Diversifying a crypto portfolio is not just a trading strategy, but a prudent way of enhancing your investment returns. Yet, diversification is easier said than done, with countless digital assets to choose from. Typically, the altcoin sector is on crypto investors’ radar when it comes to diversification. Furthermore, altcoins have a history of bringing cheer to crypto investors during broader crypto market corrections.
The potential of altcoins to deliver high returns makes them a compelling choice for portfolio growth. Before we discuss the top altcoins for 2025, let’s understand altcoins.
What is altcoin?
Altcoins, short for alternative coins, are coins that are alternatives to the pioneering crypto, Bitcoin. Altcoin is a portmanteau of “alternative” and “coin.” Put simply, altcoin refers to all crypto other than Bitcoin. Any crypto that is not Bitcoin is an altcoin. There are various theme-based altcoins such as stablecoins, AI tokens, gaming tokens, and meme coins.
You can trade in altcoins on crypto exchanges like CoinSwitch seamlessly. Read on to learn more about the top 10 altcoins in 2025.
(The ranking of cryptos mentioned below is as of January 2025)
Top altcoins to consider In 2025
While OG altcoins like Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), and Ripple (XRP) are all-time investor favorites, several new altcoins have the potential to deliver superior returns. Here are the top altcoins for you to consider in 2025:
OG altcoins
Ethereum (ETH)
Rank: #2
After market leader Bitcoin, Ethereum is the crypto preferred by investors. To be sure, Ethereum is the second largest cryptocurrency by market cap. While “ETH” crypto is familiar to everyone in the crypto sphere, the Ethereum blockchain often gets overlooked. It is a distributed computing network that enables users to run decentralized apps (dApps) and host smart contracts.
Ethereum sometimes gets flak for its high gas fees, but recent upgrades have rationalized the gas fees. Ethereum is used by many apps and the blockchain supports hundreds of altcoins. This makes Ethereum a good choice for investors and traders as the network is here to stay.
Solana (SOL)
Rank: #6
Solana is the rising star in the crypto universe. Solana, a platform designed to host scalable decentralized apps, has been in the news as Solana-based meme coins such as BONK made a splash.
Solana is gaining popularity as it has an edge over rivals such as Ethereum in terms of processing speed and transaction fees. Besides, Solana is also expecting ETF approval in the US in 2025, further boosting its standing in the altcoin space.
SOL, the native token of the Solana blockchain, is currently the sixth-largest crypto by market cap.
Ripple (XRP)
Rank: #3
XRP was one of the top-performing altcoins in 2024, surpassing stablecoin king Tether (USDT) to claim the #3 spot in crypto market rankings. Ripple was created by Ripple Labs, a centralized fintech company that designs and builds products to ease global payment issues via Ripple’s remittance system, payment settlement, and exchange. XRP is the native token that is used to facilitate transactions on the Ripple network.
XRP is pre-mined and like Bitcoin, its supply is limited. XRP can have a maximum supply of 100 billion tokens. While XRP has good applications, it was marred by legal issues last year. It recorded a spike of over 340% in 2024 and surged beyond $2 apiece, signaling a promising future for the crypto.
Next generation altcoins
Sui (SUI)
Rank: 12
Among many new altcoins in the crypto market, Sui (SUI) stands out as a powerful smart contract platform designed to make digital asset ownership fast, private, secure, and accessible. The Sui blockchain platform is designed to handle high-speed transactions with low fees, attracting developers and users alike.
It is powered by its native token SUI, which is used to facilitate all transactions within the Sui platform. The token grew by over 250% in the past year, surpassing market veterans with a market cap of $13.8B. As the Sui platform grows, its native token is anticipated to make significant strides in its price momentum.
Aptos (APT)
Rank: #29
Aptos is a layer-1 blockchain network created by Aptos Labs that focuses on scalability, reliability, and user-friendly Web3 applications.
APT is the native token of the Aptos platform. The token experienced price fluctuations in 2024, though analysts expect APT to have an exciting year in 2025. Leveraging the Move programming language which allows safer and more efficient smart contract development, the Aptos platform offers great opportunities to developers and users, pushing its APT token to the list of top altcoins.
More than just meme coins
Dogecoin (DOGE)
Rank: #7
Dogecoin (DOGE), which began life as a joke, has grown exponentially in the crypto space to emerge as one of the top cryptos. When it comes to meme coins, the one crypto that pops up on every crypto investor’s radar is DOGE. In fact, this powerhouse crypto dominates the whole meme coin sector and is the inspiration behind every meme coin created.
Dogecoin changed the trajectory for meme coins when Elon Musk’s car-making company Tesla said it will begin accepting DOGE as payment, bringing real-world utility for the token. DOGE went mainstream gradually, and as of January 2025, DOGE ranks at #7, with a market cap of $52.63B. With strong community backing, DOGE is a powerful crypto to watch out for traders.
Shiba Inu (SHIB)
Rank: #16
Another meme coin which is second to DOGE is Shiba Inu (SHIB), a dog-themed meme coin, which is the second most popular meme coin with a market cap of $12.67B. Like DOGE, Shiba Inu has evolved into much more than a meme coin. Its ecosystem includes ShibaSwap decentralized exchange (DEX), Shibarium blockchain, and NFT and metaverse projects.
Evidently, SHIB has great potential in 2025 as it is one of the fastest-growing and most sought-after meme coins. With the platform’s community-driven approach and focus on innovation, its native token SHIB has the potential to fetch significant returns for investors.
DeFi powerhouse altcoins
Avalanche (AVAX)
Rank: #11
Avalanche, an Ethereum competitor, uses smart contracts to support blockchain projects. Avalanche is an open-source blockchain that aims to be versatile, secure, affordable, and accessible by prioritizing scalability and transaction processing speed.
AVAX, the native token, is used to pay on-chain transaction processing fees and secure the Avalanche blockchain. With Avalanche’s increasing popularity in the DeFi sector thanks to its scalability and efficiency, the network’s native token is expected to rise significantly.
Aave (AAVE)
Rank: #31
Aave is a DeFi protocol designed as an open-source, decentralized money market or lending system. Aave enables users to lend, borrow, and earn interest on crypto without the involvement of a third party. Aave was initially named ‘ETHLend.’ However, after a rebrand in 2018, it came to be known as Aave, a Finnish word meaning ‘ghost’.
Aave stands out in the DeFi sector with its innovative lending protocol and its focus on security and community governance. Its native token AAVE zoomed in price by over 180% in the past 12 months, showcasing the token’s potential.
Chainlink (LINK)
Rank: #15
Chainlink provides infrastructure that enables the linking of non-blockchain organizations with blockchain platforms. The Chainlink blockchain is the medium that can be used to connect smart contracts with external data such as stock prices and cricket scores. Chainlink’s ability to help connect non-blockchain enterprises to blockchain makes it unique.
LINK, the blockchain’s native token, is used to pay network operators and can also be a collateral for network smart contract agreements. The token’s growth in 2024 came in above 30%, with a solid ranking at #15 in the overall crypto market cap, making it a promising altcoin.
Why do we need altcoins?
We need altcoins because they expand the use cases of blockchain technology beyond Bitcoin. Altcoins power innovations in areas like decentralized finance (DeFi), gaming, NFTs, and Web3, offering faster transactions, lower fees, and solutions tailored to specific industries. They drive competition, fuel innovation, and provide diverse investment opportunities in the crypto ecosystem.
Conclusion
Altcoins play an important role in the crypto ecosystem as they bring different functionalities and applications. More importantly, they provide a diversification opportunity for crypto traders and investors. While altcoins are timeless and will always trend in the crypto space, the list of top-performers can vary based on market trends and trader preferences. To keep you ahead of the curve, we update our list on CoinSwitch, ensuring you never miss out on lucrative investment opportunities.
As always, do your own research before making any investment decisions.
