Best crypto to buy right now

We've researched the top cryptocurrencies so you don't have to. Browse the best cryptocurrency to invest in today based on market cap.

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With over 10,000 cryptocurrencies floating around on the market, you might be wondering “What is the best crypto buy right now?” While there’s no guaranteed strategy for finding the best cryptocurrency to invest in today, our list of the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market cap can help you narrow down your choices.

10 top cryptocurrencies to buy right now

The top crypto to buy now by market capitalization (at the time of the most recent update) are:

  1. Bitcoin (BTC)
  2. Ethereum (ETH)
  3. Ripple’s XRP (XRP)
  4. Solana (SOL)
  5. Binance Coin (BNB)
  6. Dogecoin (DOGE)
  7. Cardano (ADA)
  8. Tron (TRX)
  9. Chainlink (LINK)
  10. Avalanche (AVAX)

These coins are currently receiving the most attention from crypto investors. Keep reading to learn why.

1. Bitcoin (BTC)

The world’s first cryptocurrency, bitcoin (BTC) was released in 2009 by a person or persons known only by the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. It pioneered blockchain technology and gave birth to a multi-billion-dollar industry.

The network is governed by a proof-of-work (PoW) consensus mechanism that requires computers to solve cryptographic puzzles to mine BTC, verify transactions and secure the network.

Bitcoin is a widely accepted form of currency that is not controlled by any government or corporation and can be sent to anyone, anywhere in the world.

Since its release, Bitcoin has witnessed exponential growth and outperformed every asset class over the past decade.

At the start of 2010, BTC traded for less than a cent, while it currently trades for $97,496. (USD). No other asset in history has seen such explosive growth in such a short period.

Why do people think BTC has value?

Although it was designed as a peer-to-peer trustless digital payment system, many now consider it more of a store of value than a means of payment. It has even been called ‘digital gold’ due to its limited supply of 21 million coins and the difficulty involved in creating new ones.

Bitcoin (BTC)

$97,496.
Price (USD)
▲ 0.45%
24-hour change
$108,786.
All-time high (USD)

Price over the past month (USD)

Market rank#1

Market cap$1,933,043,331,183

Total supply19,824,850

Circulating supply19,824,850

2. Ethereum (ETH)

Ethereum (ETH) was crowdfunded in 2014 by a team of software engineers and is the most used blockchain for decentralized applications (dApps).

It introduced smart contracts via a custom programming language called Solidity. Smart contracts allow for the development of automated software and applications that use the Ethereum blockchain for security.

You can think of Ethereum as a highly secure financial layer for the internet, with thousands of automated services, websites and applications that don’t need staff to operate.

One year before the network launch, Ethereum developers pre-sold ether (ETH) — the native currency of Ethereum — for about $0.31 via an initial coin offering (ICO). The price of ETH has since increased exponentially to $2,693.48 (USD).

ETH has become more valuable as decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols like Uniswap, Compound, Aave and over 1,000 others have been built on top of it. The rise in popularity of NFTs in 2021 also increased the number of Ethereum network users and, therefore, the price of ETH.

Ethereum currently struggles with slow transaction speeds compared to many of its competitors, although it has a robust development cycle that is set to tackle these issues.

Why do people think ETH has value?

Ether (ETH) is the native currency of the Ethereum blockchain and is used to pay for network transaction fees, known as gas. Each transaction burns (destroys) a portion of ETH permanently, reducing the supply over time. ETH can be staked (locked up) in return for earning yield.

Ethereum (ETH)

$2,693.48
Price (USD)
▼ -0.85%
24-hour change
$4,878.26
All-time high (USD)

Price over the past month (USD)

Market rank#2

Market cap$324,734,930,949

Total supply120,550,262

Circulating supply120,550,262

3. Ripple’s XRP (XRP)

XRP is one of the oldest cryptocurrencies, founded in 2012 by Ripple. Ripple originally designed XRP for use in cross-border payments.

The asset became more well-known in 2017 when its price skyrocketed from less than $0.01 to a current trading price of $2.75 (USD).

Unlike blockchains like Bitcoin and Ethereum, where new coins are generated at set intervals via mining or staking, XRP was pre-mined, with all 100 billion tokens being created at launch.

These pre-mined tokens were distributed to individuals and companies in large quantities. Questions and concerns have been raised regarding the true decentralization of XRP, as a large majority of its tokens are held by just a few entities.

Why do people think XRP has value?

XRP is issued by Ripple, which has designed several products that are intended to use XRP. These products mainly involving cross-border payments. Some investors perceive the success of XRP as being linked to the success of Ripple.

XRP (XRP)

$2.75
Price (USD)
▲ 1.24%
24-hour change
$3.4
All-time high (USD)

Price over the past month (USD)

Market rank#3

Market cap$158,731,179,897

Total supply99,986,451,428

Circulating supply57,818,864,895

4. Solana (SOL)

Solana (SOL) is a layer-1 blockchain released in 2020 by the Solana Foundation. Much like Ethereum, Solana supports smart contract functionality and the development of dApps.

These projects include NFT marketplaces like Magic Eden to DeFi trading platforms like Raydium and Orca.

SOL skyrocketed from $1.33 in December 2020 to over $250 in November 2021 before crashing down to about $9 in December 2022. It currently trades at $194.21 (USD).

A large part of Solana’s success as a layer-1 blockchain and direct competitor to Ethereum is its unique proof-of-history (PoH) consensus developed by Solana founder and lead developer Anatoly Yakovenko. PoH allows for blockchain scalability as well as fast and cost-efficient transactions.

In late 2022, Solana came under scrutiny following the declared bankruptcy of crypto exchange FTX, which was directly invested in, and held a significant portion of, the SOL circulating supply.

Why do people think SOL has value?

SOL is the native coin of the network, which means it’s used to pay for transaction fees (gas) and can be staked in return for yield. It’s a common trading pair for many of the DeFi protocols or NFT marketplaces on the network.

Solana (SOL)

$194.21
Price (USD)
▼ -3.50%
24-hour change
$293.31
All-time high (USD)

Price over the past month (USD)

Market rank#6

Market cap$94,854,519,506

Total supply594,076,183

Circulating supply488,279,961

5. Binance Coin (BNB)

Binance Coin (BNB) is the native cryptocurrency of the BNB Chain and was created by the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, Binance.

Binance Coin (BNB) came into existence in July 2017. . It was first issued on Ethereum and was initially created as a utility token that investors could use to pay for trades on Binance.

In September 2020, Binance launched Binance Smart Chain (BSC) — now called BNB Chain — on which BNB is used to fuel transactions and bestow voting rights regarding the blockchain’s governance. (12)

BNB sold for about $0.10 at its ICO and traded for as high as about $700 in 2021. It’s currently trading at $661.21 (USD).

BNB utilizes smart contracts and has an ecosystem of dApps built on its network. It operates in much the same way as competitor blockchain, Ethereum, and was designed to improve ETH’s network throughput and reduce transaction fees. Despite faster transaction times, BNB Chain has been critiqued for sacrificing decentralization to achieve this.

Why do people think BNB has value?

BNB is used to pay for transaction fees on the BNB Chain, participate in Binance exclusive token releases and receive discounted trading fees on the exchange.

Users can stake BNB to earn regular yield, which also helps reduce the supply and theoretically increase demand.

BNB (BNB)

$661.21
Price (USD)
▼ -0.37%
24-hour change
$788.84
All-time high (USD)

Price over the past month (USD)

Market rank#5

Market cap$96,421,387,120

Total supply145,887,576

Circulating supply145,887,576

6. Dogecoin (DOGE)

Dogecoin (DOGE) was developed in 2013 by software developer Billy Markus to put some humour in the crypto space. Although it was originally released as a joke, Doge has become one of the world’s most well-recognized and popular cryptocurrencies, ranking in the top 10 projects by total market cap in recent years.

Dogecoin operates similarly to Bitcoin and Litecoin, as it was created as a clone (or “fork”) of these open-source codebases. Key differences include its uncapped total supply and fast block production time. It’s most commonly used as a payment network.

Why do people think DOGE has value?

DOGE experienced rapid growth throughout the 2021 bull cycle and was heavily promoted by crypto enthusiasts as well as eccentric billionaire Elon Musk. Musk’s company, Tesla motor vehicles, began accepting DOGE as a form of payment in 2022, further increasing its recognition as a legitimate payment coin.

Dogecoin (DOGE)

$0.271289
Price (USD)
▲ 0.67%
24-hour change
$0.731578
All-time high (USD)

Price over the past month (USD)

Market rank#8

Market cap$40,140,879,831

Total supply148,061,486,384

Circulating supply148,057,346,384

7. Cardano (ADA)

Cardano (ADA) is a layer-1 blockchain that, like Ethereum, supports smart contracts and operates under a proof-of-stake consensus.

This means developers can build and deploy dApps on top of Cardano’s infrastructure.

Cardano was released in 2017 and rose to popularity almost instantly. Its instant trust and recognition by the crypto community can be partially attributed to its founder, Charles Hoskinson. Hoskinson is a notable figure in the crypto space and one of the core developers behind Ethereum.

While Cardano has a strong roadmap and team, it has fallen victim to development delays and is not considered as user-friendly as competitor networks like Ethereum or Polkadot.

Why do people think ADA has value?

ADA is the native coin of the network, which means it can be traded for other assets, used to pay for transaction fees and staked (locked up) in return for yield.

Cardano (ADA)

$0.7793
Price (USD)
▼ -3.32%
24-hour change
$3.09
All-time high (USD)

Price over the past month (USD)

Market rank#9

Market cap$27,990,953,068

Total supply45,000,000,000

Circulating supply35,918,136,268

8. Tron (TRX)

Tron is a layer-1 blockchain based on a modified version of Ethereum. It’s notable for its low transaction fees, which first brought it to prominence in 2018.

It was founded by Justin Sun, who is a notable and sometimes controversial figure in the crypto space. He was also the former Chinese chief representative of XRP’s parent company, Ripple.

In 2018, Sun purchased BitTorrent and incorporated elements of the Tron blockchain into the popular uTorrent application, helping bolster the blockchain’s success. Tron also hosts several hundred decentralized applications with a strong focus on gaming and entertainment.

Why do people think TRX has value?

TRX is used to pay for transactions on Tron, and it’s used with many of the applications on the network. Large amounts must be held by nodes to keep the network secure, and coins can be staked to earn yield.

TRON (TRX)

$0.23709
Price (USD)
▲ 2.29%
24-hour change
$0.431288
All-time high (USD)

Price over the past month (USD)

Market rank#11

Market cap$20,411,906,049

Total supply86,095,239,165

Circulating supply86,095,216,441

Chainlink was co-founded in 2017 by Sergey Nazarov, who began his career in tech by developing peer-to-peer marketplaces back in 2009. Steve Ellis, the other co-founder, previously worked with Nazarov on SmartContract, which ended up being a precursor for Chainlink.

When Chainlink first started trading, it was priced at only $0.19, but it has since risen to its current price of $18.87 (USD).

Chainlink integrates an oracle network with real-world APIs — a highly sought-after application in the blockchain ecosystem. It is one of the strongest players in this space and has the greatest public exposure relative to their competition.

Why do people think LINK has value?

As one of the first oracle networks able to communicate with off-chain data, Chainlink is used by a number of exchanges (centralised and decentralised) to access data and produce live price feeds. Examples of affiliated platforms include Synthetix and Compound.

10. Avalanche (AVAX)

Avalanche (AVAX) was launched in 2020 by Ava Labs, a team led by Cornell University professor Emin Gün Sirer. It’s a platform for dApps and custom blockchain networks and aims to be highly scalable without sacrificing decentralization or security.

Its unique architecture consists of three individual blockchains, each serving different functions, which allows for higher transaction output compared to other blockchains.

Why do people think AVAX has value?

AVAX, the native token of Avalanche, is essential for the platform’s operations, including paying transaction fees and staking, which is necessary for securing the network. The platform’s ability to create custom, interoperable blockchains and its high transaction throughput make it a notable player in the DeFi space.

Its distinct consensus mechanism, which is different from traditional proof-of-work or proof-of-stake systems, offers a unique combination of speed, security and decentralization, contributing to its perceived value in the crypto community.

Avalanche (AVAX)

$25.58
Price (USD)
▼ -2.35%
24-hour change
$144.96
All-time high (USD)

Price over the past month (USD)

Market rank#16

Market cap$10,538,601,327

Total supply450,315,079

Circulating supply411,978,888

How we chose the best crypto to buy right now: Our list of the best cryptocurrency to invest in today is based on the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization at the time of update, excluding stablecoins and liquid staking derivatives. Some of these coins have an established track record, while others are more volatile with shorter histories.

This list of the top crypto coins should be used as a starting point for further research and doesn’t represent an endorsement of any coin or project.

Summary: 10 best crypto to buy right now

Top cryptocurrencyCurrent priceMarket capBuy now on Kraken
bitcoin (BTC) $97,496. (USD) $1,933,043,331,183 (USD)Buy BTC
Ethereum (ETH) $2,693.48 (USD) $324,734,930,949 (USD)Buy ETH
Ripple’s XRP (XRP) $2.75 (USD) $158,731,179,897 (USD)Buy XRP
Solana (SOL) $194.21 (USD) $94,854,519,506 (USD)Buy SOL
Binance Coin (BNB) $661.21 (USD) $96,421,387,120 (USD)Buy BNB
Dogecoin (DOGE) $0.271289 (USD) $40,140,879,831 (USD)Buy DOGE
Cardano (ADA) $0.7793 (USD) $27,990,953,068 (USD)Buy ADA
Tron (TRX) $0.23709 (USD) $20,411,906,049 (USD)Buy TRX
Chainlink (LINK) $18.87 (USD) $12,039,818,538 (USD)Buy SHIB
Avalanche (AVAX) $25.58 (USD) $10,538,601,327 (USD)Buy AVAX

How to find the best cryptocurrency to invest in today

When choosing the best cryptocurrency to buy right now, you need to keep on top of what’s happening in the market each day. The tools in this guide are a good starting point but should be used as just one part of your decision-making process. Here are some other ways to find the top crypto to invest in:

  • News. Keeping up to date with the latest news is a cornerstone of any investing strategy and helps make sense of movements in the market. You can follow dedicated outlets like CoinDesk and Cointelegraph for daily cryptocurrency reporting or sign up to crypto newsletters like Bankless or The Defiant for a more curated experience.
  • Research reports. Knowing what the market is going to do before it happens is every investor’s goal. You can get ahead by reading industry reports like Messari’s annual review and forecast as well as Finder’s price prediction surveys.
  • Sentiment analysis. Analyzing how other investors are feeling about specific coins or events in the market can help you spot trends and decide whether to take action. Social media sentiment analysis can be an effective way of tracking what others are saying about a given topic.
  • Technical analysis. Technical analysis refers to the tools and techniques used by traders to analyze price charts. You’ll find most of the tools necessary for technical analysis on any major cryptocurrency exchange, or you can use a popular service like TradingView. Technical analysis has a steep learning curve and takes years to master, so consider taking a professional trading course.

Where to buy the top cryptocurrency now

Use our table to compare cryptocurrency exchanges based on features like the number of coins available, payment methods and fees. Select Go to site if you’re ready to create an account.

1 - 5 of 11
Product GXFCY Finder Score Fiat currencies Cryptocurrencies Deposit methods Offer Disclaimer
Uphold logo

20

219

Credit card, Debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay
Go to site

Capital at risk

View details
Paybis logo

60

87

Bank transfer, Credit card, Debit card, Neteller, Skrill, Apple Pay
Use code Finder25 to get a 25% discount on all commission for 1 transaction. T&Cs apply.
Go to site

Capital at risk

View details
Kraken logo

7

277

Credit card, Cryptocurrency, Debit card, Interac e-Transfer, Wire transfer, Apple Pay, Google Pay
Certain trading features are limited or unavailable to residents of Ontario and Quebec.
Go to site

Capital at risk

View details
VirgoCX logo

2

78

Credit card, Cryptocurrency, Debit card, Interac e-Transfer, Wire transfer
Get a $20 bonus when you open a new account and deposit $100+. T&Cs apply.
Go to site

Capital at risk

View details
Bitget logo

45

874

Bank transfer, Credit card, Cryptocurrency, Debit card
Sign up and receive a 6,200 USDT newcomer's gift package.
Go to site

Capital at risk

View details
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Finder Score for crypto exchanges

To make comparing even easier we came up with the Finder Score. Supported coins, account fees and features across 28 cryptocurrency trading platforms are all weighted and scaled to produce a score out of 10. The higher the score the better the exchange - simple.

Read the full methodology

cryptocurrency bitcoin iconWhat is the best crypto to buy right now?

Our picks for the best crypto to buy right now are BTC, ETH, XRP, SOL, BNB, DOGE, ADA, TRX, AVAX and SHIB.

That said, zeroing in on the best cryptocurrency to invest in today for you depends on whether your sights are set on short- or long-term goals.

Short-term investments are hard to pick. Use historical data, news and social media sentiment to make sense of price movements. Keep in mind that price spikes are usually followed by corrections that bring prices back down. So, your strategy should let you profitably exit before the market turns.

If you’re investing over the long term, consider “blue-chips” like bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), which have a relatively well-tested track record. These coins have been adopted by financial institutions around the world and have utility beyond speculative investing.

Bottom line

While no coin is guaranteed to be the top crypto to buy right now, we’ve written this guide to the best cryptocurrency to invest in today to help you choose based on your individual goals and strategy, but it’s not investment advice. It’s up to you to research the markets and form your own trading plan.

If you’re still new to cryptocurrency, you can find plenty of guides on trading, coin profiles and more in our cryptocurrency hub.

FAQs about the best crypto to buy right now

Angus Kidman's headshot
To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Angus Kidman as part of our fact-checking process.
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Written by

Editor

James Edwards was the global cryptocurrency editor at Finder. He coordinates a distributed team of journalists to help further Finder's mission of helping people make better financial decisions. He has been using Bitcoin since 2013 and began working in the industry in 2017. He takes pride in boiling down complex topics into language his parents can understand. His expertise has seen him called on to report at events such as TechCrunch Disrupt, CoinDesk Consensus and IBM Think and has coordinated a vast number of high-profile interviews with the industry's brightest minds. He is a regular contributor to Nasdaq, The Street and is frequently called upon for market commentary in Australia and abroad. See full bio

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Co-written by

Cryptocurrency writer

Billy Endres was a cryptocurrency writer for Finder. His background in software development helped open the door to the world of decentralised technologies, financial markets and technical writing. See full bio

Billy's expertise
Billy has written 9 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Web3 and decentralised technologies
  • Front-end development
  • Cryptocurrency futures trading and technical analysis
  • DeFi and on-chain analysis

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