Cryptocurrencies exist in different categories, including utility tokens like Ethereum, transactional tokens such as Bitcoin, governance tokens, platform tokens, and security tokens, each with unique roles on their respective blockchains. To acquire cryptocurrencies, individuals usually purchase them through exchanges and store them in digital wallets.
Cryptocurrencies, especially Bitcoin and Ethereum have seen substantial growth, driven by increasing demand from both institutional and retail investors. Bitcoin’s recent rally reflects a growing recognition of its value beyond speculative investment. Despite some volatility, including pullbacks in response to market de-risking, the overall trend points to Bitcoin becoming a mainstream asset. Regulatory clarity, institutional involvement, along with technological advancements and the potential for a Bitcoin strategic reserve, are all contributing to a new phase of growth for Bitcoin.
READ ALSO: 10 Companies Hoarding Bitcoin Like There’s No Tomorrow and 8 Stocks on Jim Cramer’s Radar.
How Bitcoin Is Gaining Momentum and Shaping Markets
In a Yahoo Finance interview, Bitwise’s chief investment officer Matt Hougan said that by December 2025, Bitcoin will surpass $200,000, driven by three key demand factors: the growth of Bitcoin ETFs, companies like MicroStrategy continuing to acquire Bitcoin, and potentially governments purchasing Bitcoin for reserves. He emphasized that Bitcoin’s price will rise due to supply constraints and sustained demand from several investor groups, including retail, financial advisors, companies, and institutions. As global awareness and education about Bitcoin grow, more investors will incorporate it into their portfolios, further boosting its value.
Regarding the idea of a Bitcoin strategic reserve proposed by politicians like Senator Lummis and supported by figures in the Trump administration, Hougan suggested that if the U.S. government buys a significant amount of Bitcoin, it could push prices up dramatically, potentially reaching $300,000 to $500,000 per Bitcoin. While he believes the chance of this happening is still less, the impact would be substantial if governments worldwide follow suit.
Additionally, Hougan forecasted that Coinbase will surpass Charles Schwab in brokerage size. He explains that the crypto-brokerage’s growth is driven by its dominant position in the market, aided by regulatory uncertainty that has limited competition. As the cryptocurrency industry grows, it stands to benefit from its market leadership, stablecoin offerings, and expansion into Layer 2 networks. Hougan also mentioned that the brokerage’s stock could experience a significant boost if it joins the S&P 500, as institutional investors would likely increase their exposure.
10 Best Cryptocurrencies to Buy for Beginner Traders According To Reddit
Our Methodology
For this article, we scoured through threads to find 20 cryptocurrencies the platform users are suggesting for beginner traders and investors. We narrowed the list to 10 currencies that were most popular among the users and listed them in ascending order of their market capitalization. You can also look into the Bitcoin and Blockchain stocks hedge funds are interested in here: 10 Best Bitcoin and Blockchain Stocks To Buy Right Now.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
10. LiteCoin
Market Cap: $7.76 Billion
Value as of December 27: $100.23
LiteCoin is a decentralized cryptocurrency launched in 2011 by Charlie Lee. It was created as a “silver to Bitcoin’s gold,” offering faster transaction times and lower fees due to its use of the scrypt algorithm, which was designed to be resistant to specialized mining hardware. Litecoin’s block generation time is 2.5 minutes, much shorter than Bitcoin’s 10 minutes. It has a maximum supply of 84 million coins, four times that of Bitcoin, with 75.35 million currently in circulation.
Over time, Litecoin has added features like merge mining with Dogecoin and, in 2022, implemented optional privacy features through the MimbleWimble Extension Block (MWEB) upgrade. It is supported by various payment processors, including BitPay, and allows for easier transaction processing on third-party platforms.
9. SUI
Market Cap: $11.9 Billion
Value as of December 27: $4.08
Sui is a layer-1 blockchain built for global use, offering a fast, secure, and scalable platform. It uses an object-based data model and the Move programming language to improve efficiency. Sui focuses on making Web3 easier for users. SUI is the native coin of the Sui network, with a total supply capped at 10 billion. The SUI token is used for staking, paying transaction fees, and supporting applications on the platform, such as exchanges and games. It also lets holders vote on important decisions, like upgrades. Sui’s design ensures that validators are fairly rewarded and that data storage is sustainable in the long term. As Sui grows, the finite supply of SUI and the storage fund help manage its value by reducing circulating coins as data requirements increase. At the time of writing on December 27, SUI has a 24-hour trading volume of $948.8 million and is valued at $4.08.