Seasoned investors are loading up on altcoins – as many are trading at huge discounts from their prior all-time highs. There are thousands of altcoins to choose from, each offering its own upside potential, risks, and unique selling points.

In this guide, we reveal the 16 best altcoins to invest in right now. We cover a broad range of altcoin markets, including small, medium, and large-cap projects.

The Best Altcoins to Invest in Shortlisted

Listed below are the 16 best altcoins to invest in for 2024:

  1. Sponge V2 ($SPONGEV2) – The successor to the $SPONGE token, which attained a $100 million market cap, is designed to enhance earnings. Stake your $SPONGE tokens to receive $SPONGEV2, potentially earning up to 4,000% annually.
  2. Bitcoin Minetrix (BTCMTX) – Overall best altcoin provides powerful APY and great utility value to disrupt the BTC cloud mining industry. This presale raised over $100k within hours of its launch and allows retail access to BTC mining rewards with just a $10 investment
  3. Launchpad XYZ (LPX) – Launchpad XYZ helps clear the mist when choosing the best cryptocurrencies to invest in. Its AI-driven insights recommend coins that could be about to witness huge growth. It recently secured gains of over 29x on Elon 2.0 and 11x on Wagie Bot. Launchpad also offers premium members access to exclusive NFT and presale listings, not to mention fractional assets. Launchpad XYZ is a new altcoin that is currently in presale – raising $1.5 million so far.
  4. Meme Kombat (MK) – An inventive new presale provides meme vs meme combat, something that has not been done before, with a number of betting options on the outcomes. Season One features the worlds most famous memes (Shiba Inu, Pepe, Floki), with AI-rendered graphics and blockchain-based processing for fight outcomes.
  5. Wall Street Memes (WSM) – This trending cryptocurrency is behind thousands of viral memes – viewed by more than 40 million each month. Its memes have even been commented on by the world’s richest person – Elon Musk. The presale is complete with a $25 million raise and is now available on OKX and other large exchanges.
  6. eTukTuk (TUK) – Green investors will also find that eTukTuk represents an attractive long-term investment. It’s creating a sea-change in Asia and Africa by building a network of electric tuk-tuks. This will reduce carbon emissions, create local jobs, and make driving more affordable. Its ecosystem token, TUK, can be used when accepting payments from tuk-tuk customers. TUK is also the project’s investment token. A 40% discount is still available for early presale investors.
  7. Scorpion Casino (SCORP) – Online gambling is currently being revolutionized by cryptocurrencies – and Scorpion Casino is at the forefront. It has built a comprehensive casino suite and sportsbook that offers anonymous and fair gambling accounts. Scorpion Casino also has a native token, SCORP, which is currently being sold at presale prices. An immediate presale upside of nearly 200% is available, not to mention up to 40% in free casino chips.
  8. yPredict (YPRED) – This altcoin project is building a decentralized marketplace that sells data insights and signals for cryptocurrency investors. Its predictive models are developed by quants and data scientists and backed by AI and machine learning. This self-sufficient project has a subscription-based model that requires payment in YPRED tokens. YPRED, native to yPredict, is currently in presale and has raised over $3.6 million. There is a 20% presale discount available.
  9. Stellar (XLM) – Established companies like IBM and MoneyGram see the potential in Stellar, both of which are using its blockchain for cross-border payments. It takes seconds for a Stellar transaction to confirm, costing a tiny fraction of a cent in fees. Stellar’s native token, XLM, has a market capitalization of over $3 billion. XLM is trading 87% below its prior all-time high. This represents a solid entry point for long-term investors.
  10. Uniswap (UNI) – Uniswap is a popular decentralized exchange built on the Ethereum network. It also supports cross-chain token swaps, including Binance Smart Chain, Avalanche, and Polygon. Uniswap is also popular for earning passive income – it supports liquidity pool farming. UNI, the project’s government token, is trading at huge bear market discounts. Currently, UNI can be bought almost 90% below its all-time high.
  11. Chainlink (LINK) – Chainlink is a top-rated altcoin that serves smart contract platforms. It provides off-chain data to blockchains through ‘Oracles’. This means that smart contracts can now be deployed and executed based on real-world information. For instance, an insurance company can automatically payout to a commodity trader based on adverse weather events. LINK tokens are the only way to gain exposure to Chainlink – which are priced almost 90% below all-time highs.
  12. Ethereum (ETH) – Some of the most successful blockchain projects are built on the Ethereum network – supporting its position as the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency. This creates demand for its native infrastructure token, ETH. Crucially, network fees are paid in ETH when smart contracts are deployed. ETH has performed well in 2023, but it’s still over 65% below its prior all-time high. As such, this is another altcoin that offers an attractive discount.
  13. KuCoin Token (KCS) – Not only is KuCoin one of the largest crypto exchanges for trading volume – but it also has its own ecosystem token, KCS. This offers exposure to the growth of the KuCoin exchange, which is already used by over 29 million people. In addition to spot trading, KuCoin supports cryptocurrency derivatives, savings accounts, staking, and lending. When compared to its all-time high of $28.80, KuCoin Token is currently trading at a discount of almost 85%.
  14. Aave (AAVE) – Aave is a pioneer of decentralized finance. Its innovative platform connects borrowers and lenders in a safe and anonymous ecosystem. Investors can earn attractive APYs when lending their idle cryptocurrencies. For instance, Tether and USD Coin are currently yielding 6.35% and 4.90%, respectively. AAVE, the project’s native altcoin, can be staked at an APY of 6.88%. AAVE offers the potential for long-term appreciation – it’s trading 90% below its all-time high.
  15. Solana (SOL) – Shrewd investors are loading up on Solana – which is one of the fastest, cheapest, and most scalable blockchains in the market. It has a block confirmation time of just 400 milliseconds and an average transaction fee of $0.00025. Solana is also energy-efficient, with its blockchain having a 0% net carbon impact. Due to broader bear market conditions, Solana is trading over 90% below its all-time high.
  16. Polygon (MATIC) – Launched in 2019, Polygon is a layer 2 solution for the Ethereum network. Its native token, MATIC, has grown by over 12,000% since launching. However, MATIC is currently trading 80% below its all-time high. Should MATIC return to bull market levels, this offers an upside of 420%, based on current prices. The Polygon ecosystem is used by 214 ERC20 tokens, including Chainlink, Aave, Dai, Decentraland, Render, and Curve.

Our Analysis of the Top Altcoins to Buy Now

Seasoned cryptocurrency investors will typically buy a wide range of altcoins. This will reduce the risks of investing in an altcoin that fails to increase in value. It also increases the odds of choosing an altcoin that generates huge returns.

We have selected the 16 top altcoins for 2024 and each is reviewed in the following sections.

1. Sponge V2 – One of the best Altcoins to Buy Now, With up to 4,000% Annual Yields

In summer 2023, $SPONGE saw a significant upswing, leading to remarkable success. Launched in May, the meme token capitalized on the public’s affection for the cartoon, achieving a market cap of $100 million.

Although its value later decreased, the launch of $SPONGEV2 aims to revitalize the community.

SpongeV2 home

Transitioning to $SPONGEV2 tokens uses a stake-to-bridge approach, but first, original $SPONGE token holders need to withdraw their stakes before the existing pool closes. These withdrawn tokens can then be staked in the new V2 smart contracts, where staking rewards come in the form of $SPONGEV2.

Important to remember is that once $SPONGE is staked in the V2 contract, this move is permanent, and your stake will be in $SPONGEV2.

Choosing to stake in V2 offers the prospect of high Annual Percentage Yields (APYs) for the next four years. Currently, there are over 400 million tokens staked in the V2 contract, potentially offering annual yields up to 4,000%.

SpongeV2 tokenomics

Enhancing its attractiveness, Sponge’s forthcoming play-to-earn racing game, detailed in the whitepaper, is slated for release following the V2 tokens. This game introduces an additional method for token holders to accumulate $SPONGE tokens through participating in online gaming competitions.

Explore Sponge on XTelegram, and Discord to stay informed about the V2 release and to learn about the benefits of token staking.

Hard Cap N/A
Total Tokens 150 Billion
Tokens available in presale N/A
Blockchain Ethereum Network
Token type ERC-20
Minimum Purchase None
Purchase with USDT, ETH, Card

2. Bitcoin Minetrix – New Stake-to-Mine Altcoin With Real Utility Value Targets BTC Cloud Mining

Bitcoin Minetrix (BTCMTX) is a brand new altcoin with a focus on the Bitcoin cloud mining industry. After conducting our research, we listed it as number one for quite a few reasons.

From an investment perspective, the coin trades at a discount, at just $0.011 in the first of its 10-stage presale.

By the final stage, the price will be $0.0119, and may rise again on presale. It also offers very high yields, which currently sit at 1,106%. Both of these are powerful investment incentives. But it’s the utility value of this altcoin that sets it apart from the pile. 

Bitcoin Minetrix targets the Bitcoin mining and Bitcoin cloud mining industry, both of which have their flaws. Bitcoin mining is dominated by large, centralized mining agencies with huge resources, running environmentally destructive hardware servers.

Bitcoin cloud mining is known for scams and dishonest service providers, with changing terms and conditions, along with high upfront costs. 

In contrast, Bitcoin Minetrix offers cloud mining for $10, using Ethereum smart contracts, with a simple and easy-to-use interface. Through non-transferable ERC20 mining tokens, the owner retains full control of the operation and can manage their earnings from an intuitive interface.

This is the world’s first stake-to-mine model, and a mobile application is also under development, for 24/7 passive income on the fly.  

Users can decide to burn or to stake, two primary means of ROI aside from the price appreciation potential. Some analysts have tipped this as a 10x or even 100x altcoin in 2023. 

This is mainly due to its utility value as it provides a genuine way to clean up the Bitcoin mining and Bitcoin cloud mining industry, using Ethereum smart contracts. 

It has further conducted a smart contract audit from a reputable third party, with stellar results.

For more information, investors should read up on the  Bitcoin Minetrix Whitepaper. The project socials are also useful sources of information – Twitter and Telegram.  

Hard Cap $32 million
Total Tokens 4 Billion
Tokens available in presale 2.8 Billion
Blockchain Ethereum Network
Token type ERC-20
Minimum Purchase $10
Purchase with USDT, ETH, BNB

3. Meme Kombat – Exciting Altcoin Is The First To Offer Meme Vs Meme Warfare With Multiple Betting Options

Meme Kombat ($MK) is an ERC20 altcoin that provides a steady 112% APY to users, as well as the ability to earn income from wagering on fights between the world’s most famous meme icons. 

Season One features Eleven of these iconic meme tokens, such as Shiba, Floki, Doge, and Pepe. The memes fight it out one-on-one, and fights are randomly selected by artificial intelligence. 

There are three primary betting options in this new platform – P v P, P v Game, and Direct. But it also adds novel side bets, akin to the many betting options available in modern casino industries. It is expected to increase its betting variety, as well as the combat styles, after the first season concludes. 

Fight outcomes are processed on the blockchain, with automatic distribution of rewards for increased transparency. This is a highly transparent project, as the founder has revealed his identity and can be viewed on sites such as LinkedIn.

Coupled with the fact that this project is smart contract audited and that the team has not kept any of the token allocation to themselves, it scores top marks in terms of its transparency. 

There are two main reasons why we love this altcoin. The first is that it brings memes together under one architecture. Meme coins are known for massive hype and rewards – but combining them together with live betting on the outcomes could have even more potential, as such coins have gigantic followings. This is something completely new within the memecoin space. 

The second reason is transparency. The problem with meme coins is that they can be volatile and untrustworthy, but this is not a concern with this altcoin, having a doxxed founder, clear token allocation, and smart contract audit. For these reasons, it could perform exceptionally well in 2023, maybe even reaching 100x, or a more modest 10x, upon exchange listing. 

 

The token price is just $1.667 and there are a total of 6 million tokens available in the presale, for a $10 million hardcap.  

Further information can be obtained from the Whitepaper, as well as the project socials  – Telegram and Twitter

Hard Cap $10 million
Total Tokens 12 million
Tokens available in presale 6 million
Blockchain Ethereum Network
Token type ERC-20
Minimum Purchase $10
Purchase with USDT, ETH, BNB

4. Launchpad XYZ – All-in-One Ecosystem for Finding Crypto Gems and Accessing Fractional Real Stores of Value

Launchpad XYZ is an altcoin project that helps everyday consumers navigate the cryptocurrency markets. It offers a simple yet highly valuable dashboard that comes packed with useful data. At the forefront of this is its trading signals. Put simply, Launchpad XYZ notifies members when it finds a hot trading opportunity.

In recent weeks, Launchpad XYZ suggested buying Elon 2.0 – which secured members gains of 29x. It also recommended Wagie Bot, which grew by over 11x. Launchpad XYZ is also launching a fractional asset marketplace that will focus on stores of value. This includes high-value property and fine art, broken down into small tokenized units.

Launchpad XYZ presale

We also like that Launchpad XYZ is building a decentralized exchange. This will support fractional assets, NFTs, and traditional cryptocurrency tokens. Launchpad is a self-sustainable altcoin project, as access to its core features requires an NFT passport.

This starts at just $50, but this option only comes with basic Telegram access and weekly market insights. The higher-priced NFT passports – which range from $200 to $25,000, offer unparalleled perks. In addition to VIP trading signals, premium features include access to private upcoming ICOs and NFT mints.

Launchpad XYZ is backed by LPX tokens, which are currently selling at presale prices. Each LPX token is selling for $0.0445, which offers a 20% bonus for early participation.

More than $1.5 million has now been raised in the presale.

Presale Started April 2023
Purchase Methods USDT, ETH, Transak
Chain Polygon
Hard Cap $12.5 million
Min Investment None
Max Investment None

5. Wall Street Memes – One of the Best Altcoin ICOs of 2023, Presale Complete, Now Listed on Large Exchanges Such As OKX

Wall Street Memes will appeal to high-risk investors who want to target huge gains. This is a brand-new project that is yet to be listed on crypto exchanges. It’s still in the presale stage, so is raising funds from investors before launching to the wider public. Crucially, this is one of the most successful presales of 2023, considering that over $25 million has been raised. It is now live on large exchanges, and can be bought OTC via its official website.

At its core, Wall Street Memes is a meme coin. It has a comprehensive network of memes on social media that are viewed over 40 million times each month. Most of its memes focus on issues with the current financial system. It’s particularly anti-Wall Street, something that’s a growing consensus in society.

Wall Street Memes presale

This is why Wall Street Memes now has a strong community of over 1 million people. Interestingly, Elon Musk has commented on several of the project’s memes. This is fundamental, as Elon Musk has nearly 155 million followers on Twitter. Moreover, Dogecoin witnessed unprecedented growth after being tweeted by Musk in 2021.

Many believe that after its presale, Wall Street Memes could follow a similar trajectory. After all, this gives the Wall Street Memes concept credibility and global recognition. To gain exposure to Wall Street Meme’s long-term growth, investors simply need to purchase WSM tokens.

Wall Street Memes presale

This altcoin operates on the Ethereum blockchain and the total supply is 2 billion tokens. To invest in the Wall Street Memes presale, investors can swap ETH, USDT, or BNB. Beginners who do not have any experience in swapping tokens can buy WSM with a credit card. Once the presale finishes, investors will receive their tokens. WSM will then be listed on crypto exchanges.

Hard Cap $30,577,000
Total Tokens 2,000,000,000
Tokens available in presale 1,000,000,000
Blockchain Ethereum Network
Token type ERC-20
Minimum Purchase 100 WSM
Purchase with USDT, ETH, BNB, Bank Card

6. eTukTuk – Building a Green Network of EV Tuk-Tuks in the Developing World 

eTukTuk has ambitious but highly achievable goals – it wants to revolutionize the transportation industry in developing countries. More specifically, it wants to help tuk-tuk drivers in Asia and Africa go from internal combustion engines (ICE) to electric vehicles (EVs).

After all, as reported by the Guardian, there is rising demand in Thailand and other developing countries for green alternatives. From a cost perspective, eTukTuk makes tuk-tuk transportation more affordable. Not only in terms of purchasing tuk-tuks, but EV charging is a lot cheaper than traditional fuels. This is especially the case with ever-rising oil and gas prices.

eTukTuk presale

Moreover, eTukTuk vehicles are significantly better for the environment, and society as a whole. The eTukTuk whitepaper also claims that its tuk-tuks will be built using sustainable materials. It notes that this will create jobs in local communities, so it’s a win-win situation for all stakeholders.

eTukTuk will also be implementing blockchain technology into its ecosystem. This will offer increased transparency and the ability to track carbon emission offsets. TUK tokens will sit at the heart of its network and can be used as a payment method for drivers and passengers. Those looking to gain exposure to eTukTuk can invest in its recently launched presale at a 40% discount.

Token symbol TUK
Presale supply 200,000,000 TUK
Token type BEP-20
Payment methods ETH, BNB, USDC, USDT, ADA
Listing price Not stated

7. Scorpion Casino – Invest in the Future of Online Gambling [Crypto-Centric Casino and Sportsbook Now in Presale] 

Another way to diversify your altcoin investment is to explore the gambling industry – Scorpion Casino fits the bill here. This is a brand-new crypto casino and sportsbook that offers many benefits to players. For instance, unlike traditional gambling providers, Scorpion Casino does not ask for personal information or KYC documents.

Moreover, it offers speedy payouts that take minutes – not days or weeks. Players will also like Scorpion Casino for its huge welcome bonuses; up to 1.1 BTC is available to first-time customers. But Scorpion Casino won’t only appeal to gamblers – it’s also behind one of the best altcoins to invest in for 2023.

Scorpion Casino presale

The SCORP token backs its casino and sportsbook, and investors can make a purchase at presale prices. In fact, the Scorpion Casino presale is currently priced at $0.017 per SCORP. After the presale, SCORP will be traded on exchanges at $0.05. As a result, the current presale price offers an upside of 194% and has already raised $900k.

That said, the upside can only be realized if the listing price holds – this can’t be guaranteed. Nonetheless, extra perks are available for those investing in the presale today. This includes a 40% bonus, payable in casino chips. Presale investors will also be entered into the Scorpion Casino giveaway; this comes with a huge prize pot of $250,000.

Token symbol SCORP
Presale supply 200,000,000 SCORP
Token type BEP-20
Payment methods ETH, USDT, BNB
Listing price $0.05

8. yPredict – State-of-the-Art Data Insights and Predictive Models [Over $3.6 Million Raised in Presale Funding]

yPredict is one of the best altcoins to buy for exposure to machine learning and AI. This newly founded project enables data scientists and quants to develop and market their proven predictive models. Each model is automated and helps users make smart trading decisions.

The concept works as follows; a predictive model is sent to the yPredict community. The model is then tested to assess its performance in the market. If the predictive model gets the green light, it will then be listed on the yPredict marketplace. Users can then subscribe to their chosen model by paying fees in YPRED.

yPredict presale

YPRED is the ecosystem token backing yPredict – and it’s the only accepted payment currency. Some of the predictive models that will be hosted include trading signals, sentiment analysis, technical analysis by AI, and chart pattern recognition. In other words, the research and analysis processes are completely automated.

We also like that yPredict will host predictive models for other industries, such as human resources, healthcare, and traditional finance. It is important to note that yPredict is a long-term project – many of its features are still a work in progress. This is reflected in its presale price, which is offering YPRED tokens for just $0.10 each. $3.6 million has been raised so far.

Presale Started February 2023
Purchase Methods ETH, MATIC, USDT, BNB, Card
Chain Polygon
Hard Cap $6,507,511
Min Investment 200 $YPRED
Max Investment None

9. Stellar – Cross-Border Payments Network With Super-Fast and Cheap Transactions 

Stellar is one of the best altcoins to invest in for long-term growth. This altcoin project has developed a proprietary payments network that supports cross-border transactions. It is particularly useful for sending remittance payments to friends and families. After all, Stellar charges just 0.00001 XLM per transaction.

Currently prices at just under $0.12, this converts to a transaction fee of $0.0000012. This also makes Stellar suitable for micro-payment transfers. That said, Stellar is also ideal for companies that have a cross-border presence. It’s currently being used by IBM for internal transfers that require more than one currency.

Stellar price

Moreover, Stellar is being used by MoneyGram for more efficient and speedy payments; in most cases, transactions take about five seconds to process. In addition to the fundamentals, Stellar is one of the best altcoins for securing a bear market discount. Stellar is trading 87% below its all-time high.

10. Uniswap – One of the Pioneers of Decentralized Trading [Huge Bear Market Discount of 90%]

Uniswap is one of the best altcoins to buy for exposure to decentralized trading. Put simply, its platform allows users to buy and sell tokens without a centralized party. It uses automated market maker (AMM) technology for this purpose. AMM uses liquidity pools to facilitate trades, so token swaps can occur without another market participant.

Uniswap liquidity pools are funded by investors who want to earn passive income on their idle tokens. Yields are generated by trading fees, collected by the respective pool. Another feature of Uniswap is that it supports cross-chain token swaps. For instance, users can swap BNB for USDT or Dai for ARB.

Uniswap price chart

Uniswap has a proprietary ecosystem token, UNI. Uniswap launched its token in late 2020 at just over $3.4. It’s currently trading over 320% higher. However, at current prices, UNI tokens are trading 90% below their all-time high of $44.97. This is another example of a top-rated altcoin that offers a juicy bear market discount.

11. Chainlink – Leading Oracle Technology for Smart Contract Data From the Real-World 

Chainlink is an innovative blockchain project and one of the best altcoins to invest in today. It specializes in “Oracles’. In simple terms, Oracles provide smart contracts with real-world data. Crucially, without Oracles, smart contract networks like Ethereum and Solana would not be able to extract data outside of their respective blockchains.

Consider this use case; Suppose a smart contract is programmed to pay a sports bet out as soon as the game finishes. Via Chainlink Oracles, the smart contact can verify the score of the game in real-time. The Oracles will use multiple data sources to ensure the result reaches a consensus. After feeding the smart contract, the smart contract settles the bet.

Chainlink price chart

This is just one example of how Chainlink bridges the gap between the real and virtual worlds. Other industries that could be revolutionized by Chainlink include healthcare, supply chain, insurance, finance, and trading. LINK, the project’s native token, has a market capitalization of over $3 billion. At current prices, LINK can be bought at a discount of almost 90%.

12. Ethereum – Powering Thousands of Decentralized Applications Worldwide

Ethereum is the largest altcoin for market capitalization and is currently valued at over nearly $200 billion. This means that Ethereum attracts plenty of liquidity and trading volume, giving your altcoin portfolio some much-needed stability. Ethereum has solid fundamentals and it is the leading blockchain for decentralized applications (dApps).

Thousands of dApps operate on Ethereum from a variety of niches and markets. For example, we mentioned earlier that UniSwap is built on Ethereum; every time a trader buys or sells a token, this triggers an Ethereum smart contract. In turn, the trader will need to pay transaction fees in ETH. This is just one example of how ETH remains in high demand with dApps.

Ethereum price chart

According to DeFiLlama, Ethereum has a TVL (Total Value Locked – the combined value of products built on it) of more than $22 billion. That makes up more than 57% of the total market and is more than four times higher than its nearest competitor, Tron ($5.35 billion)

Crucially, building dApps on the Ethereum network is seamless. Its network provides thousands of ERC20 tokens with a secure and decentralized place to operate. This includes metaverses, decentralized exchanges, play-to-earn games, Oracles, gambling sites, and much more. Ethereum can be purchased today at a bear market discount of 65%.

13. KuCoin Token – Hugely Undervalued Altcoin Backing One of the World’s Largest Crypto Exchanges 

KuCoin Token backs the crypto exchange of the same name. It’s one of the largest exchanges in the market, with over 29 million registered users from more than 200 countries. In addition to spot trading, KuCoin supports derivatives, savings accounts, staking, and a launchpad for new cryptocurrencies.

Naturally, KuCoin Token offers exposure to the growth of the KuCoin exchange. Moreover, we like that KuCoin Token has many identifiable use cases. For example, holders receive discounted trading commissions when using the KuCoin exchange. Token holders also receive a share of exchange commissions via dividend payments.

KuCoin Token price

Kucoin Token also offers priority access to new cryptocurrency launches. It can also be staked for additional income. That said, KuCoin Token could be heavily undervalued – with a current market capitalization of just over $420 million. Furthermore, this altcoin is trading almost 85% below its prior all-time high.

14. Aave – Promoting Financial Freedom for the Masses – Invest and Borrow Crypto Tokens

Those looking for exposure to decentralized finance might consider Aave one of the best altcoins to buy. This innovative project bridges the gap between investors and borrowers; removing third-party intermediaries along the way. Here’s how it works; Suppose an investor has some Ethereum tokens in a private wallet.

Rather than leaving the Ethereum tokens sitting idle, they can deposit them into an Aave liquidity pool. In doing so, the Ethereum tokens will be lent to borrowers – who will pay interest on the loan. After a small fee, interest payments will be sent to the original investor. All of this is achieved in a decentralized way, which increases yields for investors and reduces interest for borrowers.

Aave price chart

Aave is clearly a proof-of-concept, considering that nearly $7 billion is currently locked in liquidity pools. Aave supports multiple blockchain networks, including Ethereum, Optimism, Fantom, Base, and Arbitrum. That said, the project’s native altcoin, AAVE, is currently trading over 90% below its all-time highs. This offers an attractive entry point for new investors.

15. Solana – One of the Most Efficient and Cost-Effective Blockchain Networks Globally 

Solana is a large-cap altcoin that has developed a proprietary blockchain. It’s considerably more efficient than Ethereum and can also support smart contracts and dApps. That said, only a small fraction of projects have been built on Solana when compared to Ethereum. For instance, the Solana ecosystem contains just 205 projects.

In contrast, thousands of projects operate on the Ethereum network. Nevertheless, if Ethereum isn’t able to improve its efficiency, Solana could increase its market share. For example, Solana transaction fees average just $0.00025. This is the case regardless of how many SOL tokens are being transferred.

Solana price chart

This makes it ideal for high-volume dApps, such as play-to-earn games or crypto-centric casinos. Moreover, Solana takes just 400 milliseconds to confirm transactions. Another benefit of Solana is that it has a 0% net carbon impact on the environment.

While Solana has solid fundamentals, SOL is currently trading over 90% below its all-time high and has struggled to recover from its links with Sam Bankman-Fried and collapsed crypto exchange FTX.

16. Polygon – Layer 2 Solution for the Ethereum Network With End-to-End Gains of Over 12,000%

Polygon also makes our list of the best altcoins to invest in 2024. In a nutshell, Polygon is a ‘layer 2 solution’ for the Ethereum network. In simple terms, it allows Ethereum-based projects to operate more efficiently. Not only in terms of lower fees but faster transactions. Moreover, Polygon is a lot more scalable, which reduces network congestion.

According to CoinMarketCap, Polygon can handle over 65,000 transactions per second. Ethereum struggles to handle more than 30. This is why 214 ERC20 tokens have bridged to Polygon. Its speed and cost-effectiveness are paramount for high-volume dApps, such as Aave, Decentraland, Chainlink, and Gala.

Polygon price chart

After all, these projects need to produce a significant number of transactions. Polygon is currently valued at over $5 billion, so this is one of the largest altcoins for market capitalization and it has partnerships with major global brands such as Adidas, Disney, Reddit, Starbucks and Nike.

However, like most altcoins, Polygon has been hit hard by the bear market and its native token, MATIC, is trading 80% below its all-time high.

What are Altcoins? The Basics 

Altcoins are an umbrella term for any cryptocurrency that isn’t Bitcoin. Short for ‘alternative coins’, there are thousands of altcoins in existence. There are small-cap altcoins worth a few thousand dollars, and others with a multi-billion dollar market capitalization.

The vast majority of altcoins do not have their own proprietary blockchain. For example, many altcoins operate on the Ethereum network – these altcoins are known as ERC20 tokens. Anyone can create an altcoin, which is why there are so many in the market. That said, some of the best altcoins have a native network that operates independently.

For example, XLM operates on the Stellar network, while MATIC is based on Polygon. Each altcoin will have a specific purpose. ETH, for instance, is used to pay transaction fees on the Ethereum network. This means that thousands of ERC20 projects require ETH to function. Then there’s LINK, which is required to deploy Chainlink Oracles.

Crucially, although more risky, altcoins generally offer a higher upside potential than Bitcoin. This is because Bitcoin has already experienced the vast bulk of its growth trajectory. After all, Bitcoin is valued at over $500 billion. And at its peak, Bitcoin had a market capitalization of over $1 trillion. In contrast, some of the best altcoins to buy are valued at a few million dollars.

This offers investors a significant amount of upside. Sonik is a good example here. If the Sonik Coin presale hits its hard cap target as expected, it will list on exchanges with a market capitalization of just over $4 million. So, even if Sonik generated gains of 100x, it would still be valued at a fraction of Bitcoin.

What are the Benefits of Investing in Altcoins?

Let’s explore some of the main benefits of investing in altcoins in 2024.

Higher Growth Potential 

We mentioned above that altcoins have a much higher growth potential than Bitcoin. Let’s elaborate on this concept so that you have a firm grasp of the fundamentals.

  • The earliest price point offered by CoinMarketCap on Bitcoin is $0.06183, achieved in July 2011.
  • Today, Bitcoin is trading just over $26,000.
  • So in 12 years of trading, Bitcoin has increased by over 4.2 million percent.
  • And consequently, Bitcoin is already a mega-cap cryptocurrency – valued at over $500 billion.
  • This means that for Bitcoin to grow by say 20x, it would need to hit a valuation of $10 trillion.
  • While this isn’t necessarily impossible, it could take many years for the required liquidity to enter the market.

Now let’s compare this to a micro-cap altcoin like Wall Street Memes. This presale project is selling 50% of its token supply and aims to raise just over $30.5 million. It has already raised more than $25 million, so is likely to reach its hard cap target. In turn, Wall Street Memes will be listed on exchanges with a market capitalization of approximately $61 million.

At just $61 million, Wall Street Memes has a significant amount of upside potential on the table. For instance, if it increases by 10x, it will only be worth $610 million. If it increases by 100x, that’s $6.1 billion – still just a tiny fraction when compared to Bitcoin.

This isn’t just the case with Wall Street Memes, but many of the presale projects discussed today. For instance, Sonik, Launchpad XYZ, yPredict, Scorpion Casino, and eTukTuk will also be listed on exchanges with a micro-cap valuation.

Some Altcoins Have Produced Unprecedented Returns   

Some of the most popular altcoins to invest in have produced unprecedented returns in recent years. While the markets are volatile, those investing from the ground up have generally done well. In other words, altcoins can yield attractive gains for those holding onto their tokens in the long run.

Let’s look at some notable examples.

  • When Polygon was launched in September 2019, it was priced at $0.004418.
  • Let’s suppose an investor bought $1,000 worth of Polygon at the time.
  • Polygon’s all-time high of $2.92 was hit in December 2021.
  • Compared to its original listing price, that’s growth of just under 66,000%.
  • So, on an initial investment of $1,000, this would have been worth $660,000 at its peak.

In another example:

  • When Solana was launched in 2020, it was worth just $0.9511.
  • At its peak in November 2021, Solana was priced at $260.06.
  • This means that early investors secured gains of over 27,000%
  • So, a $1,000 investment would have been worth almost $270,000 at its peak

All that being said, not all altcoins will generate returns like Polygon or Solana. Some altcoins will lose value and never recover. This is just the risk that cryptocurrencies in general present.

Altcoin Can Grow Exponentially in the Short-Term   

In the section above, we gave some examples of how long-term altcoin investments can yield notable results. However, altcoins can also produce significant gains in a much shorter period of time. This is especially the case with meme coins and newly launched presales.

Pepe price chart

For example:

However, the key point is that after hitting all-time highs of $0.000004354, Pepe quickly declined in value. Today, it’s 80% below its peak valuation.

As such, the best altcoins to buy for short-term gains will often rise and fall at rapid speeds. So, if you’re planning to adopt a short-term trading strategy, it’s wise to actively monitor the markets and set sensible stop-losses.

How do You Know When to Sell an Altcoin Investment?

Knowing when to sell an altcoin investment can be challenging. Not only during rising markets but when prices are declining too.

  • The best course of action is to set clear exit strategies before buying an altcoin
  • For example, are you planning to hold the altcoin long-term, or are you looking to execute a short-term position? This can help you assess a suitable target price.
  • Additionally, if your altcoin investment continues to increase in value, it’s worth cashing some of your profits out. This will ensure that you make a return even if prices begin to decline.
  • On the flip side, it’s also wise to set up stop-loss orders when buying an altcoin. For example, you might consider cutting your losses if the altcoin declines by 20%.
  • Just as important is to keep tabs on the project itself, in terms of roadmap targets and news developments. It’s also a good idea to assess wider sentiment on the altcoins markets.

Most Altcoins are Worth a Small Fraction of All-Time Highs  

Many of the best altcoins to watch hit all-time highs during the prior bull market – which peaked in late 2021. After peaking, the broader markets went on a prolonged decline. This means that most altcoins are worth a small fraction of their all-time highs.

If you’re new to the altcoin market, this is actually a good thing. After all, you’ll be able to buy a portfolio of altcoins at a huge discount.

Based on current prices and all-time highs, check out the discounts being offered by the following altcoins:

  • Stellar: 87%
  • Uniswap: 90%
  • Chainlink: 90%
  • Ethereum: 65%
  • KuCoin Token: 85%
  • Aave: 90%
  • Solana: 90%
  • Polygon: 80%

These price reductions are unprecedented, especially considering the quality of each project. But, that’s just the nature of the altcoin industry – it’s extremely volatile.

Nonetheless, many investors buy discounted altcoins hoping that they will return to their prior all-time highs. Take Uniswap, Chainlink, and Solana as examples. Considering they are trading at discounts of 90%, a return to prior highs would yield growth of 900%, or 10x.

There is no knowing which altcoins will recover their former all-time highs, if any. So the best approach is to invest in a wide range of altcoins. Even if just one altcoin makes a full recovery, this could still generate sizable gains.

Altcoins Enable You to Diversify   

With so many altcoins in the market, diversification has never been easier. This could give you the best chance possible of choosing an altcoin that goes on to generate gains of 100x or more. Diversification also enables you to reduce the risks of significant loss.

  • For example, let’s say that you have $1,000 to invest in altcoins.
  • You choose 10 of the best altcoins to buy, allocating $100 to each.
  • One of your altcoin investments turns out to be a scam, leaving you with worthless tokens. This means you have lost $100.
  • In contrast, one of your altcoin investments grows by 30x – returning $3,000.
  • This means that even if the remaining altcoins in your portfolio went to zero, you would still make considerable gains.

To create a diversified portfolio, consider many different types of altcoins.

For example, you could allocate 50% of our altcoin portfolio to large-cap altcoins, such as Ethereum and Solana. You can then allocate 30% of the portfolio to mid-caps, such as KuCoin Token and Aave. The remaining 20% could be allocated to small and micro-cap altcoins, like Wall Street Memes, Sonik, and Launchpad XYZ.

Where to Buy Altcoins?

  • The best place to buy altcoins will depend on where the tokens are listed.
  • For example, established altcoins like Polygon and Ethereum can be purchased on just about any crypto exchange.
  • New and small-cap altcoins might only trade on decentralized exchanges, such as Uniswap (ERC20) and PancakeSwap (BEP20).
  • If you’re investing in an altcoin presale, then you will be purchasing the tokens directly from the project’s website. This is usually in exchange for an established altcoin, such as Ethereum.

Staking Rewards and Other Income Earning Opportunities   

Unlike Bitcoin, the best altcoins to buy enable you to earn income – this is in addition to price appreciation – through a feature called staking.

For example, Wall Street Memes is currently offering staking rewards at an APY of 84%. Although the APY will fluctuate, here’s an example of how it works:

  • Suppose you invest $1,000 into the Wall Street Memes presale at the current price of $0.0337 per token.
  • This will get you 29,673 tokens.
  • Let’s say you deposit the WSM tokens into the Wall Street Memes staking pool.
  • On the assumption the APY remains at 84%, you will earn 24,925 additional WSM tokens after one year of staking.
  • This is in addition to your original deposit of 29,673 tokens.

Staking is somewhat similar to buying dividend stocks. It’s a great way to increase your earnings while holding onto your altcoins long-term.

In addition, some altcoins can be deposited into crypto savings accounts. This follows a similar principle to staking, but your tokens will likely be lent out to borrowers. In contrast, staking rewards are usually provided directly by the altcoin project – as an incentive to hold long-term.

How Many Altcoins Are in Existence?

It remains to be seen exactly how many altcoins there are in the market. Cryptocurrencies do not trade in centralized markets like stocks – so there isn’t a verifiable database that we can use.

  • That being said, CoinMarketCap is currently offering pricing data on over 9,300 altcoins. The actual figure is almost certain to be significantly higher.
  • For instance, CoinMarketCap was previously offering pricing data on over 23,000 altcoins. This suggests that a huge chunk of altcoins have since been delisted.
  • This will happen if the altcoin project is deemed ‘dormant’. For example, if it isn’t attracting any trading volume or if the project is simply a scam.

On DexTools – which tracks cryptocurrencies listed on decentralized exchanges, there are over 2.1 million altcoins listed. An overwhelming majority of these will be inactive altcoins with no trading volume or liquidity.

Selecting the Best Altcoins to Invest in

We mentioned above that there are thousands of altcoins to invest in. And over 2.1 million if using figures provided by DexTools. Either way, this means that choosing the best altcoins to buy can be a difficult task – especially for newbies.

Below, we discuss some of the best practices that you can take when building a diversified portfolio of altcoins.

Look for Top-Quality Altcoins on CoinMarketCap Trading at Discounts 

Some of the best altcoins to buy are established cryptocurrencies trading at bear market discounts. So, one of the best ways to find these altcoins is to visit CoinMarketCap.

This strategy is somewhat manual – but can be worth the effort. For example, consider looking at mid-to-large altcoins that have solid use cases. Examples include Ethereum, Uniswap, Solana, Polygon, and Chainlink.

After clicking on an altcoin, look at the left-hand side of the CoinMarketCap dashboard. Scroll down to find the section that says ‘All-Time High’. This provides invaluable information. Not only does CoinMarketCap display the altcoin’s all-time high – but also the date that it was achieved.

Polygon all-time high

Moreover, CoinMarketCap also displays the percentage decline from the altcoin’s previous all-time high, based on real-time prices. So, in the example above, we can see that Polygon is trading just over 91% below its all-time high.

We can also see that Polygon’s all-time high was hit in November 2021. This is also useful, as this was the period that the prior bull market peaked. As such, the huge decline of 91% is likely because of broader market conditions, rather than any specific issues with Polygon.

Explore Trending Coins on DexTools

DexTools is also useful when searching for the best altcoins to buy. This strategy will see you focusing on smaller-cap altcoins that trade on decentralized exchanges, such as Uniswap and PancakeSwap. DexTools offers a lot more features and customization than CoinMarketCap, so there are several approaches that you can take here.

If you’re a short-term trader, a good starting point is to check out which altcoins have generated the biggest gains in the prior 24 hours. Click on the ‘More’ button next to ‘Daily Gainers’ to see the full list. The best-performing altcoins will then be listed by their 24-hour percentage gains.

DexTools biggest gainers

Many of the biggest gainers on DexTools have very small trading volumes. These altcoins could be worth avoiding, as you will likely experience extreme volatility. To rectify this, click on the ‘Custom Filters’ button and set the minimum trading volume at $1 million.

You might also consider filtering the best-performing altcoins by market capitalization. Once again, it might be worth setting this to at least $1 million. Just remember that the smaller the market capitalization, the higher the volatility.

Some of the best altcoins to buy can also be found in the ‘Hot Pairs’ section. By default, this is set to only include ERC20 tokens. But you can change this to other blockchain networks, such as Binance Smart Chain, Polygon, Solana, or Arbitrum. While this shows the most visited altcoin pairs in the prior 24 hours, it doesn’t offer any custom filters.

YouTube Analysts With Proven Track Records 

We also found that YouTube can be a superb place to find the best altcoins to buy. There are plenty of reputable analysts on YouTube that have their own channels. Some YouTube analysts cover large-cap altcoins via technical analysis. This looks to find altcoins that could be about to explode based on technical indicators.

While others focus on the fundamentals, such as news developments. Altcoin Daily, for example, covers everything from Ethereum and Polygon to XRP and Cardano. This is a great way to keep tabs on trending altcoins and extract valuable information. AltCoin Daily has over 1.32 million subscribers.

Jacob Bury's presale

Alternatively, if you’re more interested in micro-cap altcoins and presales, Jacob Bury’s YouTube channel is the place to go. Although Jacob Bury has just over 21,000 subscribers, he has a tremendous track record. Bury specializes in presales that he believes will grow by at least 10x once the respective altcoin is listed on an exchange.

Currently, Bury is recommending Wall Street Memes to his ever-growing audience. In fact, Bury tipped this presale from the very get-go; it’s since gone on to raise more than $25 million. Bury previously tipped the Tamadoge presale, which netted early investors gains of over 20x.

Risks to Consider Before Buying Altcoins

Investors should ensure they understand the risks of altcoins before investing in any capital.

The main risks to consider are discussed below:

Your Altcoin Investment Can Decline and Never Recover

Put simply, you could lose some or even all of your investment when buying altcoins. As such, you should never invest more than you can realistically afford to lose.

For example, consider an investor who bought XRP in early 2018. In doing so, they would have invested when XRP hit its all-time high of $3.84.

More than five years later, XRP has still not recovered its prior all-time high amid an ongoing three-year court battle with the US Security and Exchanges Commission.

In fact, today, XRP is trading 86% lower, despite a recent court win that saw the price pump. This means that a $1,000 investment would now be worth just $140.

XRP’s situation is even more worrying when you consider that we have since gone through a prolonged bull market. While many altcoins recorded new all-time highs between 2020-2021, XRP remained at just a fraction of its former peak.

Be Prepared for Extreme Volatility

Altcoins are volatile asset classes. They can rise and fall in rapid pricing swings. As an altcoin investor, you should be prepared for this.

For example, you might wake up one morning to see that your altcoin portfolio is up 10%. The following day, you could be looking at losses of 30% – this is just the nature of trading altcoins.

an example of a volatile altcoin

This is why it’s important to set realistic goals, understand your own risk tolerance and have a clear exit strategy. For example, suppose you buy Solana because it’s trading at a 90% discount from its all-time high.

Consider what gains you would be willing to take, or what losses you would accept. While nobody can predict the markets, smart investors always have a plan.

Where Can I Find Altcoin Price Predictions?

  • The internet is packed with altcoin price predictions – usually published on cryptocurrency-related websites
  • However, you should tread carefully when reviewing somebody else’s predictions. After all, they’re subjective to the individual.
  • For instance, you might find an analyst that tips the next big altcoin to explode. While another analyst might suggest short-selling the exact same altcoin.
  • Consider doing your own analysis and predictions. This will enable you to invest in altcoins with your eyes wide open.

Scams and Wallet Hacks 

You should also consider risks inside and outside of the altcoin trading markets. For a start, if you’re investing in new altcoins without a solid track record, you’ll need to do some due diligence. This is because some altcoins will turn out to be scams.

For example, the altcoin project might make bold promises about its objectives and use cases. But it might never have any intentions of actually following through with any of them. Instead, it might simply look to extract as much capital from investors as possible, before walking away from the project permanently.

Another risk, known as a ‘rugpull’, follows a similar concept. This scam is usually deployed via a presale campaign. The project will raise funds from investors and after the presale finishes, completely vanish. This will leave presale investors with worthless altcoins.

You should also consider the risks associated with wallet hacks. This can happen if you misplace your private keys, or you unwittingly click on a malware link. Wallet hacks are increasingly becoming commonplace in the cryptocurrency space. So it’s important to understand how to keep your wallet, and altcoins, safe.

Conclusion

Altcoins offer a great opportunity to target sizable gains, both in the short and long-term. Even in the midst of a bear market, some altcoins have grown by thousands of percentage points. Still wondering what altcoin to buy?

Currently, Sponge V2 ($SPONGEV2) is one of the top altcoins. This is a new token version of Sponge – the popular meme cryptocurrency. Using the stake-to-bridge mechanism, V1 token holders can access the new V2 smart contract and earn $SPONGEV2 tokens.

References

FAQs

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Michael Graw

Michael is an experienced freelance writer hailing from Bellingham, Washington. Specializing in tech, finance, and business, he's appeared on many different sites, including the likes of Tom's Guide, TechRadar, Techopedia, and Business2Community.