12 Best Crypto to Buy Right Now — May 2026

Are you looking to invest in cryptocurrencies but unsure which one to buy? With so many options available, it can be overwhelming to decide how to invest your money. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the best crypto to buy now, based on factors such as project developments, price performance, and market capitalization, as well as the overall potential for growth.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the most promising cryptocurrencies, including staples such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, and a combination of several other promising crypto projects. We’ll discuss their features, advantages, and potential drawbacks, as well as provide insights into market trends. Whether you’re a seasoned investor or just starting out, this article will help you make an informed decision about the best crypto to buy now. 

So, let’s dive in and explore the best cryptocurrencies to invest in May 2026:

1. Bitcoin – The world’s oldest and largest crypto
2. Zcash – Privacy-focused cryptocurrency
3. Solana – Smart contracts platform with high speeds and low fees
4. XRP – The leading crypto remittance solution
5. Ethereum – The leading DeFi and smart contract platform
6. Hyperliquid – Decentralized perpetuals exchange with an efficient order book
7. Bittensor – Decentralized platform for machine intelligence
8. Toncoin – An efficient blockchain with Telegram messenger integrations
9. Monero – A privacy-first cryptocurrency with fully obfuscated transactions
10. Uniswap – A pioneering decentralized exchange protocol
11. BNB – The native coin of the Binance exchange
12. Chainlink – The leading decentralized oracle protocol

The best cryptos to buy right now: Discover top investments for May 2026

The following three cryptocurrency projects highlight our investment selection thanks to important developments and upcoming events that make them especially interesting to follow in the near future. These projects are updated each week based on the most recent developments and trends taking place in the crypto market.

1. Bitcoin

Bitcoin (BTC) is the original decentralized digital currency, enabling peer-to-peer transactions without the need for intermediaries such as banks or financial institutions. It was created in 2009 by an unknown person or group of people using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. Bitcoin was the first digital currency to eliminate the double spending problem without resorting to any central intermediaries.

Bitcoin transactions are recorded on a public ledger called the blockchain, which is maintained by a network of computers around the world. This means that the transactions are secure and transparent, as anyone can view them, but they are also anonymous, as the identity of the participants in the transaction is not revealed.

Bitcoin is often referred to as “digital gold” or a store of value, as it has a limited supply of 21 million coins, and its value is determined by market demand. Some people also see it as a hedge against inflation or a way to diversify their investment portfolio. It is by far the largest cryptocurrency by market cap in the industry, accounting for the value of more than 50% of all digital assets in circulation combined, making it arguably the most popular crypto to buy.

Why Bitcoin?

Bitcoin is trading at $81,113 as corporate accumulation remains active despite short-term ETF volatility. France-listed Capital B raised $17.8 million from strategic investors including Adam Back and TOBAM to expand its Bitcoin treasury, with proceeds potentially adding 182 BTC and lifting total holdings above 3,100 BTC. The raise stands out at a time when several treasury-focused firms have shifted toward hedging or partial liquidation strategies, reinforcing that selective corporate buyers are still positioning for long-term exposure.

At the same time, US-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $268 million in net outflows, breaking a four-day inflow streak and coinciding with $270 million in long liquidations. Top traders have reduced leveraged long exposure, and retail trading volumes at major platforms have softened. Despite this near-term caution, macro conditions remain constructive: the US dollar has weakened in recent months, government debt continues rising, and expectations around a potential shift in Federal Reserve leadership are fueling speculation about a more Bitcoin-friendly policy backdrop.

Adding another layer, Michael Saylor signaled that Strategy may resume BTC purchases after briefly pausing accumulation ahead of its earnings call. Although executives acknowledged the possibility of limited Bitcoin sales to fund dividends, the firm still holds over 818,000 BTC and continues to frame its strategy around long-term expansion. With corporate treasury activity ongoing, ETF flows fluctuating and macro uncertainty in focus, Bitcoin remains positioned at the center of institutional capital allocation debates near the $80,000 level.

2. Zcash

ZCash (ZEC) is a privacy-focused cryptocurrency that was launched in 2016 by Zooko Wilcox-O’Hearn. It is a fork of Bitcoin, designed to enhance privacy and anonymity for its users. Unlike Bitcoin, where transaction details (such as sender, recipient, and amount) are publicly visible, ZCash allows users to choose between two types of transactions: transparent and shielded.

Transparent transactions work similarly to Bitcoin, where all transaction details are recorded on the blockchain and visible to everyone. However, shielded transactions use a cryptographic technology called zk-SNARKs to allow fully private transactions. In shielded transactions, the details are encrypted, meaning that only the parties involved have access to the information, while the validity of the transaction is still verifiable by the network.

ZCash is particularly valued by those who prioritize financial privacy and security, as it offers optional anonymity in a way that few other cryptocurrencies do.

Why Zcash?

Zcash is trading at $568.10 after an aggressive multi-week rally fueled by institutional disclosure, exchange access expansion and renewed privacy demand. Multicoin Capital, a $2.7 billion crypto hedge fund, revealed it has built a significant position in ZEC since February, framing the asset as a direct vehicle for exposure to censorship-resistant and seizure-resistant money. The announcement coincided with a sharp upside acceleration, reinforcing the view that institutional capital is rotating back into privacy-focused assets.

Technically, ZEC has broken out of a weekly bull flag structure, projecting a measured move toward the $800 region, roughly 40% above recent breakout levels. Momentum indicators remain constructive, with the weekly RSI hovering just below overbought territory, suggesting room for continuation before exhaustion signals emerge. The rally also follows a Robinhood listing, expanding access to millions of retail users and adding incremental spot liquidity.

Fundamentals further support the move. More than 30% of circulating ZEC now sits in shielded addresses, marking a record high in private supply usage and tightening liquid float. At the same time, rising concerns around AI surveillance, quantum computing risks, and financial censorship have driven renewed interest in privacy coins broadly. While some analysts caution the surge could reflect a narrative rotation rather than a durable repricing, Zcash is currently benefiting from aligned technical, institutional, and thematic catalysts.

3. Solana

Solana is a smart contract platform known for its distinctive architecture, enabling it to handle thousands of transactions per second while maintaining very low costs. It accomplishes this by using a combination of a unique Proof-of-History algorithm and a Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism. SOL, the native cryptocurrency of the platform, is one of the cheapest to transfer, with users typically paying less than $0.001 per transaction.

Founded in 2018 by Anatoly Yakovenko, Solana’s mainnet went live in March 2020 and experienced a surge in adoption throughout 2021. Despite a significant drop in value during the 2022 bear market, Solana remains one of the most robust ecosystems in the cryptocurrency space and continues to be seen as a potential candidate for significant future growth.

Why Solana?

Solana is trading at $95.23 after reclaiming its 100-day moving average for the first time in over 200 days, signaling a potential shift in medium-term momentum. After months of trading below this trend line, SOL has pushed back above it while holding the $86–$88 support zone. A sustained hold above the 100DMA strengthens the recovery structure and keeps the $100 level as the next major psychological and technical target.

$SOL is back above its 100DMA for the first time in 205 days pic.twitter.com/9kHAt8uaF3

— CRG (@MacroCRG) May 9, 2026

Relative strength versus Ethereum is also stabilizing. The SOL/ETH pair is defending a multi-year horizontal support range between 0.032–0.040 ETH, an area that has historically acted as a base during prior cycles. A breakout above the descending trendline on this pair would indicate renewed outperformance against ETH, reinforcing the broader bullish case for SOLUSD if market conditions remain constructive.

$SOLETH looks bottomed to me so I think solusd outperforms ETHUSD based on current chart for me. Both should run but cross pairs usually give you a clue which will run harder

This remains my view till market tells me otherwise https://t.co/cpN98h7JLC pic.twitter.com/pCYl8DJ08V

— TraderSZ (@trader1sz) May 10, 2026

On lower timeframes, buyers continue defending micro support near $86.70, with multiple analysts identifying $96–$100 as the near-term expansion zone. While the setup still requires confirmation through sustained closes above resistance, Solana’s structure has shifted from prolonged consolidation to early trend reacceleration, placing the $100 threshold at the center of short-term positioning.

4. XRP

XRP is a digital cryptocurrency that was created by Ripple Labs in 2012. It is used as a means of payment and transfer of value on the Ripple payment protocol, which is designed to enable fast and secure transactions between financial institutions as well as individuals.

XRP is unique in that it is not based on the blockchain technology used by many other cryptocurrencies. Instead, it uses a distributed consensus ledger called the XRP Ledger, which is maintained by a network of validators. This allows for faster transaction processing times and lower fees compared to traditional payment methods.

XRP has been popular among cryptocurrency traders and investors due to its high liquidity and clear potential for broader adoption, especially as a remittance solution. However, it has also been the subject of controversy and legal action, with US regulators alleging that it is a security and should thus be subjected to securities regulations. This has somewhat hindered the potential of XRP as an investment, and handcuffed Ripple’s growth as a company.

Why XRP?

Evernorth’s recent S-4 filing with the SEC outlines one of the XRP is trading at $1.38 after reclaiming its realized price near $1.41 earlier this week, returning the average holder to profit following its rebound from the $1.12 macro low. Historically, moves back above realized price have reduced sell pressure and improved sentiment, often acting as a pivot for stronger upside phases. XRP is also consolidating within a multi-month symmetrical triangle, with a confirmed breakout above the $1.46–$1.60 resistance band opening the door toward a projected target near $2.24–$2.40, representing roughly 55% upside from current levels.

On-chain data reinforces the constructive setup. Nearly 35 million XRP left exchanges in a single day, marking one of the largest outflow spikes of the year. Similar withdrawal surges in February and March preceded 20% to 50% rallies, suggesting reduced immediate sell supply. At the same time, whale flows have turned positive again, indicating larger holders are accumulating rather than distributing.

Institutional demand is also building. US-based spot XRP ETFs have recorded three consecutive weeks of net inflows totaling roughly $82.9 million, pushing assets under management above $1.1 billion. With exchange balances declining, whale positioning improving and a wedge structure targeting the $1.87–$1.89 zone in the medium term, XRP’s next move will depend on whether bulls can firmly reclaim the $1.40–$1.60 region as support.

5. Ethereum

Launched in 2015 by Vitalik Buterin and a team of developers, Ethereum is a decentralized, open-source blockchain platform that allows developers to build decentralized applications (dApps) and smart contracts. 

Ethereum has a wide range of use cases beyond just a store of value or medium of exchange. Ethereum’s smart contract functionality allows developers to build dApps that can run without the need for intermediaries, like centralized servers or institutions.

The Ethereum platform has gained widespread adoption and has become the backbone of the decentralized finance (DeFi) industry. DeFi applications built on Ethereum allow users to access financial services without relying on traditional banks or financial institutions. Ethereum’s smart contract functionality has also enabled the creation of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), which have gained popularity in the digital art and gaming worlds.

While Ethereum has a strong community and has been highly influential in the cryptocurrency industry, it also faces challenges, such as scalability issues and high gas fees. These issues have spurred the development of various Layer 2 scaling solutions. In the long run, future updates are supposed to massively increase Ethereum’s throughput bringing the transaction per second (TPS) figure from 15 to 100,000.

Why Ethereum?

Ethereum is trading at $2,275 as institutional accumulation and derivatives momentum begin to realign. BitMine Immersion Technologies added another 101,901 ETH last week, bringing its total holdings to roughly 5.08 million ETH despite sitting on more than $6.5 billion in unrealized losses. The company has staked approximately 3.7 million ETH, generating yield while continuing to accumulate during volatility. This aggressive treasury expansion highlights sustained institutional conviction even as ETH remains down year-to-date.

Derivatives data suggests buyers are regaining short-term control. Ether’s cumulative net taker volume on Binance climbed to $5.5 billion in April, a 72% increase from earlier in the month, reflecting aggressive market buying during consolidation below $2,400. ETH is now compressing beneath a key resistance level that has capped price three times since February. A confirmed move above $2,400 would expose the $2,475–$2,634 liquidity gap, where a daily fair-value imbalance remains unfilled.

Meanwhile, spot Ether ETFs have recorded 10 consecutive days of net inflows totaling $633 million, signaling gradually improving investor confidence after earlier-year volatility. Although decentralized application revenues remain subdued compared to late 2025 levels, Ethereum continues to lead in total value locked and layer-2 adoption. With institutional inflows steady and technical resistance in focus, ETH’s next directional move hinges on whether it can convert the $2,400 zone into sustained support.

6. Hyperliquid

Hyperliquid is a decentralized perpetual futures exchange built to rival centralized trading platforms in speed, liquidity, and user experience—all while remaining fully on-chain. Unlike traditional DEXs that often struggle with performance bottlenecks, Hyperliquid uses a custom high-performance layer-1 blockchain specifically optimized for trading. This allows it to offer ultra-low latency, high throughput, and a seamless trading experience without relying on external validators or rollups.

One of Hyperliquid’s key innovations is its order book-based model, which is uncommon among decentralized platforms. While many DEXs use automated market makers (AMMs), Hyperliquid implements a central limit order book (CLOB), giving traders more control over order execution and tighter spreads. This design makes it particularly appealing to professional and high-frequency traders who expect the responsiveness of centralized exchanges but want the trustlessness of DeFi. Its deep liquidity pools and tight integration with crypto-native assets further enhance its trading dynamics.

Why Hyperliquid?

Hyperliquid is trading at $41.52, holding near a key resistance zone as momentum builds around both institutional interest and strong derivatives activity. A major catalyst is Bitwise’s second amended filing for a spot Hyperliquid ETF, which now includes the ticker $BHYP and a 0.67% management fee—steps that typically signal an imminent launch. If approved, the ETF would provide direct exposure to HYPE’s spot price and may include staking rewards, positioning Hyperliquid alongside major crypto assets gaining institutional investment vehicles. The token has already delivered strong performance, rising significantly over the past year while the platform entered the top 10 crypto derivatives exchanges by volume.

Bitwise w another update to Hyperliquid ETF includes ticker $BHYP and fee 67bps. Typically that means launch soon. HYPE is up 200% in past yr so they prob trying to strike while iron hot pic.twitter.com/xt5gc9BpSI

— Eric Balchunas (@EricBalchunas) April 10, 2026

Market structure data shows that the current recovery is being driven primarily by high-conviction investors rather than broad retail participation. Notably, Arthur Hayes accumulated over 26,000 HYPE tokens, bringing his holdings to more than 247,000 tokens. At the same time, large leveraged positions have played a key role in stabilizing price action, with one trader maintaining a multimillion-dollar long position through volatility. Open Interest has climbed to $1.77 billion, reflecting sustained engagement, though price continues to face resistance in the $40–$44 range.

Despite strong whale conviction, Hyperliquid’s next move depends on broader market participation. Analysts note that while leverage remains elevated but stable, a lack of expanding demand could cause price to stall near current levels. Conversely, increased participation beyond large holders could fuel a breakout above resistance. With ETF momentum building and derivatives activity remaining robust, Hyperliquid stands at a pivotal point where institutional adoption and market demand will likely determine the direction of its next major move.

7. Bittensor

Bittensor is a decentralized platform that creates a peer-to-peer marketplace for machine intelligence. The network is composed of multiple specialized subnets, each dedicated to specific tasks such as text prompting, transcription, or audio generation. Currently, more than 30 Bittensor subnets are actively operating across various AI domains.

At the core of the network is a unique consensus mechanism known as Yuma Consensus, which enables validators across different subnets to collaboratively determine what the network learns and prioritizes. This approach ensures that intelligence within the ecosystem evolves based on real-world utility and performance.

The computational power required to perform machine learning tasks is supplied by miners, who are incentivized with TAO tokens. Users seeking AI services pay in TAO to access these decentralized resources, creating a self-sustaining economic model that rewards valuable contributions.

By offering a decentralized and cost-efficient network of machine learning algorithms, Bittensor lowers barriers to entry and makes advanced AI capabilities accessible to a broader audience.

Why Bittensor?

Bittensor (TAO) is trading at $316.78, consolidating after an explosive rally of more than 160% over the past month. The token’s rapid ascent has positioned it among the strongest-performing AI-related crypto assets in 2026, supported by growing interest in decentralized artificial intelligence infrastructure. However, technical indicators suggest the rally may be entering a critical phase as TAO tests key resistance levels following its sharp upward move.

Despite the bullish momentum, historical fractal patterns indicate caution. Previous golden cross formations on TAO’s chart have preceded average drawdowns of roughly 40% within five to six weeks, suggesting the potential for a short-term correction if the pattern repeats. At the same time, social activity surrounding Bittensor has surged to its second-highest level in six months, reflecting growing market attention while sentiment remains relatively balanced rather than euphoric.

Fundamentally, the broader Bittensor ecosystem continues to strengthen, with subnet tokens collectively reaching a market value of approximately $1.5 billion as demand for decentralized AI infrastructure accelerates. High-profile endorsements from industry leaders and advancements such as the Covenant-72B large language model have reinforced Bittensor’s long-term narrative, positioning TAO as a key player at the intersection of blockchain and artificial intelligence.

8. Toncoin

Launched as the blockchain powering Telegram’s Web3 ambitions, The Open Network (TON) is a decentralized, open-source blockchain designed for fast, low-cost transactions and seamless integration with consumer-facing applications. TON was built to support smart contracts, decentralized applications, and native payments at scale, with a strong focus on usability and high throughput.

TON goes beyond simple value transfers by enabling developers to build Mini Apps, wallets, and payment tools that can be embedded directly into Telegram’s interface. This design allows users to interact with onchain services without leaving a familiar messaging environment, lowering friction compared with traditional dApp ecosystems.

Adoption has increasingly centered on payments and consumer use cases, with TON positioned as a settlement layer for in-app commerce, peer-to-peer transfers, and stablecoin payments across Telegram’s global user base. Recent launches such as TON Pay aim to turn Telegram into a native crypto checkout environment, expanding real-world utility beyond trading and speculation.

Despite its growth, TON continues to face scrutiny around decentralization, governance, and its close association with Telegram. Ongoing development is focused on improving developer tooling, scaling transaction capacity, and expanding compliance-friendly payment infrastructure, as the network pushes toward broader mainstream adoption.

Why Toncoin?

Toncoin (TON) is trading at $1.34, up 1.35% over the past seven days, with a market capitalization of $3.28 billion, standing out as one of the few large-cap assets holding steady during a volatile market week. While Bitcoin and Ethereum sold off sharply, TON remained range-bound, reflecting relatively resilient sentiment tied to ecosystem-specific developments rather than broader macro flows. Price action suggests quiet accumulation, with limited downside follow-through despite market-wide risk aversion.

That stability comes as the TON Foundation unveiled TON Pay, a new payments SDK designed to turn Telegram into a native crypto checkout layer for Toncoin and stablecoins. The tool allows Telegram Mini Apps to accept onchain payments through a single integration, with sub-second settlement times and average fees below one cent, targeting Telegram’s 1.1 billion monthly active users. TON Foundation vice president of payments Nikola Plecas said the goal is to remove friction around wallets, gas fees, and checkout, positioning TON as a consumer payments rail embedded directly into one of the world’s largest messaging platforms.

Looking ahead, TON’s narrative is increasingly tied to real-world usage rather than speculative trading. Planned expansions to subscriptions, gasless transactions, and regional fiat off-ramps could broaden merchant adoption, while Telegram’s scale offers a distribution advantage few blockchains can match. From a technical standpoint, TON is holding support near $1.25, with resistance around the $1.45 to $1.50 zone. As long as the Telegram payments rollout progresses, TON appears positioned for gradual accumulation rather than momentum-driven moves in the near term.

9. Monero

Monero is a privacy-focused cryptocurrency designed to offer anonymous and untraceable transactions. Launched in 2014 as a fork of Bytecoin, Monero was introduced through a whitepaper written by the pseudonymous “Nicolas van Saberhagen.” Unlike Bitcoin or Ethereum, Monero conceals sender and receiver identities, as well as transaction amounts, through advanced cryptographic techniques such as stealth addresses and ring signatures. This strong focus on privacy has made Monero a favorite among users seeking true financial confidentiality.

Monero runs on a Proof-of-Work (PoW) consensus mechanism and is deliberately resistant to ASIC mining to support decentralization. It can be mined efficiently using consumer-grade hardware, and its privacy-preserving features also improve fungibility—individual XMR coins are indistinguishable from one another and can’t be blacklisted. Despite its strong standing within the crypto community, Monero has been the subject of regulatory scrutiny due to concerns over its potential use in illicit activities. Nonetheless, it remains the most widely adopted privacy coin in the market today.

Why Monero?

Monero surged to its highest level since 2021 this week, reclaiming the spotlight among privacy-focused cryptocurrencies as XMR briefly pushed past $590 and entered fresh price discovery. The rally coincided with renewed interest in privacy assets and a sharp contrast with governance turmoil at rival Zcash, where internal disputes triggered developer resignations and a steep sell-off. With ZEC faltering, traders appeared to rotate toward Monero as the more stable and decentralized privacy exposure, lifting XMR back toward levels not seen in nearly five years.

Beyond relative strength against peers, Monero’s move also reflects a broader shift in sentiment around financial privacy. Institutional commentary from firms such as Grayscale and Coinbase has increasingly highlighted privacy as a structural theme for 2026, driven by tighter compliance rules, onchain transparency concerns, and growing demand for confidential transactions. While Monero faced scrutiny in 2025 following a large block reorganization and ongoing debates around mining concentration, those concerns have faded from price action as the network continued to operate without lasting disruption. As Zcash’s roadmap faces uncertainty, Monero has regained its position as the largest privacy coin by market capitalization.

From a technical perspective, XMR is now testing a historically critical zone. Previous attempts to break above the $500–$520 range have failed multiple times over the past decade, often followed by sharp corrections once momentum stalled. That history suggests near-term volatility remains likely unless Monero can decisively hold above former resistance. A confirmed breakout would invalidate the bearish fractal and open the door to higher targets around $750, based on long-term Fibonacci extensions. While pullbacks cannot be ruled out after such a steep rally, Monero’s reclaiming of its privacy crown and entry into price discovery place it among the more closely watched large-cap setups heading into 2026.

10. Uniswap

Uniswap is a decentralized cryptocurrency exchange that pioneered and helped popularize the automated market maker (AMM) model. This innovative approach eliminates the need for traditional order books, enabling users to swap tokens directly on the blockchain in a streamlined, intermediary-free manner.

The Uniswap protocol operates in a fully decentralized way, allowing anyone to create liquidity pools for any token. As a result, newly launched crypto assets are often traded on Uniswap before becoming available on centralized exchanges.

Uniswap’s model has since been adopted by numerous decentralized exchanges across various blockchain networks. Despite this, Uniswap continues to lead the decentralized exchange space in terms of trading volume.

Governance of Uniswap is handled by holders of the UNI token, who can propose and vote on protocol changes. UNI was initially distributed to past users of the protocol through an airdrop in 2020, and the token can now be bought and sold on many decentralized and centralized trading platforms.

Why Uniswap?

UNI has recently outperformed the broader market, rising 16.5% over the past seven days while many other leading crypto assets moved sideways. This rally appears to be fundamentally driven, as

Uniswap founder Hayden Adams has advanced the long-anticipated UNIfication proposal to a final on-chain governance vote, a move that could significantly reshape how value accrues to UNI holders.

Just submitted the Unification proposal for final governance vote

Voting starts on 12/19 at 10.30pm EST and ends on 12/25

If it passes, after a 2 day timelock period:

🔥 100m UNI will be burned

🦄 v2 + v3 fee switches will flip on mainnet and begin burning UNI, along with…

— Hayden Adams 🦄 (@haydenzadams) December 18, 2025

The proposal seeks to enable protocol fees on Uniswap v2 and selected v3 pools on Ethereum, directing a portion of trading fees into an automated UNI burn mechanism. After years of delays due to regulatory uncertainty, proponents argue that the environment has changed, allowing the protocol to finally implement a fee structure that directly links token value to usage.

A key component of the plan is a one-time burn of 100 million UNI from the treasury, intended to account for the value that might have accrued if protocol fees had been active since the beginning. Going forward, fees would be rolled out gradually to limit disruption for liquidity providers, with governance maintaining flexibility to adjust parameters as needed.

The proposal also broadens value capture beyond Ethereum mainnet by funneling Unichain sequencer fees into the same burn process, tying UNI supply reduction to activity on Uniswap’s Layer 2 network, which already handles significant trading volume.

Beyond token economics, UNIfication aims to unify governance, development, and operations under a single structure. Uniswap Labs would eliminate interface, wallet, and API fees, operate using governance-approved funding, and enter legally binding agreements to align its actions with the interests of UNI holders.

If the proposal passes, UNI would evolve from a purely governance-focused token into one with direct, usage-based value accrual, bringing renewed attention to the asset as the vote progresses.

11. BNB

BNB (formerly Binance Coin) is a cryptocurrency created by the popular cryptocurrency exchange Binance. Binance is the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world, allowing users to buy, sell, and trade a wide range of digital assets.

BNB was initially one of the ERC-20 tokens on the Ethereum blockchain but has since migrated to its own blockchain, known as BNB Chain. BNB is used as a utility token within the Binance ecosystem and has a variety of use cases. For example, users can use BNB to pay for transaction fees on the Binance exchange, receive discounts on trading fees, participate in token sales on Binance Launchpad, and purchase goods and services from merchants that accept BNB as payment.

One of the unique features of BNB is that it has a deflationary model. Binance uses a part of its profits each quarter to buy back and burn BNB tokens, reducing the total supply of the token over time. This mechanism is designed to create scarcity and increase the value of BNB over time, with the end goal of reducing the circulating supply of BNB from the initial 200 million to 100 million BNB.

Why BNB?

BNB reclaimed $900 this week after bouncing sharply from the $800–$820 demand zone, with multiple bullish technical structures now aligning behind a potential push back toward $1,000 in December. A double-bottom pattern on the 4H chart, combined with a clean breakout from a multi-week falling wedge, signals fading seller momentum and renewed appetite from dip-buyers. Liquidation heatmaps reveal over $112 million in short liquidations clustered near $1,020, suggesting a move toward that level could accelerate quickly if BNB breaks and holds above $900–$920.

However, BNB’s narrative this week also revolved around turbulence in the corporate treasury sector. CZ’s YZi Labs launched a formal attempt to overhaul the board of CEA Industries — the largest public BNB-holding company — accusing management of destroying shareholder value after the stock plunged 89% from its July peak. YZi aims to reverse recent bylaw changes, expand the board, and install its own nominees, arguing that CEA has failed to execute on its strategy of becoming the leading BNB treasury company. CEA responded by reaffirming its commitment to the BNB strategy while opening a dialogue with YZi to resolve concerns.

CEA stock collapses as YZi Labs pushes for a board takeover. Source: Google FinanceDespite governance drama and broader market pressure, BNB has held up better than many large-cap assets this quarter, outperforming even as it trades well below its mid-October all-time high of $1,367. CEA’s reported holdings of 515,054 BNB at an average entry of $851 place its treasury slightly underwater, yet BNB itself remains up 17.8% year-to-date, reinforcing its relative strength during the latest downturn. If bullish technicals continue to hold — and especially if liquidation clusters begin to trigger — analysts say BNB could feasibly revisit the $1,020–$1,115 range before year-end.

12. Chainlink

Chainlink is a decentralized oracle network designed to provide blockchains with secure, reliable data from external sources. It addresses the long-standing “oracle problem” by safely connecting on-chain systems with off-chain information, enabling many applications that wouldn’t be possible using blockchain data alone.

Already the dominant oracle provider in decentralized finance (DeFi), Chainlink is also gaining traction in NFT projects and crypto gaming. For example, a DeFi protocol can pull price feeds from centralized exchanges through Chainlink to power its smart contracts, while NFT platforms often rely on Chainlink’s verifiable randomness to ensure fair minting processes and transparent distribution.

Why Chainlink?

Chainlink rallied 15% this week to $14.10, boosted by a major interoperability milestone: Solana and Coinbase’s Base have been connected using Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP). The new bridge allows seamless asset transfers between Solana and the Base L2 ecosystem, giving developers the ability to integrate SPL tokens directly into Base applications. This marks one of the first production-ready bridges linking an EVM chain to Solana’s non-EVM architecture, reinforcing Chainlink’s role as the industry’s dominant cross-chain infrastructure provider. Despite the breakthrough, LINK traded slightly lower on the day, mirroring broader altcoin weakness.

Chainlink also secured a significant step in institutional adoption as Grayscale’s spot LINK ETF debuted in the U.S., attracting $41 million in first-day inflows and posting “solid” trading volume, according to ETF analysts. While not a blockbuster launch like XRP’s, the ETF already manages $64 million in assets, showing that investor appetite is extending beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum into high-utility altcoins. Analysts noted the debut signals growing demand for regulated exposure to “long-tail assets,” especially those underpinning real-world tokenization infrastructure — a trend that plays directly into Chainlink’s strengths.

The new Grayscale spot Chainlink ETF did really solid volume on Day one of $13m and looks like it could see same again today (way more than it ever traded as a trust). Also $41m in first day flows. Another insta-hit from the crypto world, only dud so far was Doge but it's still… pic.twitter.com/wlCemHxkQP

— Eric Balchunas (@EricBalchunas) December 3, 2025

Still, the LINK token remains down 73% from its all-time high, and the ETF launch alone has not reversed its long-term downtrend. But Chainlink’s strategic importance continues to grow: its oracle networks and CCIP are now core infrastructure for DeFi, tokenization protocols, and cross-chain applications across the industry. With Solana, Base, and multiple ETF providers integrating or backing the network, LINK’s recent strength suggests investors are beginning to reprice Chainlink as a foundational layer for the next phase of multi-chain development.

Best cryptocurrencies to buy at a glance