The 8 Best Cryptos to Buy for 2026
The crypto market can sometimes feel like the Wild West. But you can use this guide to learn more about eight of the best crypto projects for 2026, how to evaluate them safely and how to add them to your crypto portfolio.
It is important that crypto traders look beyond the hype surrounding some coins and tokens, instead focusing on other signs of potential growth: real-world utility, sound fundamentals and strong development teams.
Below is Money’s list of the top eight cryptocurrencies to consider buying for 2026 based on these criteria. Whether you’re a seasoned investor or just starting your crypto journey, these picks can help you stay ahead of the curve in the fast-moving digital economy.
1. Bitcoin (BTC)
Bitcoin remains the most prominent and resilient cryptocurrency, holding its place at the top of the market as the benchmark against which all others are measured. In 2025, the coin continues to capture global attention, not only from retail investors but also from financial institutions.
Many view bitcoin as a digital alternative to gold — a scarce, decentralized store of value immune to inflationary policies. But what adds to bitcoin’s credibility is the increasing adoption of regulated financial products — such as exchange-traded funds and futures — by traditional asset managers like BlackRock and Fidelity.
With these products opening the floodgates to Wall Street money, Bitcoin is no longer seen as a fringe asset.
2. Ethereum (ETH)
If bitcoin is digital gold, then ethereum is the digital oil that fuels the decentralized internet.
Ethereum powers decentralized finance (DeFi), from smart contracts and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to decentralized applications (dApps). It’s also a magnet for innovation, boasting the largest developer community in the blockchain space with rapidly-growing Layer 2 platforms like Arbitrum and Optimism.
Recent network upgrades have greatly improved ethereum’s scalability and efficiency. And with the transition to proof-of-stake behind it, ETH holders now benefit from staking rewards, which adds a yield-bearing utility to the token.
3. Solana (SOL)
Solana’s technical strengths make it one of the most promising altcoins on the market today, and its resurgence in 2025 has been remarkable. With the ability to process tens of thousands of transactions per second, solana has become the go-to blockchain for high-performance applications.
As with other crypto, growing interest from institutional investors also add to solana’s credibility and long-term growth potential. The Chicago Mercantile Exchange recently launched SOL futures and options, a move that signals deepening legitimacy and investor demand.
4. Ripple (XRP)
After years of uncertainty stemming from its legal battle with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, XRP finally achieved partial regulatory clarity in 2025. This leaves it well-positioned for mainstream adoption as the broader crypto market shifts toward utility and compliance.
The token’s primary use case — fast, low-cost international money transfers — has found real-world adoption through RippleNet, the company’s global payments network. Many financial institutions in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East are either piloting or actively using Ripple’s technology to streamline remittance services.
5. Chainlink (LINK)
As the leading oracle provider in crypto, chainlink provides a reliable digital infrastructure that connects smart contracts with real-world data. Without oracles, DeFi as we know it wouldn’t function
This year’s rollout of staking and the expansion of chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP), both of which add depth to its utility and decentralization. With CCIP, chainlink now facilitates secure messaging and data transfer between otherwise siloed blockchains, making it a key player of multichain infrastructure.
6. Avalanche (AVAX)
Avalanche’s modular approach to blockchain makes it an attractive choice for institutions, enterprises and developers who need tailored digital infrastructure. Speaking of enterprise, collaborations with major partners like Deloitte and Amazon Web Services have given avalanche a foothold in the sector.
The network is known for its extremely fast finality and its consensus model, which balances decentralization with throughput. Avalanche also supports a growing DeFi and NFT ecosystem, and new tooling continues to make it easier for projects to build and launch on the platform.
7. Algorand (ALGO)
Algorand partnerships and real-world integrations give it solid long-term potential. Founded by Turing Award winner Silvio Micali, it boasts near-instant finality and transaction fees that are negligible, making it ideal for enterprise use and government applications.
In 2025, the crypto’s network is being used in pilot programs for digital identity, central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and DeFi, while its carbon-negative status has made it a darling among environmentally conscious investors and institutions.
8. Bitcoin Hyper (HYPER)
If you’re hoping to get in on the ground floor of the next BTC, you may have heard of bitcoin hyper (HYPER). The first — and arguably most important — thing to know about HYPER is that it’s not affiliated with BTC, although it benefits from its association with the most well-known crypto coin.
HYPER is a token designed to operate adjacent to the BTC blockchain, which (in theory) would streamline transactions. Its primary use case would be as a proxy for BTC in transactions; in theory, people who hold BTC will be able to use HYPER to send and receive BTC more quickly and cheaply. Its main selling point is that there’s a viable use case for it in the near term, as well as potential to scale up as the crypto economy continues to grow.
Bitcoin hyper is available through Best Wallet, a non-custodial, no-KYC, mobile-first wallet with a built-in crypto launchpad and DEX aggregator. Best Wallet users can find trending altcoins, then buy or swap them across 60+ blockchains directly in the app without the need to switch between a wallet, CEX and DEX.
Beyond being a wallet, Best Wallet also serves as a launchpad for early access to vetted presales through its Upcoming Tokens feature, showing clear details on stages and pricing for projects like HYPER.