Cardano, Solana, Vechain and PolkaDot have surged to unprecedented highs recently.

In other words, you may have more to gain by investing in bitcoin alternatives than in BTC itself. Even accounting for the volatile nature of crypto, some popular coins have proved their staying power and long-term reliability for securing gains for investors.

As the year comes to a close, it's still possible to make quick gains by investing in the best altcoins around. Investors who position themselves early stand to benefit when the alt season kicks into gear. When you buy wisely, you won't need to wait for the alt top to secure appreciable profits. To fully maximize your strategy, you must know the best altcoins to buy and when to buy them.

What is an Altcoin?

An alt coin or altcoin is a cryptocurrency that isn't bitcoin. They're dubbed so because they are considered alternatives to bitcoin. On one side stands BTC with over 45 percent of the global cryptocurrency valuation. On the other stands various competing alternatives, each one touting at least one advantage over BTC.

In the formal fintech industry, altcoin doesn't refer to just any crypto coin but the most popular bitcoin alternatives. Thus, Ether, XRP, Stellar, Polygon, Fantom, Cardano, etc., are dubbed altcoins. Altcoin season refers to when money flows from bitcoin to the top altcoins, leading to a general bull run for alts.

BTC might have kicked off the era of crypto but altcoins took the industry to the next level. Alts spearhead the latest trends and tech in the space. Whether it be a new blockchain consensus mechanism, governance model, gaming metaverse, decentralized finance, launchpad or governance token, alts are ubiquitous.

Why to Invest in Altcoins

Before talking about the best altcoins to invest in, a few words should be said about why to buy them in the first place. Since BTC is the most popular coin around, why doesn't everyone just buy it?

Because it wouldn't make sense. Here's why:

• Alts are generally cheap. Bitcoin and its wrapped variants (renBTC, wBTC, BTCb) are above $50,000 right now. Of the thousands of bitcoin alternatives—and dozens of top altcoins—only ETH, Yearn.finance (YFI) and Maker (MKR) are above $1000 per token. This makes alts affordable to buy compared to bitcoin.
• Alts have higher earning potential. This is a direct result of being relatively cheaper than bitcoin. If you buy one BTC at $60k, you are likely going to have to wait a while to double your money. In contrast, getting in on a hot altcoin when it's still cheap can easily quadruple your money in a week.
• Alts offer side rewards. Depending on the top alt coins you invest in, you can enjoy benefits of holding them that BTC just doesn't provide. Right now, bitcoin is largely a transaction medium and store of value. If you hold a coin like Cardano, you can stake it to earn more ADA. Simply holding enough of it can also qualify you to participate on launchpad or in airdrops.
• Alts are ecosystem gateways. Granted, this point specifically refers to chain and platform altcoins like Ether, Solana, Internet Computer, and Kyrrex. When you hold a coin in this category, your money increases as its price moves upwards. In addition, you gain access to the blockchain ecosystem, alongside fee rebates, waivers and other benefits.

BTC price is spiking right now. This means that the alt coins 2021 season is potentially around the corner. The same happened in the first quarter of the year when BTC reached ATH, causing massive FOMO that eventually led to the alt season in the second quarter.

As explained earlier, you should position yourself to cash in during the repeat which will likely happen in the 4th quarter of 2021. To that end, we've gathered the top altcoins that we believe have the best upside.

Remember that nothing is guaranteed in crypto. Therefore, only invest what you can afford to lose. Even altcoins with the most potential can have a rough time.

Best Altcoins to invest in:

If you want to know what altcoins to buy in 2021, read on. We have arranged the alt coins to invest in into different categories for easier reading and explanation.

Blockchain Coins

A blockchain like Ethereum or Cardano is a distributed ledger that records transactions and duplicates it across the network. A blockchain coin is the native token of a blockchain. The core function of a blockchain is to pay validators and allow holders to participate in the governance of the ecosystem.

Since bitcoin launched, many blockchain projects have emerged on the scene. Some are very fast while others are more scalable. Every blockchain that manages to catch public attention brings a new technology to the table.

Most of the best altcoins are chain tokens. If you're looking for top alt coins to buy, the coins in this section represent good choices.

1. Ether (ETH)

Ether is the native token of the Ethereum blockchain. It is hands down one of the best alt coins to invest in; if not the best.

Ethereum is the most popular cryptocurrency after bitcoin. It accounts for 18 percent of the global cryptocurrency valuation. These days, Ether is a dependable store of value for those who want to invest in a bitcoin alternative. Its value has more than doubled since the beginning of the year.

Investors in Ethereum have good reasons to be confident of positive gains in the near and far future. The platform processes transactions way faster than BTC. Moreover, plans are already advanced for ETH 2.0. The new protocol will move Ethereum from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake. This will increase speed, lower gas costs, and make the network more energy efficient.

All in all, things are looking rosy for Ethereum. It is the most popular smart contract platform. Most DeFi projects use the blockchain. The NFT craze is also being driven by Ethereum. Despite repeated talk of Ethereum killers, ETH is poised to hang onto its throne as the best of the top altcoins to buy in 2021 and beyond.

2. Cardano (ADA)

Cardano is one of the surprise packages of 2021 and the good times are set to continue. The platform is built on the foundations laid by peer-reviewed research. It uses a unique proof-of-stake mechanism named ouroboros to validate transactions. The platform uses a fraction of the energy that bitcoin needs to run. Ethical investors will be attracted to Cardano's commitment to energy efficiency.

The ADA token is one of the top altcoins to buy right now. The coin has risen by more than 8 times its value at the beginning of the year. Cardano is one of the most hyped "ETH killers".

One of the selling points of Cardano is the development of smart contracts. The platform formally welcomed the building of DeFi platforms on the blockchain in September, ushering in an era of decentralized finance. Even with the recent pullback, ADA is still the fourth largest crypto by market cap. It is one of the most credible tokens on this list.

Its founder and public face, Charles Hoskinson, is a known and trusted name in the industry. This fills investors with confidence. Plus, there will only ever be a max of 45 billion ADAs in circulation, making it a deflationary token. No wonder many industry experts regard Cardano as a shoo-in among the top alt coins to invest in.

3. Solana

At the beginning of the year, Solana was a little-regarded coin trading at $1.86 a pop. Now, the price is above $150. This represents a jump of 8000 percent, a barely believable figure in that time, for a mainline project.

Solana uses proof-of-history to facilitate a chronological storage of transactions on the network. It has other innovations that have helped it soar above the competition. For example, Turbine enables data to seamlessly reach the nodes while Tower BFT speeds up consensus by optimizing transaction latency.

Solana was turbocharged by the rapid development of smart contracts. This has enabled many projects to build dapps on the blockchain. The rise of NFTs has also contributed to growing interest in Solana. Projects like SolanaApe went nuclear, helping drive the popularity of Sol.

From obscurity, SOL is now one of the top ten cryptocurrencies in the world and it's poised to stay there for the foreseeable future. The network is faster than ETH and transaction costs are way cheaper. This makes the platform attractive to developers, big speculators, and retail investors alike.

4. Internet Computer (ICP)

Internet Computer is the brainchild of Dominic Williams, a crypto theorist, and the DFINITY Foundation. Many people hail it as the third great innovation in blockchain after decentralized digital transactions (Bitcoin) and smart contracts (Ethereum). Those behind ICP claim it heralds the dawn of "limitless blockchain".

The blockchain understandably generated and still generates lots of controversy because of the ambitious goals. ICP wants to turn the internet into a computation platform that can host systems and services. The platform intends to break the reliance on private hosting companies like Amazon and Google and replace them with a decentralized Internet.

ICP soared soon after launch in May on the back of investors' excitement about the project. It went as high as $737.20 before a sharp descent over the months, now trading at a respectable $45.

Despite that, long-term projections for ICP are very bullish. If the platform achieves its goals of eliminating the need for servers and commercial cloud companies, it's going to become even more popular. For those who embrace the platform's long-term vision, ICP is one of the best new altcoins 2021.

If you believe that ICP can reclaim the internet from powerful companies, then it is one of the altcoins with most potential right now.

5. PolkaDot

PolkaDot has a unique place among blockchains. It positions itself as the blockchain of blockchains. PolkaDot consists of the central hub, the Relay Chain, and parachains, parathreads, and bridges.

The parachains are independent blochains with their own ecosystem and governance, parathreads are smaller chains that can be generated on demand and bridges enable connection between parachains and outside blockchains. At the center of it all, the Relay Chain provides security, consensus and interoperability among the various chains.

DOT is the native token of this system. It is currently trading near its ATH and is primed for another bull run as crypto enthusiasts slowly come around to the possibilities of the network. Transactions on PolkaDot occur faster than on ETH and it is compatible with other chains.

Top Exchange Coins to invest in:

An exchange is a platform where crypto users can transact coins and convert them into normal money. Exchange coins are developed by exchanges. An exchange can float a token to raise funds for initial operations. Beyond that, an exchange coin is used to pay transaction fees and distribute rewards on the given exchange.

Recently, many people have started investing in exchange coins because of their growth potential. The most popular case is Binance Coin (BNB). Because of its high current price, many investors are searching for Binance alternatives with similar moonshot potential.

Here are the best altcoins to invest in among the Binance alternatives:

1. Kyrrex Token (KRRX)

Kyrrex Coin is easily the least known of the altcoins on this list but might just have the best long-term upside. As an exchange coin, it's essentially guaranteed to go up in price once the platform properly takes flight.

Many people who missed buying Binance Coin when it was still cheap recognize KRRX as one of the viable Binance alternatives out there. It's backed by a team with an ambitious project that will disrupt the established status quo.

First things first. KRRX is the native and governance token of the Kyrrex Exchange. Holders of the coin will pay lower fees when they trade on the platform. Beyond that, the coin will also service the larger Kyrrex ecosystem. Eventually, holders will be able to use it to buy real-world stuff, pay for social crypto services, and stake to earn more tokens.

With so many use cases, KRRX is one of the best alt coins for 2021. However, given its relative newness compared to other coins here, don't forget to invest responsibly. 

2. KuCoin Token (KCS)

KuCoin token is an interesting one among the myriad of exchange currencies around. Many people regard it as just a token with simple utility. KuCoin traders use the token to pay fees and enjoy interest of up to 80%. Holders can also participate in the sale of new coins launched on the platform's customised launchpad.

Beyond that, the KuCoin token is an interest-yielding digital instrument. This should be interesting news for investors looking for new alt coins to invest in. KCS holders enjoy daily dividends generated from half the platform's daily trading fees. The coin will also serve as fuel for the upcoming KuChain and KuCoin ecosystem.

KCS has a max supply of 200m. The platform will eventually buy back and burn the token until there's only 100m left, just like with Binance.

Launchpads and Decentralized Exchanges

Launchpads in crypto are platforms that host the initial sale of new altcoins. Decentralized exchanges bypass KYC and other requirements of centralized platforms like Binance and let users buy and sell crypto anonymously.

Here are some that can prove to be great investments in:

1. Uniswap (UNI)

Uniswap is a DEX on the Ethereum Network. It currently has a market cap of $16 billion, placing it just outside the top 10. Uniswap is the most popular crypto swapping platform in the world which makes it a great choice for long-term investors.

2. PancakeSwap (CAKE)

CAKE is the native token of PancakeSwap, the biggest decentralized exchange on the Binance Smart Chain network. CAKE holders can participate in platform governance and stake the token at lucrative interest rates.

CAKE is currently some way down from its ATH, making it a great choice for investors who want to FOMO into the expected uptrend once altcoin season kicks off. The token has already increased by more than 3000% from its January price and experts are expecting more of the same in the future.

3. Solanium (SLIM)

Solanium is a launchpad on the Solana network. Users stake a minimum of 100 SLIM to enter a lottery to participate in initial coin offerings hosted on the platform. The more coins you stake, the higher your chances of getting an IDO allocation.

Along with Raydium, Solanium is the most respected launchpad on Solana so its prospects seem high. Buying the token also nets you the opportunity to grab other quality tokens. For many people, this makes investing in SLIM a no-brainer.

4. Polkastarter (POLS)

Polkastarter is a decentralized launch platform for token pools and auctions. It is built on PolkaDot and manages the initial token launch, distribution and vesting for early-stage projects. The native token, POLS, serves as the ticket for users willing to participate in token launches. It has other features like private pools, whitelisting, and smart contract token swaps.

Game and NFT Coins

Game metaverse and non-fungible tokens are the current rave in crypto. However, this is one of the most unpredictable areas in an already-volatile industry. You should know when to ride along and when to drop off the wagon with your bag secured.

1. Axie Infinity Shards (AXS)

From obscurity to superstar status among game projects: that's the story of Axie Infinity. The platform is Pokemon meets crypto. Players buy and breed unique NFTs known as axies.

The price of the native token has risen from less than 5 dollars in January to over 120 dollars in October 2021. The surge was fuelled by the popularity of NFT games and that looks set to continue.

2. Enjin Coin (ENJ)

Enjin Coin is used to back digital assets tokenized on Enjin, a blockchain gaming platform. The supply of ENJ is pegged at 1 billion. However, the supply reduces as the token is locked into in-game NFTs. The coin is worth a punt for investors looking to benefit from the NFT rush.

3. Chiliz (CHZ)

Chiliz is a sidechain platform that partners with sports organizations to create fan tokens. These tokens allow fans to play a small role in the decision making of their clubs.

Chiliz has partnered with various clubs across the sports world. It runs the socios.com social platform where fans can vote on team decisions.

The platform can be said to pave the way for fan engagement in sports and entertainment. This places CHZ as one of the alt coins to buy for speculators.

Theme Coins

Theme coins are generally launched around a specific theme. This may be a joke or a cause. Despite having no real world value, theme coins can rally with the right momentum.

1. Dogecoin (DOGE)

Dogecoin is a joke that became a sensation. The coin was created for laughs back in 2013. It shot into mainstream attention following a series of tweets by the "Dogemaster" Elon Musk. It reached an all-time high and made many people rich. Despite falling back down to earth shortly after, it remains one of the top alt coins in 2021.

2. Shiba Inu (SHIB)

Another paragraph, another meme coin. SHIB, like DOGE, became one of the top altcoins 2021 despite having no real-world use value. It is a fork of Doge that went viral and has gone through several price spikes. Anyone who invests in this coin is probably hoping for another Musk-propelled price pump.

Finally…

While raring to grab some of the hottest alts in 2021, remember to invest with prudence. There is no sure banker in crypto but you can do your research to find quality projects with a great community and practical use cases.

But you can even make a killing from supposed meme coins like DOGE if you get lucky.

Buying an alt this season is all about timing your entry so that you don't get stuck in a prolonged downtrend. Go for established coins like Cardano or new alts like Kyrrex to increase your chances of getting great returns on your investment.