Top 10 cryptocurrencies to invest in 2025
- September 8, 2025
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The near collapse of Wall Street in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis shattered the trust the general public put in traditional finance (TradFi) institutions. The centralized structure of TradFi left little space for independent financial settlements.
To address the crisis, the revolutionary concept of decentralized finance (DeFi) emerged and disrupted how money moved. Cryptocurrency is the currency empowering the DeFi ecosystem by enabling peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions without any centralized control.
What is a cryptocurrency?
A cryptocurrency is a digital currency built on a blockchain network that deploys cryptography to secure transactions.
Unlike traditional currencies, a cryptocurrency is not controlled by a centralized intermediary like a central bank or a government.
Related: What is Crypto? Cryptocurrency explained
The top ten cryptocurrencies in terms of market capitalization are:
1. Bitcoin
Built by the pseudonymous creator "Satoshi Nakamoto," Bitcoin is the world's first decentralized and the largest cryptocurrency. Once dismissed as a "scam," Bitcoin is now considered a competitive "store of value" and is being accumulated by the likes of the U.S. and El Salvador governments and MicroStrategy (Nasdaq: MSTR) .
Digital asset treasuries (DATs) and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tied to Bitcoin have made it increasingly popular within the traditional circles. It hit an all-time high (ATH) of $124,457.12 on Aug. 14.
Launch: 2009
Market Cap: $2.2 trillion
Price: $112,045.90
2. Ethereum
Founded by Vitalik Buterin , Ethereum is the world's second-largest cryptocurrency. The blockchain it empowers has become the favorite of developers building decentralized applications (dApps), in particular decentralized finance (DeFi) apps.
ETFs tied to ETH have performed well, and DATs like Bitmine Immersion Technologies (NYSE: BMNR) have also embraced ETH. The cryptocurrency hit a new ATH of $4,953.73 on Aug. 25.
Launch: 2015
Market Cap: $518 billion
Price: $4,320.54
3. XRP
XRP is a cryptocurrency created by the team behind Ripple Labs. It had been at the center of a years-long contentious legal battle over its regulatory status.
Latest, it is certainly not considered a security any longer when traded among retail traders over exchanges. Ripple can also raise funds via the institutional sale of XRP, thanks to an exemption.
While spot ETFs tied to XRP are no longer approved, futures ETFs are available for trading.
Launch: 2012
Market Cap: $173 billion
Price: $2.92
4. USDT
USDT is a stablecoin that the crypto firm Tether began issuing in 2014. Unlike usually volatile cryptocurrencies like BTC, a stablecoin keeps its value stable by being pegged to the U.S. dollar.
