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Cryptocurrency might be the Wild West of finance, but it’s certainly got people talking. El Salvador recently made Bitcoin legal tender, and 27% of Americans support adopting cryptocurrency in the United States, too. Cryptocurrency is definitely a riskier, less proven investment, but many investors treat it as a hedge against uncertainty.
If you think there’s a chance that crypto will become the standard, it isn’t a bad idea to have at least a speculative interest in cryptocurrency going forward.
With over 6,000 cryptocurrencies available on the market, it can feel overwhelming choosing between all of the options. Which cryptocurrencies are the best? How do you pick legit crypto that will generate a return?
Based on market capitalization and growth rates, I’ve narrowed it down to the top 10 cryptocurrency for investors.
The top 10 cryptocurrencies to invest in for 2022 are:
| Market Cap | Price | Average Growth Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
Bitcoin (BTC)  | $777,323,862,700 | $40,900 | 83.01% |
Ethereum (ETH)  | $337,432,365,078 | $2,813 | 181.6% |
Cardano (ADA)  | $27,888,585,503 | $0.8278 | 178.4% |
Dogecoin (DOGE)  | $15,268,275,827 | $0.1165 | 257.9% |
Litecoin (LTC)  | $7,710,951,563 | $110.38 | 92.94% |
XRP (XRP)  | $37,819,987,827 | $0.7862 | 218.5% |
Binance Coin (BNB)  | $63,898,559,109 | $387.31 | 217.6% |
Solana (SOL)  | $27,468,218,852 | $85.71 | 361.8% |
Terra (LUNA)  | $2,066,152,357 | $83.92 | 53.4% |
Monero (XMR)  | $3,468,315,154 | $187.91 | 368.1% |
Top 10 Cryptocurrency To Invest In
Most crypto investors started investing within the last six months. So if you’re new to crypto, don’t worry—most investors are new to this, too!
Are you curious about how the top 10 cryptocurrencies stack up against each other? Check out this top 10 cryptocurrency countdown to pick your next investment.
1. Bitcoin (BTC)
Bitcoin is the OG cryptocurrency. Created in 2009, it was the world’s first crypto. Bitcoin runs on a blockchain, which is a distributed ledger of transactions that happens across a network of computers. Bitcoin revolutionized and democratized currency with its open-source network that’s completely powered by users.
Investors see Bitcoin as one of the more reputable cryptocurrencies because of:
- Its history. It’s been around for 13 years, which is a decent track record in the fast-paced world of tech.
- Its usage. Many businesses accept Bitcoin as payment, so if you plan on using your cryptocurrency, Bitcoin is one of the most widely accepted.
- Its limited quantity. Bitcoin intrinsically has value because there are only 21 million in existence. To give you an idea of its scale, people have mined nearly 19 million of those 21 million.
In terms of value for investors, Bitcoin has seen crazy gains in its value. Its value has increased by a jaw-dropping 193,639.36% from 2012 to 2022.
I mean, is it any wonder why Bitcoin owns 70% of the cryptocurrency market? It also has the largest market cap, at $896 billion (Ethereum [#2] has a $394 billion market cap, to give you an idea of how huge of a gap that is).
To put it simply, Bitcoin was the first crypto, but it’s managed to stay relevant this entire time. Other cryptocurrencies might refine or improve upon Bitcoin’s concept, but investors still value it the most out of any other cryptocurrency.
Key Points: Bitcoin is the first and most prominent coin on the market today. BTC also boasts the largest market cap.
2. Ethereum (ETH)
Ethereum hit the scene in 2015, so it definitely has fewer years on it compared to Bitcoin. Ethereum was actually built as a technology to complement Bitcoin, not replace it. But even so, Ethereum quickly made a name for itself as the second most popular cryptocurrency in the world.
The thing about Ethereum is that it’s actually a platform. “Ethereum” refers to the blockchain technology while “Ether” refers to the cryptocurrency.
Like Bitcoin, Ethereum is open-source and decentralized. It also limits mining to 18 million Ethereum every year, although it doesn’t have a total limit, like Bitcoin does.
The goal of Ethereum is to revolutionize the way we think about finance. By building a decentralized suite of products—instead of just focusing on cryptocurrency—Ethereum was able to get support from the traditional finance sector, including major banks and investment firms. Thanks to its focus on finance, more banks are comfortable with Ethereum than any other cryptocurrency. It’s also used a lot in the NFT space, too.
In terms of investor value, Ethereum values peaked at $4,400 in November of 2021. But like most cryptocurrency, its values go up and down wildly, so keep that in mind. Ethereum doesn’t see the huge swings in value that you get with Bitcoin, but it’s still considered a risky investment.
Key Points: Has support from major banks and investment firms. Ether has no total limit and has the 2nd largest market cap.
3. Cardano (ADA)
If you want an eco-friendly cryptocurrency in your portfolio, Cardano is probably the best option: it currently uses 0.54 kWh, which is great for crypto.
Fun fact: Cardano was co-founded by the same guy who founded Ethereum. He had creative differences with the Ethereum team and struck out to make Cardano, an eco-friendly version of Ethereum.
Like Ethereum, Cardano isn’t just a cryptocurrency. It’s a complete blockchain platform where “Cardano” refers to the blockchain and “ada” is the name of its cryptocurrency. They named their token after Ada Lovelace, a mathematician from the 1800s who was the world’s first computer programmer.
Cardano was the first blockchain to be based on peer-reviewed research. It’s also known for proof-of-stake validation, which is a fancy way of saying it validates crypto transactions in a simpler, more eco-friendly way.
Because of the way it’s set up, Cardano can actually handle more complex transactions than other blockchains, including Ethereum. For example, it can handle smart contracts, which are a great application of blockchain that goes beyond crypto.
Key Points: Much more eco-friendly than other coins and can handle more complex transactions like smart contracts.
I have to be honest: I thought Dogecoin was a joke when I first saw it. I thought, “The crypto bros have gone too far this time.”
If you’re a Millennial and you remember the Doge memes on your Facebook page 10+ years ago, you were probably scratching your head when you realized Dogecoin is a very real thing.
Dogecoin is a type of altcoin that’s considered to be the first “memecoin.” Since December 2013, this hilarious cryptocurrency hasn’t been worth much, but it’s raised eyebrows nonetheless thanks to its impressive growth rate.
Elon Musk is a big proponent of Dogecoin: its value skyrockets any time he sends out a Tweet. (By the way, he accepts Dogecoin as payment for Tesla and SpaceX)
Are you going to get rich with Dogecoin? Eh, that’s debatable. Currently, there are over 133 billion Dogecoin with a market capitalization of $20 billion. Cryptocurrency prices fluctuate a lot, but generally speaking, 1 Dogecoin is equivalent to 13 – 15 cents in USD.
The good news is that Dogecoin is affordable enough that it allows crypto newbie investors to get on board for less money. If you’re interested in crypto but can’t afford something expensive, like Bitcoin, Dogecoin is an affordable alternative.
Key Points: Dogecoin can be easily manipulated but is a much more accessible coin to get investors that are new to crypto on board.
5. Litecoin (LTC)
Litecoin is an altcoin that’s been around since 2011. It was created by Charles Lee, an MIT grad, former Google Engineer, and overall smart cookie.
Honestly, Litecoin is very similar to Bitcoin. They’re both decentralized, peer-to-peer networks with cryptocurrency. However, they have some big differences, including:
- Speed: Litecoin generates blocks more quickly than Bitcoin. In laymen’s terms, that means Litecoin processes transactions up to 4X faster than Bitcoin. This makes it ideal if you’re doing lots of transactions, or if you’re moving a lot of crypto.
- Value: Unlike Dogecoin, Litecoin is an altcoin with decent value. Right now, 1 LTC is equal to $130 USD, although it peaked in the summer of 2021 at $401.
Litecoin has 84 million coins available in total, and 69 million are in circulation. It has a market cap of $9 billion, which isn’t too shabby.
Key Points: Faster than Bitcoin and more valuable than DOGE, LTC is a great option for new to intermediate crypto investors.
6. XRP (XRP)
XRP is a cryptocurrency created by the folks at Ripple. Ripple is a payment processing company that processes both fiat and cryptocurrencies with the power of blockchain. Like many of the other top 10 cryptocurrencies on this list, Ripple is primarily a blockchain platform that does XRP as a cryptocurrency, too.
XRP currently has a market capitalization of over $34 billion. With over 44 billion XRP in circulation, 1 XRP is currently worth $0.75 USD. The biggest reason investors go with XRP is to get a piece of Ripple’s tech, but also because of its speed: XRP processes transactions within 5 seconds, which is way faster than Bitcoin.
Key Points: Created by Ripple, XRP is a fast coin that is backed by great tech, which is why investors buy this coin.
7. Binance Coin (BNB)
The downside of cryptocurrency for investors is their variable values. There’s a big demand for more stable cryptocurrencies, and that’s where Binance Coin comes into play.
Thanks to level pricing in its early days, Binance Coin is still one of the more stable cryptocurrencies you can invest in. Binance is actually a crypto exchange, but you can use Coin to pay for services on Binance—it will even give you discounts if you trade in Binance Coin.
1 Binance Coin is currently worth $436 USD. Thanks to its growth (and its stability), you can also use Binance Coin to buy stuff online, book travel, and even make loans.
Key Points: Stable and secure, Binance Coin a great option for those that use Binance or just want to hang on to a stable coin.
8. Solana (SOL)
It’s a little unusual for crypto newcomers to make a top 10 cryptocurrency list, but Solana made the cut. Solana is a new cryptocurrency that launched in 2021. Even though it’s very new, it’s making big waves.
The biggest differentiator for Solana is its hybrid model. It does both proof-of-stake and proof-of-history to process transactions more quickly. They also claim their platform is one of the most secure, too.
Basically, crypto nuts love Solana because it’s faster and easier to use than other cryptocurrencies.
But that isn’t the real reason why Solana made it to my top 10 list. It’s seen an incredible 4,000% YOY growth in its first year on the market. Solana has a current market cap of nearly $38 billion, which is impressive.
Sure, it’s possible that the price will drop as quickly as it increased—that’s cryptocurrency for you—but its market cap alone secures it a spot in the top 10.
Key Points: Fast, easy to use and boasting a solid growth rate, Solana is a newer coin that is impressive already.
9. Terra (LUNA)
Terra is the blockchain technology and Luna is the coin that it uses. Unlike the other cryptocurrencies on this list, Terra has a stablecoin: this is any cryptocurrency that’s backed up by an asset, like the US dollar.
Terra earns its spot in the top 10 cryptocurrency because:
- Luna is one of the leading stablecoins in the US. There will only ever be 1 billion in existence.
- It offers smart contracts.
- It’s an entire ecosystem that supports all elements of decentralized finance, including NFTs.
Luna operates based on supply and demand. If the price rises too high, Terra incentivizes owners to burn their LUNA. It’s a smart way to manage inventory and keep the prices more stable.
By the way, Terra treats LUNA purchases like stocks. You can earn rewards and even vote on how to run the platform based on how much LUNA you own. Neat, huh?
Key Points: Terra has a stablecoin option, is self regulating to keep prices steady and has more than just coins to offer.
10. Monero (XMR)
Don’t let its outdated website scare you away. Monero’s XMR cryptocurrency has been around since 2014 and has a respectable track record.
Unlike other cryptocurrencies, Monero isn’t trying to be the next Bitcoin. It’s carved out its own niche as a go-to cryptocurrency that’s based on privacy. XMR uses a type of digital signature that makes the platform anonymous.
The downside is that criminals love using XMR for that reason, so it’s gotten a bad rap. But if you care about your privacy and don’t like the idea of having all your transactions traced online, XMR is a good option. With over 18 billion XMR in circulation, it currently has a respectable market cap of over $3 billion.
Key Points: XMR's known for its ability to keep transactions private. If you're concerned about anonymity – this is your go-to coin.
Top 10 Cryptocurrency – Grow Your Money With Crypto
Cryptocurrency is the next frontier of personal finance. The world is changing quickly, and as more people accept cryptocurrency, it will become a trusted standard in finance. But, for now, cryptocurrency is still an unknown, and it’s important to balance your portfolio for risk if you choose to go the cryptocurrency route.
If it’s time to start investing your money in cryptocurrency, check out these top 10 cryptocurrencies first. When in doubt, diversify which coins you buy, so you can capitalize on the crypto craze.
Ready to start investing in crypto? Get started with Coinbase or BlockFi as your crypto exchange.
