The crypto market has much evolved since Bitcoin was introduced in 2009. Now it holds thousands of digital assets that cater to different uses and investor interests. As much as Bitcoin dominates the crypto space with the most attention, other cryptos known as "altcoins," have also become powerful contenders.
The altcoins range from platforms enabling smart contracts like Ethereum and even newer projects like Solana that offer transaction speed and scalability.
As of 2024, these top cryptos are shaping the future of finance with their unique features and functionalities that are attractive to individuals and institutional investors at the same time.
In the section below, we are going to look at the most purchased cryptos of the year, their key features and their current market valuation as of writing today.
Price: $62,317.37, +1.55% (1d)
Market Cap: $1.23 trillion
Bitcoin is referred to as the “king of cryptos” and was the first crypto asset. It was introduced in 2009 under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. Earlier this year the SEC approved ETFs that invest directly in Bitcoin. This has made it easier for investors to access the coin. Bitcoin remains a top choice for both retail and institutional investors despite its volatility.
Price: $2,426, +1.99% (1d)
Market Cap: $292 billion
ETH is known as the king of all altcoins and also much more than just a crypto coin. As a blockchain platform, it offers a big range of decentralized applications (DApps) through a smart contract functionality, which enable developers to build applications that operate autonomously. This makes ETH a critical part of the decentralized finance (DeFi) movement.
Price: $563.57, +2.16% (1d)
Market Cap: $82.2 billion
BNB is issued by the Binance exchange. It started as a token for paying discounted trading fees. It’s now a multi-functional asset used for transactions, payments and even for staking in Binance’s own blockchain known as Binance Smart Chain.
Price: $144.82, +3.62% (1d)
Market Cap: $67.8 billion
Solana is known for its scalable blockchain platform and also its high-speed transactions. Since it was launched in 2020, SOL has been a direct competitor to Ethereum and is sometimes referred as “Ethereum Killer”. Particularly in the area of decentralized applications and smart contracts.
SOL has seen great gains overtime as more developers and projects migrate to its ecosystem. This therefore makes it one of the top most purchased crypto of the year.
Price: $0.5338, +2.04% (1d)
Market Cap: $30.1 billion
XRP focuses on providing an easy way to transfer money across borders. It uses a trustless mechanism and can facilitate payments in different currencies. This makes it an attractive option for banks and financial institutions.With the recent win over SEC, XRP is going to rally greatly this bull run.
Price: $0.1099, +2.10% (1d)
Market Cap: $16 billion
DOGE was created initially as a parody of Bitcoin. It has become a big player in the crypto market as a meme coin from its endorsement by influential people like Elon Musk. With a supportive community DOGE is often used for tipping and small transactions. The coin popularity has recently soared again due to support from these high-profile figures. Now, DOGE is used as a means of payment to some of Tesla’s merchandise.
Price:$5.39, +0.88% (1d)
Market Cap: $13.7 billion
Toncoin is developed by Telegram and has captured lots of attention due to this integration. The project is now managed by the TON Foundation and has recorded increased adoption after the introduction of a wallet feature in Telegram.