Bitcoin’s (BTC-USD) historic surge has led to the world’s largest cryptocurrency breaking through the $52,000 level. This recent run comes on the heels on the approval of the first 11 spot Bitcoin ETF in the U.S., and it has crypto enthusiasts buzzing again. Indeed, 2023 ended on a high note for crypto, and I believe the party is just getting started in 2024.
I wrote many times last year that 2024 would likely see another major crypto bull run thanks to multiple key catalysts. One has already hit (the approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs), but two more catalysts (I will discuss them shortly) could provide more fuel to this rally. Thus, now feels like the perfect time to highlight some of the most promising cryptos which I believe are destined to surge dramatically amid emerging 2024 hype. Let’s have a look!
Bitcoin (BTC-USD)
Bitcoin has been on an epic run recently, surging to more than $52,000 thanks to the approval of eleven Bitcoin spot ETFs in the US. However, as a long-time Bitcoin bull, I think 2024 could take the king of crypto much higher still. Two more catalysts – the 2024 Bitcoin halving and potential Federal Reserve interest rate cuts – have me convinced Bitcoin could hit an all-time high above $100k in the coming year.
Often viewed as digital gold, Bitcoin’s tokenomics have built-in scarcity via a capped supply. Specifically, only 21 million Bitcoin will ever exist. Of course, Bitcoin has downsides, too – the network is rather slow and inefficient for payments compared to newer cryptos. Transactions can take over an hour to process, and fees are high due to congestion issues. Still, when adding crypto exposure or balancing a portfolio with uncorrelated assets, Bitcoin should be the first token of choice right now.
With the upcoming halving event set to slash the Bitcoin inflation by 50% in April 2024, reduced selling pressure could send Bitcoin skyrocketing. If the Fed also opts to cut rates amidst a potential economic downturn, Bitcoin would become even more appealing as an inflation hedge. Combined with swelling institutional inflows to the new Bitcoin ETFs, I think this token could certainly break through $100k by mid-2024.
Ethereum (ETH-USD)
Ethereum (ETH-USD) has also been on a tear lately, almost reaching parity with Bitcoin in terms of year-to-date percentage gains. In previous crypto rallies, Ethereum has dramatically outperformed Bitcoin, and I expect history could repeat itself in 2024. Of course, Bitcoin tends to dominate the altcoin space during the early innings of a bull market rally. However, once altseason kicks into high gear, Ethereum has shown the ability to close the gap in terms of overall returns.
A leading blockchain project, Ethereum provides a balance of security and scalability that sets it apart thanks to constant network upgrades. Importantly, layer-2 scaling solutions are expected to address existing scalability bottlenecks substantially by 2025. Accordingly, it should be no surprise that Ethereum is the preferred choice for developers, hosting most virtual assets, NFTs, and tokens. These ecosystem effects generate significant demand for Ethereum, and are likely to continue fueling positive outperformance over the long-term.
Ethereum’s Merge upgrade slashed ETH issuance by 88% and made it deflationary, increasing its long-term value. The upcoming Dencun upgrade in 2024 aims to make Ethereum even more scalable and efficient. This is a catalyst worth watching, in my view.
Kaspa (KAS-USD)
With a market capitalization now exceeding $3.8 billion, Kaspa (KAS-USD) has seen tremendous growth in 2024 to emerge as an intriguing medium-sized layer-1 blockchain project. By pioneering a DAG-based architecture called GHOSTDAG, Kaspa achieves substantial improvements in transaction throughput and processing speed compared to traditional blockchains.
By generalizing blockchain data structure into a directed acyclic graph, transactions can be processed in parallel, while network maintains its security and ledger ordering. The protocol handles security by distinguishing “blue blocks” created by honest actors from potentially malicious “red blocks.” The largest strongly-connected cluster within the acyclic graph then identifies trustworthy blocks to favor, preventing attacks.
I believe if Kaspa’s innovative technology proves effective over a longer timeframe, its market cap could reach over $10 billion in the next several months. For crypto investors searching for promising medium-market cap projects with big upside potential, Kaspa is worth keeping on the radar.
Alephium (ALPH-USD)
Alephium (ALPH-USD) has caught my attention as an intriguing layer-1 blockchain project purpose-built for DeFi and dApps. Its sharded design and novel Proof-of-Less-Work (PoLW) consensus mechanism provides scalability, security, and energy efficiency. By dynamically calibrating mining difficulty, PoLW reduces energy usage substantially compared to other consensus mechanisms.
At the protocol layer, Alephium is quite innovative. This network combines aspects of Bitcoin and Ethereum, using a stateful UTXO model that matches Ethereum’s account-based flexibility, while enhancing security. With dApps and DeFi activity migrating to more scalable alternatives, Alephium could attract developers to this platform.
After going parabolic in recent months, ALPH has pulled back below $3 per token. I think this level possibly presents an excellent entry point before the next leg higher. If Alephium continues gaining developer traction and proving its tech, I could see it reaching well into the top 100 cryptos. This would translate into impressive multi-bagger returns from current levels. For investors seeking lower-cap moonshot plays, ALPH checks many boxes.
Fetch.ai (FET-USD)
Blockchain-based projects like Fetch.ai (FET-USD) that optimize complex systems through data-driven machine learning models hold intriguing potential as AI solutions gain more enterprise adoption. Essentially, Fetch.ai roots operations and planning in real-time data to enhance resource efficiency, balancing supply and demand.
As the world grows more complex, the value of optimization engines like Fetch.ai’s may multiply exponentially. Hence, I’m keeping a close eye on this project as it approaches the $1 billion market cap level on its recent rally. In an extended bull market, I could see Fetch.ai’s innovative technology propelling it to a $3 billion+ valuation or higher. Such a move would translate into 3X+ upside from here.
Of course, Fetch.ai must continue gaining developer traction and proving real-world value to reach more ambitious valuations. But so far, the project shows promising progress, and I expect further upside for this token if the current crypto bull market sees additional legs higher in 2024.
iExec RLC (RLC-USD)
iExec RLC (RLC-USD) develops a distributed cloud infrastructure for high-performance computing by aggregating underutilized computing resources across the internet. iExec lets users tap into spare computing power to handle complex parallel processing jobs.
By paying resource providers in RLC tokens, the project has built a decentralized market around cloud computing – aiming to disrupt centralized incumbents like AWS and Azure. With cloud spending topping half a trillion dollars and growing fast, the concept of iExec capturing even a fraction of this market could catalyze enormous growth.
RLC has more than doubled since I last discussed it. Still, with a market cap of around $300 million, it remains largely under-the-radar. If retail and institutional capital continues flowing back into crypto, demand for iExec’s computing services could readily surge.
WOO Network (WOO-USD)
WOO Network’s (WOO-USD) ecosystem of CeFi and DeFi trading platforms has captured my attention as crypto trading activity picks back up. By utilizing WOO tokens for platform fees and staking, traders are unable to unlock additional discounts and perks, driving what could be a positive flywheel effect for the token.
Amid renewed speculative interest across altcoins, WOO’s overall volume has seen notable upticks recently. Personally, I think this signals a broader crypto bull market ahead. If retail and institutional capital accelerates back into crypto, demand for WOO’s liquidity and trading services could surge exponentially.
With that said, WOO has risks as a smaller altcoin. Its relatively high inflation rate of 53% could mute any rallies to the upside, particularly if usage growth stalls. However, for risk-tolerant traders willing to stomach volatility, WOO offers intriguing moonshot potential if the good times return in 2024 for the crypto sector. As debate builds around whether crypto’s bear market has bottomed, I’m keeping an extremely close eye on trading activity and platforms like WOO.
Small, low-volume cryptos
On Low-Capitalization and Low-Volume Cryptocurrencies: InvestorPlace does not regularly publish commentary about cryptocurrencies that have a market capitalization less than $100 million or trade with volume less than $100,000 each day. That’s because these “penny cryptos” are frequently the playground for scam artists and market manipulators. When we do publish commentary on a low-volume crypto that may be affected by our commentary, we ask that InvestorPlace.com’s writers disclose this fact and warn readers of the risks.
Read More: How to Avoid Popular Cryptocurrency Scams
On the date of publication, Omor Ibne Ehsan did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.
