Quick Take
  • With the vast number of choices available, deciding which crypto is the best to buy right now is far from straightforward.
  • Beyond Bitcoin, investor interest remains strong in both leading altcoins and the best meme coins.
  • Over the last year, many tokens have hit new price benchmarks, signaling growing enthusiasm across the crypto sector.
  • This renewed confidence has largely been driven by two pivotal policy changes in Washington.

What Happened

Beyond Bitcoin, investor interest remains strong in both leading altcoins and the best meme coins. Over the last year, many tokens have hit new price benchmarks, signaling growing enthusiasm across the crypto sector.

This renewed confidence has largely been driven by two pivotal policy changes in Washington. First, President Trump signed the GENIUS Act, the first comprehensive U.S. regulation focused on stablecoins. Second, the SEC introduced Project Crypto, an initiative designed to modernize and clarify securities laws as they apply to digital assets.

Launched in August 2020, Shiba Inu ($SHIB) has become the second-largest meme coin, commanding a market cap of nearly $7.8 billion.

Introduced in April 2023, Pepe ($PEPE) rapidly climbed into the ranks of top meme coins by market cap, fueled by the popularity of Matt Furie’s iconic frog character.

Market Context

Lingering concerns around inflation, US policy, and global tensions have kept market growth in check, although Bitcoin managed to hit a new all-time high of $124,128 just last month.

The token’s main strength lies in its ability to facilitate fast and low-cost international payments, offering a modern alternative to legacy systems like SWIFT. Its standing has been reinforced by endorsements from organizations such as the UN Capital Development Fund and even recognition from the White House.

Over the past year, XRP has skyrocketed 418%, compared to Bitcoin’s 88% gain. Following its July rally, the token has managed to hold steady near the $3 mark, despite broader market volatility.

In the past 24 hours, SHIB’s price has dipped 2%, although it retained value better than the collective meme coin sector, which dropped 3%.

Given that the wider $4.11 trillion crypto market also dipped 0.4% overnight, SHIB’s resilience, utility, and multibillion dollar market cap means it often has less volatility than a typical meme coin and behaves more like a blue chip crypto. It currently trades around $0.00001321.

Its meteoric rise inspired numerous copycats, though none have replicated its success. With a market valuation above $4.6 billion, and even a brief feature as Elon Musk’s profile picture on X, PEPE has firmly secured its place as a meme coin heavyweight.

Currently priced near $0.00001106, PEPE has grown 15% in the past fortnight, though it still sits 60.5% below its all-time high of $0.00002803 in late 2024. Chart analysts note the development of a falling wedge pattern, a setup often preceding a breakout.

Why It Matters

Currently, XRP’s relative strength index (RSI) hovers around 53 after briefly hitting 59 yesterday. This reflects a brief sharp spike followed by a cooldown. The brief spike may have been the result of the Fed’s interest rate cuts this week and the approval of the first spot XRP ETF, but those headlines have not catalyzed a major XRP gold rush yet.

Looking ahead, the SEC is set to decide on a raft of additional spot XRP ETFs in mid-October. That could propel the token above $4 within weeks.

Technical charts point to further potential upside. Over the past year, SHIB has formed two bullish patterns: a descending wedge from November through March and a flag pattern since mid-May.

Breaking through the key resistance at $0.000022 could trigger a run toward $0.00003 by late October. In a broader bull run, analysts see possible targets between $0.00006 and $0.00009 by the end of the year.

Details

With the vast number of choices available, deciding which crypto is the best to buy right now is far from straightforward.

With sentiment gradually turning positive, it’s worth taking a closer look at how major altcoins like XRP, Shiba Inu, and Pepe are setting up for potential gains.

Ripple ($XRP): Cross-Border Payments Titan is Best Blue Chip Crypto for 2025

Ripple’s XRP ($XRP) surged to an all-time high of $3.65 on July 18, the same day the GENIUS Act was signed, surpassing its 2018 record of $3.40. Since then, XRP has cooled to around $3.03, about 17% below that peak.

Ripple’s influence in policymaking was underscored earlier this year when CEO Brad Garlinghouse was invited to a high-profile presidential roundtable on cryptocurrency regulation.

XRP’s momentum also received a significant boost in 2023 after a U.S. court ruled that its retail sales did not qualify as securities, effectively closing a five year conflict with the SEC while achieving a pivotal victory for the wider industry.

Shiba Inu ($SHIB): Meme Coin Giant With Expanding Real-World Use Cases

Unlike most meme tokens, SHIB has real-world utility, including enhanced privacy tools and Shibarium, an Ethereum-based Layer-2 network that lowers fees and accelerates transactions.

Pepe ($PEPE): Internet Meme Sensation Positioned for Breakout