The year is just beginning, but cryptocurrencies continue to move boundaries and reach new heights. This list contains a variety of coins that you can buy this month if you’re a crypto enthusiast.
1. Solana (SOL)
Solana is an open-source computing network developed by Anatoly Yakovenko in 2017. It was designed to speed up transactions and ensure decentralization. The Solana network boasts of validating over 50,000 transactions per second for less than a penny per transaction.
It runs on the proof of stake consensus algorithm. It’s similar to Ethereum’s blockchain and has been nicknamed the “Ethereum killer”. Solana supports smart contract support and can be used to invest apps, DeFi games, DEXss, social media, dApps etc. It has performed more transactions per second than the Ethereum blockchain at a lower transaction fee.
SOL, the native cryptocurrency of the blockchain. It can be used to pay transaction fees, stake, and is a governance token. 311.8 million SOL of the 508.2 million is currently in circulation. SOL is currently ranked 5th, and one SOL costs $150. 52 today. In November, it cost $259.96.
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2. Cardano (ADA)
Cardano is a third-generation protocol created by Jeremy Wood and Charles Hoskinson in 2017. It uses the Ouroboros-a proof-of stake algorithm as its consensus algorithm. Its mission is to be secure and scalable, flexible, eco-friendly, and adaptable. The blockchain permits the creation native tokens that are identical to its native cryptocurrency (ADA).
The blockchain is composed of two layers: the settlement layer which handles assets transfer and notes transactions and the computation layer which executes smart contracts for decentralised apps. ADA is the native currency that powers the platform. It can be used as a governance token and to settle transaction fees. It can also be staked to earn rewards. Its current price is $1. 25, having dropped by 59.4% from an ATH of $3. 09 in September. ADA is ranked 7th with a market cap of $402.b. It has a total supply of 45 billion, with 32.1 billion currently in circulation.
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3. Fantom (FTM )
The Fantom ecosystem is a blockchain for decentralised applications and digital assets launched in 2019. Michael Kong developed it. It’s modular, flexible, scalable, open-source, secure, and environmentally friendly. It supports smart contracts. Lachesis is an Asynchronous Byzantine Fail Tolerant (aBFT), Proof-of-Stake consensus algorithm.
Fantom Virtual Machine makes it possible to create dApps. FTM is the engine of the ecosystem. FTM is both an ERC-20 token and a BEP-2 token. It can be used to reward validators or as a governance token. FTM trades at $3. 00 right now. It reached its peak at $3. 46 in October. FTM has a total supply in excess of 3.2 billion and 2.5 billion are currently in circulation.
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4. Cosmos (ATOM)
Cosmos, a blockchain that connects to other blockchains, was created to be the internet of all blockchains. It supports Inter-Blockchain Communication protocol IBC and a software development kit which allows for the creation of dApps as well as interconnection between different blockchains (zones).
Cosmos is based on Tendermint Proof of-Stake Byzantine Fault Tolerance. It was launched in 2019 by the Interchain Foundation. ATOM is the native currency used to promote interoperability across the network. It can be staked and held. Today, its price is $39, with 226 billion atoms currently in circulation. It peaked at $44. 42 in September.
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5. Audius (AUDIO )
Audius, a music streaming service built on blockchain, is similar to SoundCloud and Spotify. It allows music sharing and streaming, as well as social media features. Node operators, artists and fans run the platform. Audius uses a proof of stake algorithm. It was founded in 2018 on the POA Network but is now on the Solana blockchain.
Although it is not the first streaming platform on the blockchain, it is backed by Jason Derulo, Katy Perry, Nas, The Chainsmokers, and Pusha T. Its native cryptocurrency is AUDIO, an ERC-20 token. 500 million AUDIO of the 1.1 billion is in circulation right now. Its current price is $1. 43 but reached an all-time high of $4. 95 in March 2021.
6. Chainlink (LINK )
Chainlink – A network of nodes that makes data and information available from outside-blockchain sources, which can be used to create smart contracts using an oracle. It provides relevant data to blockchains and dApps. It was launched in 2017 as the first protocol moving data and information from off-chain sources to existing smart contracts. Operation of the network is split into three parts: data reporting, oracle selection and result aggregation.
LINK refers to the native currency of the network. For their work on the network, node operators receive LINK. It can be traded and staked. LINK is trading at $24. 98 now. It cost $52. 70 in May 2021. There is currently 467 million LINK in circulation.
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7. Polygon (MATIC )
Polygon, originally developed in India as the Matic Network, was rebranded as Polygon in February 2021. It is a layer-2 scaling protocol that was developed for the Ethereum network. It was designed to improve the speed, security, interoperability and use of the Ethereum network. It works on a proof of stake algorithm. It supports the Ethereum Virtual machine contract.
Further developments are planned for the network, including Polygon Plasma and zk-Rollups. Optimistic Rollups will also be included. Validium Chain. MATIC is the native token that powers the Polygon network. MATIC can be used to pay transaction fees or stake. It can also be used as a governance token to vote on platform policies and upgrades. A MATIC token costs $2. 29 today.
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8. Terra (LUNA)
Terre is a blockchain that allows the creation of stablecoins tied to assets or physical currencies. These stablecoins are exchangeable on the exchange platforms or ecosystem. It was created in 2018 by Terraform Labs using Cosmos SDK. It works on Tendermint Delegated-Proof-of-Stake (DPoS) consensus algorithm. It’s a fintech solution to payments.
The ecosystem consists of CHAI to make frictionless payments and Terra Bridge that facilitates interoperability among blockchains. The Mirror Protocol is used to create synthetic assets (mAssets), and the Anchor Protocol provides access to fixed interest rates. TerraUST, TerraGBY and TerraEUR are just a few of the stablecoins created with Terra. LUNA, the native token of Terra, is used to maintain stability for these stablecoins. The total supply of LUNA amounts to less than a million. LUNA can be used to pay transaction fees, volatility absorber and staking tokens. LUNA costs $80. 94 as of today and is ranked 9th.
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9. Polkadot (DOT)
Polkadot is a blockchain of blockchains created in 2016 and launched in May 2020 by Robert Habermeier, Peter Czaban, and Gavin Wood. It is designed to solve the problem of blockchain decentralization, security, and scalability. There are two types of modules in the blockchain: parachain (the user’s blockchain that taps into resources from the main network) and relay chain (the main network processing transactions).
The blockchain will also have bridges that enable interoperability between major blockchains. It operates on a Nominated-Proof-of-Stake (NPoS) consensus mechanism. The native cryptocurrency of DOT can be traded, staked and used as a governance token. The price of DOT is $26. 28 right now, with a total supply of 1.2 billion. It reached an all-time high of $54. 98 in November 2021.
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10. Decentraland (MANA
Decentraland was the first 3D decentralised, 3D world that can be completely controlled by its users. Its development was started in 2017 by the Decentraland Foundation, established by Esteban Ordano and Ariel Meilich. It became public in January 2020. It is a metaverse that was created on Ethereum blockchain. It is composed of two native tokens: LAND (an NFT protocol to register acquired properties (land), and MANA (a cryptocurrency that can be used for trading assets and other services around the world).
The platform supports payments, P2P interactions, and interactive apps. MANA is essential for the operation of the metaverse. It’s used to settle transactions, vote on policy updates and LAND auctions and upgrade the platform using their MANA. It is currently trading at $2.97. The total supply is approximately 2.2 billion. There are currently 1.3 billion in circulation. It has a market capitalization of $3.9 trillion.
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