The top 5 cryptocurrencies to invest in

For those looking to invest in the crypto world, you’ll find that it’s not very forgiving. For every big winner (like Bitcoin), there are dozens of losers. That’s why it’s important to do your research and stay up-to-date on the cryptocurrency market if you want to avoid getting burned by investing in the wrong coins at the wrong time. So here we’ve put together our list of the top 5 cryptocurrencies to invest in this year and beyond so that you can be sure your investment will be paying off in 2022!

1. Bitcoin
   Bitcoin is the first and most famous cryptocurrency. It started out being worth just a few cents back in 2009 and reached its peak of over $19,000 per coin back in 2017. Its value has since gone down, but it's still the most recognizable name. The other popular cryptocurrencies have been inspired by bitcoin, so they are usually called altcoins instead of rivaling bitcoins directly.

2. Ethereum
   Ethereum is a platform for the creation of decentralized applications running on blockchain technology. It was created by Vitalik Buterin, a programmer and co-founder of Bitcoin Magazine. Ethereum is the primary competitor of Bitcoin. The development team behind Ethereum is world-class, and with their continuous expansion into the banking industry it's no surprise that ETH prices are growing faster than BTC. Many experts believe that ETH will outpace Bitcoin entirely as the future of cryptocurrency, which should give you confidence about investing in ETH now. If you're looking for a stable investment that's likely to grow over time, put your money on Ethereum today.

3. Litecoin
   Litecoin is the creation of former Google employee, Charlie Lee. This cryptocurrency was created back in 2011 as an open source peer-to-peer internet currency that allows you to instantly send money worldwide for minimal or zero processing fees. The coin uses scrypt as a proof of work function, but otherwise follows Bitcoin's protocol. It is also the first altcoin introduced through an open source client by a former member of the Bitcoin core development team. Today, Litecoin has become one of the most traded and valuable digital currencies in existence, with a total market cap currently exceeding $6 billion USD. One litecoin is currently worth about $50 USD, though it trades at over $300 on some exchanges due to high demand and scarcity.

4. Ripple
   The current market cap for ripple is $2.5 billion, which puts it as the fourth-largest cryptocurrency after bitcoin, ethereum and bitcoin cash. It's similar to other altcoins like litecoin and monero in that it's designed with a focus on being a currency used by the mainstream. Ripple plans to use its blockchain technology platform, the Interledger Protocol (ILP), to allow transactions between banks without requiring them all to use the same currency or system; ILP allows transactions of any form between parties using virtual currencies such as bitcoin or XRP (ripples). Once you have ripple coins stored on an exchange, you can make money just by holding on—provided the price increases over time.

5. Stellar Lumens
   With a market cap of over $11 billion, the coin is no joke. Sure, it has struggled with stability at times, but Stellar’s close ties with IBM and KlickEx mean big things for the cryptocurrency in the long run. And as IBM and KlickEx team up with banks around the world, Stellar will inevitably grow with them. Based on its current trajectory, it’s likely that Stellar will be one of the leading currencies by 2022. Its use cases are increasing rapidly, including banking the unbanked, real-time clearing of international payments and mobile payments. Its most exciting potential application is the Lightning Network (more on that later).