Top 3 Cryptos to Watch as Bitcoin Challenges All-Time Highs

Top 3 Cryptos to Watch as Bitcoin Challenges All-Time Highs

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The buzz around Bitcoin—the largest cryptocurrency by market cap—challenging its all-time high (circa $73,000 at the time of writing) has sent waves of excitement across the crypto community.  With Bitcoin's market capitalisation surging, investors are keenly observing the cryptocurrency market for signs of a sustained bull run, bolstered by the upcoming Bitcoin halving event that historically triggers a rise in Bitcoin prices. 

While Bitcoin continues to flex, here are three other cryptos to consider adding to your watchlist.

Ethereum (ETH)

Ethereum has long been the go-to blockchain for developers due to its role as one of the early pioneers of smart contracts technology. In terms of numbers, Ethereum has been riding the waves like a pro. After its transition to Proof-of-Stake in the eagerly anticipated upgrade known as ‘The Merge’, its price has surged past the $4000 mark, reminiscent of its performance in 2021.

Why Watch Ethereum?

Over 3,000 decentralised apps (dApps) from different categories, such as games and banking services, are already running on Ethereum. Soon, ETH will implement new innovations in its ecosystem, including Layer 2 Solutions, which will help design and scale the network and transaction fees, as well as Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) to provide continuous updates for performance and efficiency. 

Apart from Bitcoin, Ethereum remains a key player in the crypto market. Its strength lies in its adaptability and robust ecosystem. Ethereum can innovate and evolve according to trends and wills of the market, demonstrating that its success is not just a one-time thing but rather a sign of strength and potential over time.

Solana (SOL-USD)

Solana is quickly becoming known as one of the fastest blockchains on the market thanks to its unique consensus mechanism that combines Proof of History (PoH) and Proof of Stake (PoS), allowing Solana to handle thousands of transactions per second (TPS). That uniqueness is faster than many of its competitors, resulting in earning the reputation as the ‘Ethereum Killer’.

Solana has also proven to be fertile ground for developers by hosting a wide array of projects, from decentralised finance (DeFi) to non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Its market performance has been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride, with significant highs and lows that have tested the resolve of investors but also showcased its resilience and potential for growth.

Why Watch Solana?

Solana makes a great tool for both developers and users because of its fast transaction speeds and low cost. Imagine being able to send money or use an app as smoothly as you scroll your social media feed. That's what Solana aims to provide for its users. 

The community, made up of developers, investors and enthusiasts, has played an important role in Solana’s technical growth. This community support, coupled with significant backing from institutional investors, provides a solid foundation for Solana's future developments.

SOL’s robust ecosystem supports a wide array of applications, from DeFi to NFTs, all benefiting from Solana's high-throughput blockchain platform. With accolades such as CoinMarketCap's Crypto of the Year, Solana's trajectory is one of growth and innovation.

Aptos (APT-USD)

Aptos is the newest participant in the blockchain game, and it promises to solve the three problems surrounding blockchain: security, scalability and decentralisation. Facebook started the crypto project at first, but it wasn't very successful. Aptos, on the other hand, wants to use the lessons learned and new technologies to make a blockchain that can grow and is easy for people to use.

Why Watch Aptos?

At the heart of Aptos is a novel consensus protocol known as Byzantine Fault Tolerance (BFT). It’s designed to process over 150,000 transactions per second, a feat that promises to reduce bottlenecks in blockchain transactions.

In some cases, Aptos represents a fresh start, learning from the challenges and shortcomings of previous blockchain projects where it places focus on creating a user-friendly platform that could make it a bridge for the widespread adoption of blockchain technology, bringing in users who have been hesitant to dive into the more complex aspects of crypto.

With serious backing from venture capitalists and blockchain experts, Aptos means serious business. The roadmap that Aptos has laid out is ambitious, to say the least, as it wants to build and release features quickly to stand out among competitors.

Aptos has its strengths. It could either change the blockchain space or serve as a cautionary tale for those jumping on the bandwagon. Only time can tell, but if you want to know about the next big thing, Aptos is the project to keep an eye on.