The crypto market doesn’t sleep. Don’t miss out now.
With Bitcoin trading between $68,000-$70,000 and Ethereum slowly getting back on track, investors are pondering the same question: What is the best crypto to buy right now? Whether you are an amateur investor or seasoned trader, you’ll find the answer to your crypto questions here. You will get a quick overview of the best cryptos to buy in 2026 along with practical information on wallets and platforms supported by each one.
Which Are the Best Crypto to Buy Now?
| Cryptocurrency | Best For | Our Rating |
| Bitcoin (BTC) | Long-term store of value | ⭐ 5/5 |
| Ethereum (ETH) | Smart contracts & DeFi | ⭐ 4.5/5 |
| XRP | Cross-border payments | ⭐ 4/5 |
| Solana (SOL) | High-speed transactions | ⭐ 4/5 |
| Hyperliquid (HYPE) | Decentralized trading | ⭐ 3.5/5 |
| Chainlink (LINK) | Blockchain infrastructure | ⭐ 4/5 |
| Monero (XMR) | Private transactions | ⭐ 3.5/5 |
| Polkadot (DOT) | Blockchain interoperability | ⭐ 3.5/5 |
| Ondo (ONDO) | Real-world asset tokenization | ⭐ 3/5 |
| NEAR Protocol (NEAR) | AI and developer tools | ⭐ 3/5 |
1. Bitcoin (BTC)
As a reminder, Bitcoin (BTC) was the world’s first cryptocurrency that launched way back in 2009. Bitcoin is still the best crypto to buy in the long term.
Used by: Individuals, companies, ETFs, and governments
Supported by: Coinbase, Binance, Kraken, and many others
Unique feature: Has the biggest proof-of-work (PoW) network with 21 million total coins available
Best for: Inflation hedging and long-term investments
Download wallet: Exodus, Trust Wallet, Ledger (hardware wallet)
After testing the usability of BTC on various wallets, we rated it 5 out of 5 for reliability, mass adoption, and usefulness as a store of value.
2. Ethereum (ETH)
It’s impossible to mention best cryptos without mentioning Ethereum. As the second largest crypto by market capitalization, Ethereum is the best option for DeFi and smart contracts.
Used by: Developers, individuals using DeFi protocols, people creating NFTs
Supported by: Metamask, Coinbase wallet, Binance, etc.
Unique feature: The most extensive smart contract system with scalability solutions like Base and Arbitrum
Best for: Long-term investments within the DeFi ecosystem
Download wallet: Metamask and Rainbow wallet
We tested the ecosystem of Ethereum and rated it 4.5 out of 5 based on the activity level and potential.
3. XRP
Created specifically for fast, reliable, and extremely cheap cross-border transactions, XRP is a strong crypto to invest in despite being recently involved in a battle with the SEC.
Used by: Banks, individuals making international money transfers
Supported by: Binance, Coinbase, Uphold, Bitstamp
Unique feature: Fastest network capable of handling transactions in under 5 seconds and with no fee whatsoever
Best for: International transfers
Download wallet: XUMM wallet, developed by the creators of XRP themselves
After testing XRP’s speed and reliability, we rated it 4 out of 5 stars.
4. Solana (SOL)
Solana is a very popular high-speed blockchain that processes up to 65,000 transactions per second.
Used by: People working in DeFi and NFT, consumers of decentralized apps
Supported by: Phantom wallet, Coinbase, Binance, Kraken, among other platforms
Unique feature: Has a validator client called Firedancer that increases network stability
Best for: High-frequency trading and consumers
Download wallet: Phantom wallet for iOS and Android, also available as a browser extension
Solana has one of the best ecosystems of decentralized finance (DeFi). Thus, we rated it 4 out of 5 stars after testing its speed and ecosystem.
5. Hyperliquid (HYPE)
As a Layer-1 blockchain, Hyperliquid was created specifically for decentralized perpetual trading.
Used by: Experienced crypto traders and investors
Supported by: Self-hosted Decentralized Exchange (DEX)
Unique feature: Handles up to 100,000 orders per second in the order book
Best for: Futures and derivatives trading
Download wallet: Hyperliquid uses its own wallet solution
We found Hyperliquid’s ecosystem quite promising yet very immature. That is why we rate it 3.5 out of 5.
6. Chainlink (LINK)
Chainlink is a decentralized oracle network that helps developers integrate smart contracts with external APIs.
Used by: Financial services companies, decentralized protocols, other companies that need to connect blockchain apps with real-world data
Supported by: Most decentralized exchanges including Binance, Coinbase, Kraken
Unique feature: Dominates the market of decentralized oracles with $62 billion TVS
Best for: Investing in blockchain infrastructure
Download wallet: MetaMask wallet or hardware wallets (Ledger wallet)
Considering how big the project is, after thorough testing we gave it a rating of 4 out of 5.
7. Monero (XMR)
Monero is a powerful privacy coin with transactions that are always private by default.
Used by: People who value privacy and anonymity
Supported by: Kraken, some decentralized exchanges have delisted XMR for various reasons
Unique feature: All transactions are made anonymously with ring signatures and stealth addresses used by default
Best for: Anonymous transactions
Download wallet: Official Monero wallet or Cake wallet
While Monero is powerful, the choice of exchanges supporting it is quite limited. Therefore, we rated it 3.5 out of 5 stars.
8. Polkadot (DOT)
Polkadot is another popular Layer-1 project that creates a connection between blockchains. Polkadot offers parachains, which enables specialized chains to leverage the network security of Polkadot.
Used by: Blockchain developers who create multichain apps and services
Supported by: Binance, Coinbase, Kraken, and Ledger
Unique feature: Offers shared security that reduces development burdens
Best for: Long-term investments in blockchain technology
Download wallet: Polkadot js wallet or Talisman wallet
We rated Polkadot 3 out of 5 after testing its developer community.
9. Ondo (ONDO)
Ondo brings treasury products on-chain. It is one of the best cryptos in terms of bringing RWA on-chain.
Used by: Institutions and DeFi protocols interested in earning yield
Supported by: Some decentralized exchanges
Unique feature: Has various treasury products available for institutions and DeFi protocols
Best for: RWA investors
Download wallet: Metamask and any other wallet supporting the WalletConnect protocol
Considering the fact that Ondo is still quite niche, we rated it 3 out of 5.
10. NEAR Protocol (NEAR)
NEAR protocol is a scalable Layer-1 blockchain that focuses on developing applications and is optimized for artificial intelligence integration.
Used by: Software developers, AI developers, and other software engineers
Supported by: Binance, Coinbase, and Kraken
Unique feature: Chain abstraction makes it easy for applications to function in different blockchains
Best for: Creating AI-based apps and educating web3 developers
Download wallet: NEAR wallet and MyNearwallet
Given NEAR Protocol’s focus on AI and the web3 ecosystem, after testing we rated it 3 out of 5.
Conclusion
The choice of the best crypto to buy is a subjective matter. While Bitcoin will be the safest option, Ethereum and Solana should offer good returns in the near future.
The best crypto to buy is the one that matches your investment strategy. Do your research, start small, and never invest more than you can afford to lose. The market rewards patience and smart decisions, not impulse.
Disclaimer: BFM Times acts as a source of information for knowledge purposes and does not claim to be a financial advisor. Kindly consult your financial advisor before investing.
