ETH, XRP, SOL, ADA, LTC: Best Cryptocurrencies To Buy Now For Maximum Gains

The cryptocurrency market has been on a rollercoaster ride this year. While Donald Trump’s victory in November and subsequent pro-crypto policies have helped legitimize the industry and propel established cryptocurrencies to new highs in the world’s largest economy, the US President’s ongoing trade negotiations with other countries have created macroeconomic tailwinds that are causing significant volatility.

Nevertheless, cryptocurrencies have gone from speculative investments, whose prices fluctuate violently and were criticized for being used widely for illicit purposes, to sound digital assets with institutional demand. As Bitcoin continues to grow as the flagship cryptocurrency through ETF and corporate treasury adoption, a few other altcoins may also surge in value. These assets are quickly gaining traction and have made some major moves in the market.

With the altcoin season fast approaching, now may be the best time to enter these markets to maximize returns on investment (ROI).

1. Ethereum (ETH)

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Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, has been the best-performing asset in July, registering a 60% hike over the past 30 days. Although ETH started the year on the back foot, dropping to yearly lows in April, it has picked itself up and grown tremendously over the past few weeks.

Much of the price growth has to do with growing institutional adoption, mainly through the US spot Ethereum ETFs, which have recorded over $2 billion worth of inflows this month, going shoulder-to-shoulder with Bitcoin-backed ETFs. Additionally, an increasing number of companies are adding ETH to their corporate treasuries as a reserve asset and earning yield from staking activities.

According to some analysts, Ether’s price could easily surpass its all-time high of $4,800 this year, and hit at least $10,000 by 2026. The #2 crypto has grown by 130,889% since its market debut.

2. XRP

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Unlike other cryptocurrencies on this list, XRP is designed from the ground up to serve institutional needs, and its entire supply has been pre-mined. The XRP Ledger is a centralized blockchain run by a fintech called Ripple Labs, which aims to use the network to facilitate cross-border financial settlements at faster speeds and cheaper rates than the legacy SWIFT network.

XRP has been among the best-performing cryptos over the past year and has seen its price close in on the all-time high multiple times in 2025. The coin has been around for more than a decade and is older than Ethereum, but its progress was marred due to a long-standing legal battle with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which is on the verge of ending after Ripple secured a partial court victory in March.

Ripple has been forming partnerships with global financial giants, launched its dollar-pegged RLUSD stablecoin, and has applied for a bank charter license in the US. Meanwhile, several US asset management firms, including Bitwise, Fidelity, and Franklin Templeton, have filed applications with the SEC for a spot XRP ETF, which could be approved by October.

Experts are forecasting XRP to target $4 this year, driven by growing institutional adoption of the token and its blockchain for cross-border payments. The project is aiming to capture 10% of SWIFT’s $150 trillion market capitalization. The price of XRP is up 53,035% since 2013.

3. Solana (SOL)

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Solana, launched in 2020, has gone on to become Ethereum’s biggest rival in the world of decentralized finance (DeFi). It is known for its scalability and is one of, if not the fastest, blockchains in the space, with the ability to process 65,000 transactions per second, at far cheaper rates.

While the smart contract-powered network is not compatible with Ethereum, developers are not making it a reason not to adopt it. Solana is currently the fastest-growing DeFi ecosystem, powering memecoins, token launchpads, and DEXs.

2025 will be a major year for Solana, especially considering that spot Solana ETFs are set to trade this year. REX-Osprey Solana ETF became the first investment product backed by SOL when it began trading on Wall Street last month. However, the markets are awaiting more fund approvals, which could be expected in October. Several corporations are exploring the scope for a Solana treasury,

SOL is forecasted to trade well above $300 if it sustains the positive market momentum. Its price could breach $1,000 by the end of 2030. The fifth-largest crypto has gained 82,024% since its debut.

4. Cardano (ADA)

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Cardano is a smart-contract-powered proof-of-stake blockchain, similar to Ethereum and Solana. While its rivals take home all the accolades for being at the top of the game, Cardano takes a more careful approach, where it only implements services after they are tested to the max. For this reason, it is known to be one of the most secure blockchain ecosystems.

ADA, Cardano’s native cryptocurrency, is gaining traction among investors. While it is currently trading below $1, growing retail and institutional interest could easily help the ninth-largest cryptocurrency to scale new heights. 

Similar to ETH and SOL, US asset managers have proposed a spot ETF providing investors with exposure to ADA’s price performance, pending regulatory approval. Recently, developers launched a feature that will make Cardano DApps compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine. These initiatives are set to bring more users and capital into the blockchain, helping it climb up the crypto rankings. ADA’s value has risen 2,974% since it began trading on exchanges.

5. Litecoin (LTC)

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If Bitcoin is considered “digital gold”, then Litecoin is regarded as “digital silver”. Created by former Google engineer Charlie Lee, it is the blockchain with the longest continuous uptime, and predates both Ethereum and the XRP Ledger.

Litecoin is 4x faster than the Bitcoin network, offering faster block times at 2.5 minutes per block compared to Bitcoin’s 10 minutes. Its supply is capped at 84 million coins, 4x more than the 21 million BTC, and currently, there are 76.1 million LTC in circulation.

LTC has been making some major moves in the market, with the prospect of a spot Litecoin ETF trading on Wall Street growing. ETF analysts are 90% sure of an investment product tracking the cryptocurrency to be launched by the year-end. Litecoin is up 2,500% since 2013.

Final Thoughts: Positioning Yourself Ahead of the Next Crypto Surge

While the broader crypto market continues to move in cycles, one thing is clear—momentum is building behind select altcoins. Ethereum, XRP, Solana, Cardano, and Litecoin each offer unique value propositions that extend far beyond short-term hype. Whether it’s Ethereum’s dominance in smart contracts, XRP’s cross-border utility, or Solana’s scalability, these projects are poised to benefit from the next wave of adoption.

As always, timing and due diligence are key. But for those looking to capitalize on this transitional phase in the market, these five cryptos stand out as top contenders worth watching—and potentially holding—as we move through 2025.