Best Altcoins to Buy Now in 2025

The Best Wallet app supports millions of altcoins from over 60 blockchain ecosystems. Users can buy, sell, and trade established altcoins from high-growth narratives like meme coins, AI, DeFi, and RWA. The built-in Launchpad also offers access to new altcoins before they launch on exchanges, providing users with a first-mover advantage.

Read on to discover the best altcoins to buy that could be set for explosive gains. Learn which Web 3.0 categories whales invest money in and which altcoin narratives could trend in 2025.

10 best altcoins to buy right now

Here’s a list of the best altcoins to invest in on the Best Wallet app:

1. Solaxy (SOLX) — The world’s first layer-2 chain for the Solana ecosystem with unlimited scalability
2. BTC Bull Token (BTCBULL) — Rewards-centric meme coin with real Bitcoin airdrops and token buybacks
3. MIND of Pepe (MIND) — Autonomous AI crypto agent that analyzes data and identifies real-time narratives  
4. Best Wallet Token (BEST) — Blockchain-powered utility token that unlocks multiple perks for Best Wallet users
5. SUBDD (SUBDD) — AI-powered content subscription platform connecting influencers and fans
6. Ethereum (ETH) — De facto smart contract blockchain with thousands of popular dApps 
7. Aave (AAVE) — The largest and most trusted DeFi ecosystem with over $40 billion in TVL 
8. Uniswap (UNI) — Ethereum-based DEX with automated market makers and instant token swaps
9. Floki (FLOKI) — Utility-driven meme coin with a metaverse, DeFi features, and a blockchain university
10. BNB (BNB) — Binance-backed cryptocurrency with a wide range of ecosystem benefits and features

Buy the Best Altcoins on Best Wallet

Exploring the best altcoins to invest in

The altcoin market offers higher upside potential than Bitcoin, yet picking suitable investments remains challenging. Millions of tokens circulate in the broader ecosystem from a wide range of Web 3.0 categories. 

Let’s explore the best altcoins with the most potential. Each altcoin is available on the Best Wallet Launchpad or exchange, depending on whether the token is in presale or live.

1. Solaxy (SOLX) — Solana’s first layer-2 solution with unlimited transaction capabilities through off-chain verification 

Solaxy is the world’s first layer-2 solution for Solana. It addresses the blockchain’s congestion woes, typically seen when network demand rises and broader cryptocurrency markets are bullish. When Solana goes offline, traders cannot buy or sell tokens, transfer funds to other wallets, or access decentralized finance (DeFi) applications — transactions fail, leaving ecosystem users frustrated. 

Solaxy provides a decentralized sidechain to handle Solana’s unprecedented demand. It has no scalability limits, and transactions are bundled into batches to reduce block space. To ensure security, those transaction batches achieve finality on the Solana blockchain. The layer-2 network also improves transaction speeds, lowers fees, and has cross-chain functionality with Ethereum. 

The Solaxy Launchpad event has raised over $35 million, and Best Wallet users can participate directly from their wallet balance. The Launchpad accepts the best altcoins to buy, including Ethereum (ETH), Tether ( USDT), BNB (BNB), and Solana (SOL). The Best Wallet app lets presale buyers stake their tokens right away — APYs are currently 114%. 

Ticker	SOLX
Status	Pre-Listing
Altcoin Category	Layer-2
Staking	Yes
Where to Buy	Best Wallet Launchpad

Buy Solaxy on Best Wallet

2. BTC Bull Token (BTCBULL) — Low-cap cryptocurrency with real Bitcoin payouts at key pricing milestones  

BTC Bull Token is an Ethereum-based meme coin that rewards holders when Bitcoin (BTC) reaches pricing milestones. The project airdrops real BTC to the BTCBULL community when the world’s biggest cryptocurrency increases by $50,000 — the first and last price triggers are $150,000 and $1 million, respectively. The community is encouraged to increase their BTCBULL positions as Bitcoin gets closer to each milestone, since BTC airdrops are proportional to the amount held.  

The project has created investor-friendly token dynamics — the total supply is capped at 21 billion BTCBULL, verified by two independent smart contract audits. Project leaders offer a buyback program too, triggered when the BTC price reaches $125,000, $175,000, $225,000, and so on. The team buys BTCBULL from the circulating supply and burns the tokens. The buyback concept serves as a deflationary mechanism and boosts value for the BTCBULL community. 

Anyone who believes that BTCBULL is one of the best altcoins to buy now can join the Launchpad event. Best Wallet users get the lowest token price, and the team has already raised over $5.7 million. Launchpad participants can use ETH or USDT, and no minimums apply. 

Ticker	BTCBULL
Status	Pre-Listing
Altcoin Category	Meme coin
Staking	Yes
Where to Buy	Best Wallet Launchpad

Buy BTC Bull Token on Best Wallet

3. MIND of Pepe (MIND) — Revolutionary AI agent that analyzes, launches, and manages tokens autonomously  

Some blockchain analysts rate MIND of Pepe as the next big altcoin from the artificial intelligence (AI) niche. The technology features an already-live advanced AI agent designed to maximize return on investment for MIND holders. It collects Big Data from various sources, including social media networks, search engines, news articles, and blockchain transactions. The AI model analyzes that data in real-time to identify cryptocurrency trends, helping MIND holders discover the top altcoins to buy before they blow up. 

MIND of Pepe is programmed to independently launch new tokens — these projects follow existing trends, allowing them to capitalize on fast-growing Web 3.0 narratives. The AI agent also manages self-launched cryptocurrencies, including updating the community and creating social media campaigns. The key use case is that MIND holders can buy the agent’s tokens before they’re launched on exchanges.

Best Wallet users can access MIND tokens via the ongoing Launchpad. The startup has raised over $9 million, and it accepts ETH, USDT, BNB, and USD Coin (USDC). Although the fundraising campaign is ongoing, the AI agent was recently released, ensuring a proof-of-concept before the token generation event (TGE)

Ticker	MIND
Status	Pre-Listing
Altcoin Category	AI
Staking	Yes
Where to Buy	Best Wallet Launchpad

Buy MIND of Pepe on Best Wallet

4. Best Wallet Token (BEST) — Wallet ecosystem token that unlocks lower fees, higher APYs, and governance rights  

BEST tokens power the Best Wallet app, unlocking a range of benefits for wallet users. Token holders receive priority access to new Launchpad events, gaining a first-mover advantage, lower token price, and the ability to invest before the public sale. A recent example is Catslap (SLAP) — Best Wallet users had exclusive access to the Uniswap launch, which produced 9,000% gains in the first week. 

The tokens also provide lower transaction fees on multiple Best Wallet products and higher APYs when using the built-in staking aggregator. BEST also provides governance rights within the Best Wallet ecosystem, so holders can vote on new features and material operating decisions. The team will develop additional use cases as the BEST community grows, ensuring long-term holders are rewarded for their loyalty. 

The BEST token sale is available on the Best Wallet Launchpad — no minimums apply, and participants can use ETH, USDT, or BNB. The fundraising campaign has raised over $12 million so far. 

Ticker	BEST
Status	Pre-Listing
Altcoin Category	Wallet Token
Staking	Yes
Where to Buy	Best Wallet Launchpad

Buy Best Wallet Token on Best Wallet

5. SUBDD (SUBDD) — Blockchain-based content creator platform with 250 million combined followers  

SUBBD is a content creation platform that connects influencers and fans via the Ethereum blockchain. It leverages AI to streamline creator tasks, including automated streams, videos, and voice notes. 

SUBBD is the ecosystem token — it streamlines creator earnings and provides fans with reduced subscription fees. Fans are also encouraged to stake SUBBD, as they receive 20% APY and unlock exclusive features with their favorite creators. Perks include behind-the-scenes footage, bespoke content requests, and early drops. SUBBD holders can also create AI-powered influencers and monetize them through monthly subscriptions. 

The SUBBD brand is already established, with the platform attracting over 2,000 top creators with a 250 million combined audience. The next milestone to reach is 1 billion followers — the team has allocated 30% of the token supply to position SUBBD as the global leader in content subscription services. 

The fundraising event recently went live on the Best Wallet Launchpad, allowing users to purchase SUBBD tokens at a discounted rate. The Launchpad price rises every few days to reward early participation, and it accepts ETH, USDT, and BNB as payment currency.   

Ticker	SUBBD
Status	Pre-Listing
Altcoin Category	AI and Subscriptions
Staking	Yes
Where to Buy	Best Wallet Launchpad

Buy SUBBD on Best Wallet

6. Ethereum (ETH) — The leading ecosystem for DeFi, NFTs, metaverses, games, and other Web 3.0 applications   

Ethereum is the original smart contract platform and remains the most active blockchain for decentralized applications (dApps). Thousands of innovative projects use the Ethereum ecosystem — from decentralized exchanges (DEXs), stablecoins, and metaverses to play-to-earn games and cryptocurrency loan platforms. While secondary projects have native tokens, network fees must be paid in ETH, ensuring long-term demand as the ecosystem grows.  

The Ethereum blockchain operates on the proof-of-stake mechanism, but unlike key competitors, scalability remains a major issue. The ecosystem is capped at about 15 transactions per second, increasing reliance on layer-2 solutions like Polygon and Base. The core team is developing several upgrades to address these issues — the most recent, “Pectra”, improves efficiency and user-friendliness. 

The Pectra upgrade was well-received by the cryptocurrency markets, with the ETH price rising by 45% in just seven days since it went live. Even so, blockchain analysts argue that ETH is massively undervalued, with 2025 altcoin price predictions averaging $5,000 to $10,000. The long-term horizon is where the true value lies — ARK Invest forecasts a $20 trillion market capitalization by 2032, valuing ETH at approximately $180,000. 

Ticker	ETH
Status	Live
Altcoin Category	Smart contract layer-1
Staking	Yes
Where to Buy	Best Wallet Exchange (Fiat Payments and Crypto Swaps)

Buy Ethereum on Best Wallet

7. Aave (AAVE) — Trusted DeFi platform connecting borrowers and lenders via P2P loans    

Aave is the largest DeFi ecosystem in the cryptocurrency sector. The platform recently crossed $40 billion in total value locked (TVL), highlighting its trusted reputation with DeFi stakeholders. Aave’s open-source framework specializes in peer-to-peer loans on the blockchain — it connects borrowers and lenders through decentralized smart contract agreements. 

Lenders deposit high-liquid cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Avalanche (AVAX), USDC, and USDT to earn yields. Those yields are funded by interest payments from borrowers, who must deposit collateral to access financing. While borrowers need existing funds to obtain loans, they can avoid credit checks and know-your-customer (KYC) processes, which keep financing agreements on-chain. 

Aave adjusts borrowing rates and lending yields dynamically to ensure sustainability — the difference between the two covers potential defaults. AAVE tokens provide governance rights within the Aave ecosystem and offer exposure to the broader DeFi market, tipped to generate annual revenues of over $230 billion by 2030. Analysts argue that AAVE’s current market capitalization makes it one of the best altcoins to invest in, citing rising adoption, record TVLs, and the revenue-sharing program. 

Ticker	AAVE
Status	Live
Altcoin Category	DeFi
Staking	Yes
Where to Buy	Best Wallet Exchange (Fiat Payments and Crypto Swaps)

Buy Aave on Best Wallet

8. Uniswap (UNI) — The most active DEX platform with all-time trading volumes exceeding $3 trillion     

Uniswap, founded in 2019 and operating in the Ethereum ecosystem, is the largest DEX platform globally. Uniswap recently became the first DEX to exceed $3 trillion in all-time trading volumes — it averages over $3 billion daily. The exchange enables instant token swaps via smart contracts, and its automated market maker (AMM) system eliminates traditional order books. This framework lets users trade cryptocurrencies without relying on other market participants. 

Uniswap’s DeFi model allows anyone to add funds to liquidity pools, which represent trading pairs like ETH/USDT and MANA/USDC. Those lending funds earn a share of DEX fees, as traders pay commissions when they swap tokens. Uniswap traders unlock various perks that centralized exchanges (CEXs) cannot rival, including a non-custodial and anonymous trading experience. 

The Uniswap team actively develops use cases for the broader ecosystem, including a fully-fledged layer-2 network that helps traders reduce fees and speed up transaction settlement. UNI tokens offer governance and staking rights, and exposure to the DEX narrative. The cryptocurrency trades at a significant discount from its 2021 peak, yet some analysts expect UNI to surge as altcoin season nears. 

Ticker	UNI
Status	Live
Altcoin Category	DeFi
Staking	Yes
Where to Buy	Best Wallet Exchange (Fiat Payments and Crypto Swaps)

Buy Uniswap on Best Wallet

9. Floki (FLOKI) — The best meme coin to buy with multiple flagship utility projects to create long-term demand       

Floki is a meme coin on the Ethereum blockchain with a cross-chain bridge that connects to the BNB ecosystem. Claiming to be the “people’s cryptocurrency,” Floki is a dog-themed token with a huge community — it has over 460,000 holders and 700,000 X followers. 

While Floki remains one of the best altcoins to buy for exposure to meme coin culture, the project also sits in the utility token category. The team has developed multiple flagship products, building long-term use cases and fostering long-term commitment to the Floki ecosystem. One product is FlokiFi — a DeFi platform that supports 16 blockchains and multiple ways to generate passive yields. 

Floki also runs a blockchain university that delivers beginner-friendly courses on DeFi, smart contracts, and other Web 3.0 concepts. The most anticipated ecosystem application is Valhalla, a decentralized game with NFTs and metaverse experiences. The team has allocated $50 million from the Floki treasury for in-game rewards to be released when the mainnet goes live. Additional use cases include a crypto-backed debit card, domain name services, and Telegram trading bots. 

Ticker	FLOKI
Status	Live
Altcoin Category	Meme coin
Staking	Yes
Where to Buy	Best Wallet Exchange (Fiat Payments and Crypto Swaps)

Buy Floki on Best Wallet

10. BNB (BNB) — Deflationary and utility-driven altcoin providing exposure to the world’s largest exchange

BNB — backed by the Binance exchange, is last on this top 10 altcoins list. Launched in 2017, the founders initially designed the token to unlock discounted trading fees — commissions drop by 25% (previously 50%) when traders hold BNB in their Binance account. The token’s use cases have increased significantly in recent years, including access to new cryptocurrencies on the Binance Launchpad. 

BNB also powers BNB Chain — the layer-1 blockchain that supports thousands of BEP-20 tokens. It also plays a major role in PancakeSwap, the leading DEX for BEP-20 trading — BNB forms liquidity pairs, and traders need it to pay network fees. Other BNB use cases include governance rights, staking rewards, and access to lending facilities. 

Altcoin investors value the project’s deflationary mechanism, as the Binance team uses exchange revenues to buy BNB from the public float. Those tokens are burned, and the process repeats every three months, gradually reducing the supply over time. The quarterly mechanism has burned over 261,000 BNB tokens so far, worth approximately $172 million.  

Ticker	BNB
Status	Live
Altcoin Category	Exchange token and layer-1 ecosystem
Staking	Yes
Where to Buy	Best Wallet Exchange (Fiat Payments and Crypto Swaps)

Buy BNB on Best Wallet

What is an altcoin?

Altcoins are “alternative coins” that refer to all cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin. 

The first altcoin, Namecoin, launched in 2011 as a Bitcoin fork — millions of others have followed, creating an abundance of investment opportunities for cryptocurrency investors. 

A small percentage of altcoins operate on their own blockchain — these are “coins” and examples include Ethereum, BNB, Avalanche, and Solana. The majority of altcoins run on these blockchains, and they’re called “tokens.” For example, Ethereum-based altcoins like Uniswap and Aave are ERC-20 tokens, while those on BNB use the BEP-20 standard. 

Why buy altcoins instead of Bitcoin?

With millions of options to choose from, altcoins provide broad exposure to digital assets across a range of use cases and narratives. One example is smart contract platforms like Ethereum and Solana, which support entire ecosystems. Secondary projects pay network fees in the platform’s native altcoin, driving long-term demand.

Utility-driven altcoins are also popular, as they unlock specific functions within an ecosystem. LINK, for instance, is used to obtain real-time data from Chainlink Oracles, while XRP provides financial institutions with a liquidity bridge when they make cross-currency transfers. Other leading altcoin niches include meme coins, metaverses, gamification, and DeFi. This diverse range of markets allows altcoin investors to build diversified portfolios, rather than focusing exclusively on Bitcoin. 

Altcoins also offer higher upside potential than the world’s largest cryptocurrency, as Bitcoin typically represents 50-60% of the entire market’s value. Investors can choose the best altcoins to buy based on their risk tolerance and goals — market capitalizations range from under $1 million to over $200 billion. 

Altcoin portfolios are also better suited to investors who seek exposure to technical innovation. Bitcoin is the sector’s “digital gold” and store of value, while altcoin projects develop real use cases and solutions to existing problems. The DeFi ecosystem is a good example — consumers can trade, earn yields, and borrow funds without relying on centralized platforms, making conventional financial services accessible globally. 

Altcoins are also more efficient than Bitcoin. The blockchain handles just 7 transactions per second, requires 10 minutes for settlement, and consumes more energy than entire countries. Next-gen altcoins like Solana and Sui offer sub-second transactions that scale into the thousands per second.

Different types of altcoins

Seasoned cryptocurrency investors build diversified portfolios that cover various altcoin markets. This risk-averse approach reduces exposure to any single investing category and ensures access to multiple high-growth narratives. 

The following sections reveal the core cryptocurrency types to explore when choosing what altcoins to buy.

Smart contract platforms

Smart contract platforms are the backbone of the altcoin sector. Smart contracts support trustless agreements in a transparent and decentralized environment. They allow two or more parties to enter into a virtual agreement, and their immutability ensures that terms can’t be amended. Smart contracts execute automatically when those terms are triggered, whether that’s an insurance premium or a decentralized token swap. 

Smart contract platforms are native blockchains that enable developers to build secondary projects, providing core infrastructure for millions of cryptocurrencies. These projects are called dApps — online interfaces that run on smart contracts, removing centralized parties from the transaction process. 

The leading smart contract by dApp activity is Ethereum. It supports games, metaverses, exchanges, stablecoins, lending protocols, and more. All dApp transactions use ETH to cover network fees (known as “gas”) — this financial model generates billions of dollars in annual revenue for the blockchain.

Ethereum’s mega-cap valuation might not suit all investor profiles, especially those who seek higher upside. BNB and Solana hold about a third of Ethereum’s market capitalization, while Tron, Sui,  Cardano, and Avalanche trade at even smaller valuations. 

Layer-2 networks

Layer-2 networks, which also facilitate smart contracts and dApps, enhance existing layer-1 blockchains, often to improve efficiency. Polygon, Base, and Optimism provide Ethereum-based ecosystems with higher scalability and lower fees. Similarly, Solaxy serves the Solana blockchain — it ensures 100% uptime with unlimited throughput, helping stakeholders avoid failed transactions and outages. 

Layer-2 projects also provide increased functionality to existing blockchains that may lack certain features. Stacks and Merlin Chain bring DeFi capabilities to Bitcoin, allowing BTC holders to access yields and secured loans. These use cases are significant, as the Bitcoin blockchain lacks smart contracts support.

DeFi coins

According to blockchain experts, the best altcoins to watch operate in the DeFi sector. Market estimates vary, although Bloomberg reports that DeFi will generate trillions of dollars by the end of the decade. DeFi’s key objective is to decentralize traditional financial services, improving access and affordability, particularly in the developing world. 

Investors can diversify into multiple DeFi categories, including the following:

• Trading: DEXs like Uniswap, SushiSwap, Raydium, and PancakeSwap handle billions of dollars in daily trading volume. They enable traders to buy and sell tokens via liquidity pools — no accounts or KYC requirements apply. 
• Yields: DeFi platforms let investors earn yields on their cryptocurrencies without relying on centralized products like savings accounts and bonds. Various DeFi mechanisms support competitive APYs, including staking, liquidity provision, and yield farming. 
• Loans: Innovative ecosystems like Aave and Compound offer cryptocurrency loans without credit checks or long application processes. Users deposit collateral and borrow established digital assets like USDT and ETH — borrowers pay competitive interest rates until the loan is repaid.  
• Derivatives: DeFi solutions also extend to derivative products. They let investors trade assets with leverage, and popular instruments include perpetual futures and options. Similar to DEX trading, cryptocurrency derivatives remove third parties from the equation.  
• Liquid Staking: An extension of DeFi yields, liquid staking platforms offer instant liquidity when users deposit cryptocurrencies into staking pools. One example is Lido, which offers stETH on a 1:1 ratio when you stake ETH. Those stETH tokens can be used for other DeFi initiatives like lending and trading, while the original ETH earns yields. 

Meme coins

Meme coins are the most popular altcoins among retail clients. Most meme coins lack use cases or utility and are often created to honor popular culture, internet memes, or public figures. 

Launched in 2013, the original meme coin is Dogecoin (DOGE), and it’s based on a Shiba Inu dog. The Dogecoin community has millions of holders, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who endorsed the meme coin several times during its 2020/21 rally. Many other meme coins have achieved billion-dollar market capitalizations, including Shiba Inu (SHIB), Pepe (PEPE), Bonk (BONK), and dogwifhat (WIF). 

Even President Trump launched his own meme coin in January 2025. OFFICIAL TRUMP (TRUMP) runs on the Solana blockchain, and it reached a $15 billion market capitalization at its peak. 

Meme coins can produce explosive growth when they achieve virality, often yielding gains of thousands of percent over a short time frame. A recent example is Fartcoin (FARTCOIN), which launched in November 2024 at $0.000004723 and climbed to $2.61 just three months later — this parabolic trajectory reflects gains of over 55 million percent.  

Experts explain that meme coins are highly speculative and that the market often responds to narratives. For example, meme coins from specific ecosystems collectively rally, whether that’s Solana, Base, or Ethereum. Meme coin narratives also follow certain project categories, such as dogs, cats, or Trump-related tokens.  

Gaming coins

The blockchain sector is home to a range of gaming projects. One of the fastest-growing markets is play-to-earn (P2E) games — they allow players to earn cryptocurrencies, converting time into real-world rewards. 

Top gaming projects also incorporate non-fungible tokens (NFTs) into their ecosystems. Axie Infinity is one example — players mint virtual creatures called “Axies”, which are backed by unique NFTs. The value of each Axie reflects its rarity, and players can trade them on NFT marketplaces. Axie Infinity witnessed substantial adoption during the 2021 bull cycle, with over 2.7 million monthly active users. 

Telegram games are another segment of the blockchain gaming category. Players access these games within the Telegram app, now home to over 1 billion users. Hamster Kombat is the most successful Telegram game to date, boasting over 300 million active players at its peak. Players act as CEOs of a cryptocurrency exchange and earn points when they complete milestones, such as achieving tier-one status. Hamster Kombat converted those points to HMSTR tokens in September 2024 via an airdrop campaign. 

You may also consider metaverse projects when exploring the best altcoins to invest in. The Sandbox (SAND) and Decentraland (MANA) are the most widely recognized metaverses — each enables users to buy virtual land plots that are tradable as NFTs. During the metaverse hype in 2021, several high-profile purchases saw land plots sell for several million dollars. 

AI coins

The AI narrative has found its way to cryptocurrencies, driving one of the fastest-growing altcoin markets. Similar to DeFi, AI cryptocurrencies operate in several sub-niches, making it seamless to build a diversified portfolio.  

AI infrastructure projects command the largest market capitalizations — they provide critical services like decentralized computing power, AI data training, and incentivization networks to run machine learning models. 

AI cryptocurrency agents are also gaining significant attention from institutional investors. MIND of Pepe, for instance, recently launched its self-sovereign agent, which analyzes social sentiment and on-chain data to identify trends, narratives, and the next 1000x tokens. 

Stablecoins

Stablecoins represent traditional money but on the blockchain. They’re designed to maintain their value with the US dollar and other fiat currencies, often through audited reserves or algorithmic controls. 

USDT is considered the de facto stablecoin. It’s the largest by market capitalization and frequently generates over $100 billion in daily trading volume. Other leading stablecoins include USDC, Dai (DAI), and Ethena USDe (USDe). 

Note that cryptocurrency investors don’t buy stablecoins for price appreciation, as their value is pegged to the underlying currency. Stablecoins serve other use cases, such as exchange liquidity, cost-effective payments, DeFi yields, and hedging. Experts recommend allocating a small portion of portfolios to stablecoins to capitalize on market dips. 

How to find the best altcoins to buy

Experienced investors rely on these metrics when deciding which altcoins to buy:

• Market Capitalization: The risk and reward are directly influenced by the altcoin’s market capitalization. Large-cap projects like Ethereum and BNB have a lower upside, but they’re also less volatile. Those exploring the next 1000x tokens may target cheap altcoins with small-cap valuations — often new startups with unproven concepts.
• Altcoin Narrative: Seasoned investors often buy altcoins from trending or high-growth narratives, allowing them to experience the full growth cycle. Examples include DeFi, meme coins, and AI. 
• Trading Volume: Look for altcoins with a high volume-to-market-capitalization ratio, especially if you’re a short-term trader. This powerful indicator often suggests the token is about to blow up, as extremely high volumes suggest widespread interest. 
• Use Cases: Evaluate the altcoin’s use case within its ecosystem — utility-driven cryptocurrencies unlock special features or perks, which often drive long-term demand. 
• New Exchange Listings: Altcoins often surge after listings on major exchanges like Binance and Coinbase, so following the top platforms on social media is a smart move. You can also sign up for an exchange alert to secure a first-mover advantage. 
• Adoption Trends: The leading altcoin projects enjoy growing adoption, meaning real users and transaction activity.  
• On-Chain Data: Altcoin investors analyze on-chain data to identify new trends before they become mainstream. Key metrics include unique holders, token distribution, and TVLs. 

Risks of trading altcoins

A variety of risks must be considered before investing in altcoins. 

Altcoins have smaller market capitalizations than Bitcoin, leading to higher volatility and wilder pricing swings. Volatility intensifies when investing in small-cap altcoins, similar to trading penny or growth stocks. Small-cap markets have limited liquidity, too, so exiting a trade often means accepting a less favorable price. Those with a low risk tolerance prefer established altcoins with large valuations, such as Ethereum, Solana, and BNB. 

Operational risks are another consideration. Investing in altcoins with innovative use cases can yield substantial gains if the project succeeds, but many fail to deliver on their roadmap targets. Rising competition in key altcoin sectors has led to market saturation, making it harder to retain investor interest. The best practice to mitigate operational risks is diversification — spread funds across multiple altcoins from each niche rather than overexposing to any single project. 

The most critical altcoin risk is investing in a scam project. Anonymous founders are often behind new token launches, allowing scammers to avoid scrutiny if things go wrong — from sudden rug pulls, honeypots, or dumping team-held tokens. Extensive research and due diligence are crucial to mitigate these risks. 

What is altcoin season?

Altcoin season is a highly anticipated event for many cryptocurrency investors. It refers to an extended period, often lasting for several months, where the majority of altcoins post explosive gains. 

Altcoin season historically forms part of a broader four-year market cycle that begins with the Bitcoin halving event. This event typically triggers a prolonged Bitcoin rally, with BTC reaching multiple new all-time highs. 

In the second stage, Ethereum begins to consistently outperform Bitcoin, followed by strong performances from the top altcoins to invest in, like BNB, Cardano (ADA), and XRP (XRP).  

The final phase sees capital rotate into riskier low-cap altcoins. Projects tied to trending narratives often produce the highest returns — DeFi, metaverses, and play-to-earn games led during the previous altcoin season.  

Altcoin season ends when the wider markets peak — Bitcoin dominance begins to rise, followed by a significant correction and bearish price trends that persist until the next cycle starts. 

Altcoin market trends

Despite Bitcoin dominance exceeding 60%, altcoin valuations have witnessed significant growth in recent weeks. Ethereum’s recent Pectra upgrade has sparked renewed interest in the altcoin leader — ETH has risen by over 45% in the seven days since its release. 

Meme coins are also producing sizable gains, with large-caps like dogwifhat, Pepe, and Floki attracting significant buying pressure. 

The Base ecosystem is also gaining momentum again. The layer-2 network is backed by Coinbase — the exchange has listed multiple Base projects, including meme coins like Doginme (DOGINME), Toshi (TOSHI), and Degen (DEGEN). More Coinbase listings are expected in the months to follow. 

In terms of future trends, altcoin season generally favors utility-driven altcoins from key blockchain narratives. Analysts suggest that DeFi, AI, and real-world assets (RWA) will lead the way, so gaining exposure to these altcoin categories while prices remain low may be a sensible strategy.

Conclusion

Best Wallet users have access to millions of top altcoins from Ethereum, BNB Chain, Polygon, and other leading blockchains. Users can purchase altcoins with credit cards and other traditional payment methods, or swap them via the Best Wallet DEX. 

The Best Wallet Launchpad is also popular with altcoin investors — it lets users invest in pre-vetted startups before they launch on exchanges. 

Solaxy is one example — the layer-2 solution for Solana has raised over $35 million, with Best Wallet users benefiting from the pre-listing discount. 

Buy Solaxy on Best Wallet