Which crypto to buy today for the long-term?

When looking for cryptocurrencies to hold over the long term, there is more to consider than recent price movements. For this selection, we look at projects that have been around for several years, have sufficient market capitalization, and have demonstrated their ability to withstand different market conditions over time.

The ranking is based on five factors:

• project age;
• market capitalization;
• long-term price performance;
• recovery after the bear market;
• current market share.

Only cryptocurrencies currently available on Finst that have existed for at least five years, have a market capitalization of at least €500 million, and are not stablecoins are eligible. We also use our neutral prediction model as an additional selection criterion: to qualify, the model must project positive price performance over 1, 3, 5, and 10 years.

Predictions do not determine the position in the ranking. They are used solely as an additional eligibility criterion.

This blog is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. The crypto market is highly volatile and influenced by various external factors. Cryptocurrency values can fluctuate significantly, and you may lose some or all of your investment.

This list was last updated on 16 October 2026.

Top 10 best cryptocurrencies for the long term

Investing in crypto-assets involves a risk of loss. Historical returns and price predictions do not guarantee future performance. The predictions shown are based on historical data and are provided for informational and educational purposes only. Before trading crypto-assets, you should conduct your own research and assess your risk tolerance.

1. Bitcoin (BTC)

What is Bitcoin?

Bitcoin is the first digital currency and works without a central authority like a bank or government. Transactions are recorded on a public, decentralized blockchain network and secured by thousands of computers around the world. Because the maximum supply is 21 million BTC, Bitcoin is often seen as a scarce digital asset and as digital gold.

Bitcoin price performance

The first available price reading dates back to October 2021; the current price is € 73,256.63. From the bear market peak, Bitcoin fell 74.63% to the bottom in November 2022. That was followed by a full recovery back toward the earlier bear market peak. The price is still below the all-time high, which was reached later.

Fundamentals

These are the key fundamentals of Bitcoin:

• Limited supply: Issuance is capped algorithmically, with the block reward halving about every 210,000 blocks and supply eventually moving toward 21 million BTC.
• Permissionless payments: BTC enables peer-to-peer value transfer without users needing a trusted intermediary.
• Proof-of-work security: Proof-of-work, validation by full nodes, and the accumulated blockchain history together form a security model that resists Sybil attacks and makes transaction reversals difficult.
• Global ecosystem: The open-source network of users, miners, nodes, and developers supports network effects and helps reinforce Bitcoin’s monetary credibility.

Updates and developments that could affect Bitcoin

The development of quantum computing remains relevant for Bitcoin’s cryptography in the long run: Google reported a sharp reduction in quantum errors on its Willow chip, while larger tests and further technical progress are still needed. Institutional demand is also continuing to develop, as Strive expanded its bitcoin reserve, highlighting the role of publicly traded treasury companies in the market. In addition, an incident involving compromised Ledger wallets shows that hardware security and the supply chain remain structurally important for self-custody.

Long-term price prediction for Bitcoin

According to our prediction model, in a neutral scenario, the price of Bitcoin could reach €89,482.81 in one year, €126,608.76 in three years, €134,536.42 in five years, and €188,749.38 in ten years. The further into the future a prediction looks, the greater the uncertainty. These scenarios are based on historical data and do not guarantee future prices.

2. Zcash (ZEC)

What is Zcash?

Zcash (ZEC) is a blockchain and cryptocurrency that launched in 2016 with a focus on privacy and anonymity in transactions. Thanks to zero-knowledge technology, amounts, senders, and recipients can be shielded while the network remains decentralized. That sets Zcash apart from blockchains where transactions are fully public by default.

Zcash price performance

Zcash was last recorded at € 1,087.77, compared with € 33.32 at the bear market low on November 23, 2022. From the earlier peak of € 271.94, the price fell 87.75%, after which the recovery has fully reclaimed the earlier bear market peak. Over three years, the return is 4,574.56%, while the price is still below the all-time high of € 2,305.73.

Fundamentals

These are the key fundamentals of Zcash:

• Limited supply: The maximum supply of ZEC is set at 21 million coins, and issuance follows a schedule with periodic halvings, which limits long-term supply growth.
• Payment function: ZEC is the native settlement asset of Zcash and is needed to pay transaction fees within both transparent and shielded payments.
• Privacy technology: Shielded transactions using zero-knowledge technology offer a specific privacy feature that could matter if private digital payments become more widely used.
• Specialized infrastructure: The mature and extensible protocol and cryptographic infrastructure can offer technical and ecological advantages that are hard to copy.

Updates and developments that could affect Zcash

Zcash is working on post-quantum signature opcodes for public payments, with the goal of making the network more resistant to future quantum attacks. Ahead of the planned NU7 upgrade, which is expected to shorten block time from 75 to 25 seconds, Gemini has switched to Zakura as software for its Zcash systems. According to the reporting, that upgrade places higher demands on synchronization and transaction processing for exchanges and other infrastructure providers.

Long-term price prediction for Zcash

According to our prediction model, in a neutral scenario, the price of Zcash could reach €5,051.58 in one year, €60,445.94 in three years, €151,532.34 in five years, and €2,884,998.77 in ten years. The further into the future a prediction looks, the greater the uncertainty. These scenarios are based on historical data and do not guarantee future prices.

3. Binance Coin (BNB)

What is Binance Coin?

Binance Coin (BNB) is the native cryptocurrency of the crypto exchange Binance. The coin is used within the BNB Chain ecosystem, including Binance Smart Chain, and was originally launched as an ERC-20 token on Ethereum before moving to Binance’s own blockchain.

Binance Coin price performance

BNB is currently trading at € 650.08. From the first available reading in October 2021, the long-term performance comes to 124.95%, while the return over three years is 221.82%. During the bear market, the price fell from € 598.50 to € 186.55, a drop of 68.83%. Since that bottom, the recovery has been fully completed; the all-time high stands at € 1,187.68.

Fundamentals

These are the key fundamentals of Binance Coin:

• Limited supply: Auto-Burn targets a circulating supply of 100 million BNB, and BEP-95 destroys part of the transaction fees, which limits supply growth.
• Ecosystem utility: BNB is needed for transaction fees and governance on BNB Smart Chain, opBNB, and Greenfield, tying its use to activity across these networks.
• Staking and security: Staking helps determine which validators qualify and helps secure BNB Smart Chain through Proof-of-Staked-Authority and slashing.
• Network effects: BNB’s use across different BNB Chain services and Greenfield can strengthen network effects as developers, users, and applications continue to gather around the ecosystem.

Updates and developments that could affect Binance Coin

The launchpad genius.fun was launched on BNB Chain, a platform that links new tokens to tokenized shares of publicly traded companies. The development is described in an article about the launch of genius.fun and serves as an experiment connecting blockchain, tokenized shares, and possible corporate governance.

Long-term price prediction for Binance Coin

According to our prediction model, in a neutral scenario, the price of Binance Coin could reach €774.45 in one year, €1,103.01 in three years, €1,123.95 in five years, and €1,545.40 in ten years. The further into the future a prediction looks, the greater the uncertainty. These scenarios are based on historical data and do not guarantee future prices.

4. Tron (TRX)

What is Tron?

Tron is a blockchain network for fast and low-cost transactions without a third party. The project focuses on a global system for content and digital entertainment, where creators can communicate more directly with their audience. Tron also supports smart contracts and decentralized applications, such as DeFi projects, social platforms, and games.

Tron price performance

TRX was priced at € 0.1127 at the first available reading on October 17, 2021, and reached a bear market peak of € 0.1127 on November 22, 2021. After that, the price fell 61.13% to a bottom of € 0.04381 on November 23, 2022. Since that bottom, the recovery has been fully completed and the current price is € 0.2964. That still leaves TRX below the all-time high of € 0.4267, while the three-year return stands at 251.99%.

Fundamentals

These are the key fundamentals of Tron:

• Token functionality: TRX is needed for transaction fees, access to smart contract resources, staking, governance, and as collateral within DeFi.
• Staking and network resources: Staking provides Bandwidth or Energy, voting power, and rewards, and makes it possible to delegate network resources to applications and users.
• Fee burning: Burning transaction fees can offset the issuance of new tokens when network activity is higher than the rewards.
• TRC-20 ecosystem: The established TRC-20 ecosystem and the network’s own resource model can support demand for TRX as Tron usage grows.

Updates and developments that could affect Tron

Polygon has added TRON to the Open Money Stack, allowing companies to access USDT payments and cross-border transfers through TRON and supported EVM networks with a single integration: the integration with the Open Money Stack. In addition, an analysis describes TRON as an important settlement layer for stablecoins, with usage heavily concentrated around USDT and payment settlement: TRON’s development as stablecoin infrastructure.

Long-term price prediction for Tron

According to our prediction model, in a neutral scenario, the price of Tron could reach €0.4003 in one year, €0.6604 in three years, €0.8228 in five years, and €1.47 in ten years. The further into the future a prediction looks, the greater the uncertainty. These scenarios are based on historical data and do not guarantee future prices.

5. Ripple (XRP)

What is Ripple?

Ripple is a blockchain-based payment network that uses the XRP Ledger. XRP is the native cryptocurrency for transactions on the network, which focuses on fast and low-cost cross-border payments and crypto liquidity for financial institutions. Through RippleNet, Ripple aims to connect banks and other parties as an alternative to traditional systems like SWIFT.

Ripple price performance

Since the first available reading on October 17, 2021, XRP has delivered a three-year return of 152.19% and a five-year return of 26.42%. During the bear market, the price fell from a peak of € 1.17 to a bottom of € 0.2738, a drop of 76.6%. Since that bottom, the recovery is fully complete according to the provided measurement method, which means the earlier bear market peak has been reclaimed. The current price is € 1.1894, while the all-time high is € 3.30087.

Fundamentals

These are the key fundamentals of Ripple:

• Limited maximum supply: XRP has a maximum supply of 100 billion tokens, and transaction fees are permanently destroyed, without ongoing mining issuance.
• Bridge currency within XRPL: XRP is used for payments, settlement, the built-in decentralized exchange, and liquidity between different currencies.
• Fast settlement: The XRP Ledger offers fast, predictable settlement and built-in features for exchange, escrow, and payments, based on the described properties.
• Network security without mining: An open validator network provides security and finality without requiring XRP staking.

Updates and developments that could affect Ripple

Ripple linked wallet technology from Stripe subsidiary Privy to the XRP Ledger, so financial apps and AI agents can create wallets and make payments in XRP, RLUSD, and other network assets; the integration for built-in wallets and AI payments makes infrastructure for these use cases more accessible. In addition, Batch V1.1 is ready for activation on the XRP Ledger. The upgrade can bundle up to eight transactions and make everything succeed or fail at once, which is relevant for delivery-versus-payment, among other things; the Batch V1.1 upgrade went through a rebuild and an extensive security review before that.

Long-term price prediction for Ripple

According to our prediction model, in a neutral scenario, the price of Ripple could reach €1.80 in one year, €3.30 in three years, €3.50 in five years, and €6.23 in ten years. The further into the future a prediction looks, the greater the uncertainty. These scenarios are based on historical data and do not guarantee future prices.

6. Ethereum (ETH)

What is Ethereum?

Ethereum is a decentralized blockchain platform where developers can build smart contracts and decentralized applications. The native cryptocurrency Ether (ETH) is used for transaction fees and to secure the network through Proof-of-Stake. Ethereum also forms the foundation for many DeFi applications, NFTs, and layer-2 networks.

Ethereum price performance

Since the first available reading on October 17, 2021, Ethereum has posted a three-year return of 43.6% and a five-year return of -34.29%. The price rose to € 4,249.53 on November 22, 2021, and then fell 78.74% to € 903.45 on June 30, 2022. Since that bottom, 38.04% of the recovery toward the earlier peak has been regained, so the recovery is partial. The most recent price is € 2,176.14.

Fundamentals

These are the key fundamentals of Ethereum:

• Transaction fees: ETH is the mandatory fee asset for Ethereum transactions, creating direct demand for the token when the network is used.
• Fee burning: EIP-1559 burns the base fee of transactions, while issuance under proof-of-stake is lower and can be offset by sufficient network activity.
• Staking and security: Staked ETH secures consensus through validator rewards, slashing, and economically costly attacks.
• Layer-2 ecosystem: Through its rollup-centric architecture, Ethereum can extend its role as a settlement and data-availability layer across many applications and layer-2 networks.

Updates and developments that could affect Ethereum

A hack at UNCX hit a shared token vesting pool on Ethereum, with about € 76,800 taken and tokens from multiple projects put at risk. Following the incident, UNCX reportedly started a broader audit of its smart contracts and temporarily paused its vesting and liquidity-locking services on Ethereum; this development is described in the report on the attack on the shared token vault.

Long-term price prediction for Ethereum

According to our prediction model, in a neutral scenario, the price of Ethereum could reach €2,449.46 in one year, €3,146.73 in three years, €2,897.36 in five years, and €3,406.05 in ten years. The further into the future a prediction looks, the greater the uncertainty. These scenarios are based on historical data and do not guarantee future prices.

7. Solana (SOL)

What is Solana?

Solana is a blockchain for fast and low-cost transactions. The network uses Proof-of-History, among other things, to process transactions efficiently and supports applications such as smart contracts. The native cryptocurrency SOL is needed for transaction fees and participation in the ecosystem.

Solana price performance

The most recent closing price is € 93.95, measured on October 16, 2026. Since the first available reading on October 17, 2021, the long-term return comes to 106.48%, while the return over three years is 313.95%. After an earlier bear market peak, the price dropped 96.74% to the bottom at the end of 2022. Since that bottom, the recovery has been partial; the price has regained 38.7% of the move back toward the earlier peak.

Fundamentals

These are the key fundamentals of Solana:

• Transaction fees: SOL is needed to pay for transactions on Solana, giving the token a direct function within the protocol.
• Burn mechanism: Half of the base transaction fees are burned, which offsets part of the issuance as network usage grows.
• Staking and security: Staking SOL supports consensus and rewards participants who delegate their tokens, creating an economically bonded security layer.
• Scalable network: Solana’s architecture is designed for high throughput and low costs, which can strengthen network effects as applications, liquidity, and users continue to concentrate on the blockchain.

Updates and developments that could affect Solana

Solana has scheduled Alpenglow for October 21, a protocol upgrade that is expected to speed up finality to about 150 milliseconds and change how validators vote. The upgrade replaces TowerBFT, allowing validators to exchange vote information directly and bundle it into a certificate for block finality. In addition, Solana is lowering the target block time to 200 milliseconds through a network upgrade; shorter slots raise the demands on validators and give applications less time to use recent blockhashes.

Long-term price prediction for Solana

According to our prediction model, in a neutral scenario, the price of Solana could reach €120.78 in one year, €197.36 in three years, €188.11 in five years, and €280.94 in ten years. The further into the future a prediction looks, the greater the uncertainty. These scenarios are based on historical data and do not guarantee future prices.

8. Near Protocol (NEAR)

What is Near Protocol?

Near Protocol is a blockchain platform designed to enable fast, low-cost, and scalable transactions. The network uses sharding to distribute transactions across multiple parts of the blockchain. The native cryptocurrency NEAR is used for transaction fees, staking, and participation in the network.

Near Protocol price performance

NEAR is currently trading at € 4.69. Since the first available reading, the long-term return comes to 133.53%, while the return over three years is 378.95%. After a bear market peak of € 15.10 on December 29, 2021, the price fell to € 1.17 on December 29, 2022, a drop of 92.26%. Since that bottom, 25.27% of the recovery toward the earlier peak has been regained; the all-time high stands at € 19.59.

Fundamentals

These are the key fundamentals of Near Protocol:

• Network functionality: NEAR is needed for transaction fees, storage, staking, and validator security, tying the token directly to network usage.
• Fee burning: Transaction fees are burned, and governance changes can direct more gas fees toward permanent token burning.
• Staking and security: Proof-of-stake staking secures the network and ties capital to validator participation.
• Scalability: Nightshade sharding, stateless validation, low fees, and fast finality can support further adoption and network effects as usage grows.

Updates and developments that could affect Near Protocol

The institutional infrastructure around NEAR expanded with the launch of the first U.S. spot ETF for NEAR on NYSE Arca. The fund aims to stake the underlying NEAR tokens, so the development also affects how staking is offered through an exchange-traded product. At the same time, the broader infrastructure drew attention after an exploit at NEAR Intents, where the service said it patched a bug and wants to compensate affected users.

Long-term price prediction for Near Protocol

According to our prediction model, in a neutral scenario, the price of Near Protocol could reach €7.31 in one year, €16.84 in three years, €18.52 in five years, and €41.67 in ten years. The further into the future a prediction looks, the greater the uncertainty. These scenarios are based on historical data and do not guarantee future prices.

9. Quant (QNT)

What is Quant?

Quant is a blockchain technology company that aims to connect different blockchains and traditional systems through Overledger. The QNT token is used within the ecosystem for things such as licenses, access to services, and transactions. The project mainly focuses on interoperability between financial institutions, businesses, and different DLT networks.

Quant price performance

Quant was last recorded at € 182.33. From the bear market peak of € 279.06 on October 17, 2021, the price fell to € 36.46 on June 30, 2022, a drop of 86.93%. Since that bottom, 60.13% of the recovery toward the earlier peak has been regained, but the price is still below the all-time high of € 368.45.

Fundamentals

These are the key fundamentals of Quant:

• Limited supply: QNT has a constrained supply with no documented ongoing issuance after part of the original tokens were destroyed on-chain.
• Platform utility: QNT is used for Overledger subscriptions, licensing, transactions, and potentially staking, linking demand to platform usage.
• Native token and staking: The newer Overledger architecture describes QNT as the native token and staking mechanism for trusted transaction-processing nodes.
• Interoperability: Overledger aims to connect blockchains, traditional systems, and tokenized assets through APIs, which can create network effects as the number of supported networks and users grows.

Updates and developments that could affect Quant

Quant was selected for The Clearing House’s On-Chain Money Initiative, a planned network for tokenized deposits between financial institutions that is expected to open in the first half of 2027. In addition, the United Kingdom saw its first live customer transactions with tokenized sterling deposits through a platform developed by Quant for the Great British Tokenised Deposit initiative, as described in the reporting on Quant’s bank integrations.

Long-term price prediction for Quant

According to our prediction model, in a neutral scenario, the price of Quant could reach €310.17 in one year, €746.78 in three years, €899.67 in five years, and €2,296.49 in ten years. The further into the future a prediction looks, the greater the uncertainty. These scenarios are based on historical data and do not guarantee future prices.

10. Stellar (XLM)

What is Stellar?

Stellar is an open blockchain network for fast and low-cost international payments and the issuance of digital assets. The native cryptocurrency XLM is used for transaction fees and minimum account reserves. The network focuses on payments and connecting traditional financial systems with digital assets.

Stellar price performance

Stellar is currently trading at € 0.1631. During the bear market, the price fell from € 0.3824 to € 0.0660, a drop of 82.75%. Since the bottom, 30.69% of the recovery toward the earlier peak has been achieved, so the recovery is still partial. Over three years, the return stands at 60.38%, while the five-year return is -50.52%.

Fundamentals

These are the key fundamentals of Stellar:

• Fixed supply: All XLM tokens were created at launch, inflation ended in 2019, and inaccessible balances are permanently destroyed.
• Network functionality: XLM is needed for transaction fees, account reserves, and Soroban smart contract resources.
• Payments and asset issuance: Stellar supports fast, low-cost settlement, built-in asset issuance, trading, and payments, which can support network effects.
• Efficient consensus: The Stellar Consensus Protocol enables consensus without staking or mining and supports low latency and broad validator participation.

Updates and developments that could affect Stellar

A structurally relevant development is BVNK’s integration of the Stellar network into its stablecoin payments platform. Through a single API, business customers get access to Stellar for cross-border payments, payouts, remittances, and treasury transfers.

Long-term price prediction for Stellar

According to our prediction model, in a neutral scenario, the price of Stellar could reach €0.2318 in one year, €0.3825 in three years, €0.392 in five years, and €0.6236 in ten years. The further into the future a prediction looks, the greater the uncertainty. These scenarios are based on historical data and do not guarantee future prices.

Risks of holding cryptocurrencies for the long term

Even projects with a long track record, high market capitalization, and strong fundamentals can lose value. The crypto market remains volatile, and technological, economic, and regulatory developments can significantly affect the value of a cryptocurrency.

Key long-term risks include changing regulations, competition between blockchains and protocols, declining network activity, technical vulnerabilities, changes in tokenomics, and a lack of real-world adoption.

Strong historical price performance or a positive prediction scenario therefore does not mean a cryptocurrency will perform well again in the future.

Conclusion

A good cryptocurrency for the long term is not simply one that has risen sharply in the past. For this ranking, we combine a project's age and size with historical price performance, recovery after major declines, and current market share.

The ten cryptocurrencies on this list also meet our additional prediction criterion for 1, 3, 5, and 10 years. This makes them worth researching further, but it remains important to consider each project's specific fundamentals and risks.

Always do your own research and keep in mind that you could lose some or all of your investment.