Don't invest unless you're prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 mins to learn more.
Estimated reading time: 2 min
Due to the potential for losses, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) considers this investment to be high risk.
What are the key risks?
1. You could lose all the money you invest
The performance of most cryptoassets can be highly volatile, with their value dropping as quickly as it can rise. You should be prepared to lose all the money you invest in cryptoassets.
The cryptoasset market is largely unregulated. There is a risk of losing money or any cryptoassets you purchase due to risks such as cyber-attacks, financial crime and firm failure.
2. You should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) doesn't protect this type of investment because it's not a 'specified investment' under the UK regulatory regime – in other words, this type of investment isn't recognised as the sort of investment that the FSCS can protect. Learn more by using the FSCS investment protection checker.
The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) will not be able to consider complaints related to this firm or Protection from the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) does not cover poor investment performance. If you have a complaint against an FCA regulated firm, FOS may be able to consider it. Learn more about FOS protection here.
3. You may not be able to sell your investment when you want to
There is no guarantee that investments in cryptoassets can be easily sold at any given time. The ability to sell a cryptoasset depends on various factors, including the supply and demand in the market at that time.
Operational failings such as technology outages, cyber-attacks and comingling of funds could cause unwanted delay and you may be unable to sell your cryptoassets at the time you want.
4. Cryptoasset investments can be complex
Investments in cryptoassets can be complex, making it difficult to understand the risks associated with the investment.
You should do your own research before investing. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
5. Don't put all your eggs in one basket
Putting all your money into a single type of investment is risky. Spreading your money across different investments makes you less dependent on any one to do well.
A good rule of thumb is not to invest more than 10% of your money in high-risk investments.
If you are interested in learning more about how to protect yourself, visit the FCA's website here.
For further information about cryptoassets, visit the FCA's website here.
This guide tracks top market cap cryptocurrencies and explains why some investors see value in them.
Keep in mind there is no guaranteed way to pick the best crypto to buy now – instead, use this as general information to help make your own investment decisions.
This is not an endorsement of cryptocurrency or any specific provider, service or offering. It is not a recommendation to trade or use any services.
What are the best cryptocurrencies to buy now?
Deciding on what to invest in will depend on what you're looking for.
Short-term investments are hard to pick. In addition to price data, consider using social media sentiment analysis and news to contextualise what price movements might mean and make an educated decision.
Keep in mind that most big run-ups in price are usually followed by a correction where the price comes back down after reaching a peak. So it is up to you to implement a strategy that allows you to exit with a profit before the market turns.
If you're investing over the long term, then you may want to consider "blue-chips" like
Bitcoin (BTC) and
Ethereum (ETH) which have a relatively well-tested track record. These coins have been adopted by financial institutions around the world and have utility beyond speculative investing.
The top 10 cryptocurrencies by market cap is filled with several of these potential long-term investments. Let's take a closer look at them and understand why they are a part of so many investment portfolios. Doing so may help you understand what qualities to look for in other crypto assets, and help you make better investment decisions.
1. Bitcoin (BTC)
2. Ethereum (ETH)
3. Binance Coin (BNB)
4. XRP (XRP)
5. Dogecoin (DOGE)
6. Cardano (ADA)
7. Solana (SOL)
8. Tron (TRX)
9. Toncoin (TON)
10. Polkadot (DOT)
Summary: Top 10 cryptos compared
Methodology: Our list is based on the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalisation at the time of update, excluding stablecoins and liquid staking derivatives. Some of these coins have an established track record while others are more volatile with shorter histories.
This list should be used as a starting point for further research and doesn't represent an endorsement of any coin or project.
How are the cryptocurrency markets performing today?
The crypto market is down - the average price of the top 200 coins dropped 1.49% over the last 24 hours.
Trading volume was, however, up and was 12% higher than the previous 7 days' average.
Volatility was above average at 0.95%, compared with the 30-day average of 0.88%. Higher volatility can make your profits or your losses larger if you decide to sell. (Data from Finder's crypto weather report, which updates at 4pm AEST every day.)
How to find the best cryptocurrency to invest in today
Finding the best cryptocurrencies to invest in relies on keeping on top of what's happening in the market each day. The tools in this guide are a good starting point, but should be used as just one part of your decision-making process. Here are some other ways to find the best cryptocurrencies to buy today:
News. Keeping up to date with the
latest news is a cornerstone of any investing strategy and helps make sense of movements in the market. You can follow dedicated outlets like CoinDesk and Cointelegraph for daily cryptocurrency reporting, or sign up to
crypto newsletters such as Bankless or The Defiant for a more curated experience.
Research reports. Knowing what the market is going to do before it does it is every investor's goal. You can get ahead by reading industry reports like Messari's annual review and forecast, Kraken's monthly analysis of on-chain data, and Finder's
price prediction surveys.
Sentiment analysis. Analysing how other investors are feeling about specific coins or events in the market can help you spot trends and decide whether to take action. Social media sentiment analysis can be an effective way of tracking what others are saying about a given topic. You can use the tools provided in this guide to do your own analysis, or explore using a paid service.
Technical analysis.Technical analysis refers to the tools and techniques used by traders to analyse price charts. You'll find most of the tools necessary for technical analysis on any major cryptocurrency exchange, or you can use a popular service like TradingView. Technical analysis has a steep learning curve and takes years to master, so if you're considering adding it to your repertoire then you might want to consider taking a
professional trading course.
Where to buy cryptocurrency now
Use our table to compare cryptocurrency exchanges on features like the number of coins available, payment methods and fees. Click Go to site if you're ready to create an account.
This is not an endorsement of cryptocurrency or any specific provider, service or offering. It is not a recommendation to trade or use any services.
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Bottom line
No one can guarantee what the best cryptocurrency to buy is – it's up to you to research and monitor the markets, and form your own
trading plan.
We've written this guide to bring together some trends and give you a head start, but it's not investment advice.
If you're still new to cryptocurrency, then you can find plenty of guides on trading, coin profiles and more in our
cryptocurrency hub.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best cryptocurrency to invest in right now?
The best cryptocurrency to invest in right now, or any time, depends on your individual goals. By monitoring news and social media sentiment and doing some technical analysis, you may be able to spot trending coins in time to capitalise and make a profit.
What is the best cryptocurrency in the UK?
Cryptocurrency markets are global. This means that market data like price and volume is a snapshot of trading activity across the world, and the best cryptocurrency picks will generally stay the same no matter which country you live in.
It's worth noting that some countries have attempted to ban privacy coins from being traded on local exchanges. In the US, the SEC has opened investigations into individual coins such as Tether USDT and Ripple XRP.
What cryptocurrency will explode this year?
There's no way to guarantee which cryptocurrency will take off each day, or even each year.
Finder publishes a regular expert price survey looking at how top market cap coins might perform this year and beyond. Research firm Messari also releases an annual report that includes market trends for the coming year.
Which cryptocurrency is the most profitable right now?
Cryptocurrency trading profits are calculated based on your entry and exit price. The difference between these is the profit, or loss. This means determining which cryptocurrency is most profitable is nearly impossible, as it boils down to your individual trading circumstances.
Is it a good idea to buy cryptocurrency right now?
Cryptocurrency is widely considered a high-risk and volatile investment. You should seek personalised advice from a professional financial advisor before deciding whether or not to invest.
Be wary of social media influencers and peer pressure to buy, and make sure you fully understand the risks before you get started.
Cryptocurrencies aren't regulated in the UK and there's no protection from the Financial Ombudsman or the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. Your capital is at risk. Capital gains tax on profits may apply.
Cryptocurrencies are speculative and investing in them involves significant risks - they're highly volatile, vulnerable to hacking and sensitive to secondary activity. The value of investments can fall as well as rise and you may get back less than you invested. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. This content shouldn't be interpreted as a recommendation to invest. Before you invest, you should get advice and decide whether the potential return outweighs the risks. Finder, or the author, may have holdings in the cryptocurrencies discussed.
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To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Angus Kidman as part of our fact-checking process.
James Edwards was the global cryptocurrency editor at Finder. He coordinates a distributed team of journalists to help further Finder's mission of helping people make better financial decisions.
He has been using Bitcoin since 2013 and began working in the industry in 2017. He takes pride in boiling down complex topics into language his parents can understand.
His expertise has seen him called on to report at events such as TechCrunch Disrupt, CoinDesk Consensus and IBM Think and has coordinated a vast number of high-profile interviews with the industry's brightest minds.
He is a regular contributor to Nasdaq, The Street and is frequently called upon for market commentary in Australia and abroad. See full bio
Billy Endres was a cryptocurrency writer for Finder. His background in software development helped open the door to the world of decentralised technologies, financial markets and technical writing. See full bio
Billy's expertise
Billy has written 4 Finder guides across topics including:
Web3 and decentralised technologies
Front-end development
Cryptocurrency futures trading and technical analysis
This guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to buy Arbitrum, lists some exchanges where you can get it and provides daily price data on (ARB).
Learn how to buy Litecoin in the UK with our simple step-by-step guide and tips on what to know before you get started.
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