We Picked 8 Cryptocurrencies to Invest $1,000 in for January 2026

Ethereum

Ethereum trades at $3,221 as of writing, reflecting short-term pressure despite strong long-term accumulation signals. Market data shows ETH remains well below its August peak of $4,950, even after a year marked by heavy institutional buying. 

(Source: CoinCodex)

Tom Lee, chairman of digital asset treasury firm Bitmine, has attributed the price softness to year-end tax-loss selling and reduced holiday liquidity. Yet large buyers have continued to act.

Bitmine alone purchased $1.4 billion worth of Ethereum in December, including a $131 million acquisition late in the month, bringing its total holdings to about 3.4% of ETH’s circulating supply.

Why does that matter? Staking plans tied to these holdings could generate over $370 million in annual income, reinforcing Ethereum’s role as a yield-bearing infrastructure rather than a purely speculative asset.

XRP

XRP stands out as adoption expands across both institutional finance and regulated investment products. Recent ETF launches, including funds from Bitwise and Hashdex, have recorded strong inflows that at times rivaled Bitcoin and Ethereum products in late 2025. Banks such as Santander, PNC, and Standard Chartered continue to use Ripple’s On-Demand Liquidity service, which relies on XRP as a bridge asset for cross-border payments.

Transitioning away from pre-funded accounts has reduced settlement costs and transfer times. Regulatory developments in the United States, including clearer legislative frameworks, have supported this growth. Ripple’s $500 million capital reserve now targets DeFi expansion on the XRP Ledger, setting the stage for broader ecosystem usage in 2026.

Dogecoin

Dogecoin has emerged as one of the most visible beneficiaries of post-election market enthusiasm. The token surged more than 150% after President-elect Donald Trump announced the Department of Government Efficiency, a development that reignited the long-running Dogecoin narrative.

Elon Musk’s continued public support and speculation around payments on the X platform have kept DOGE in focus. While the asset lacks formal utility compared to payment or smart contract networks, its liquidity and cultural relevance continue to attract short-term capital during risk-on phases.

Zcash

Zcash continues to attract attention as privacy concerns grow across digital finance. The network supports both transparent and shielded transactions, allowing users and institutions to balance compliance with confidentiality. Its use of zk-SNARKs technology enables private transfers without revealing sender, receiver, or transaction value.

365-Day Price Prediction for Zcash. (Source: CoinCodex)

Recent ecosystem improvements, including the Zashi wallet that defaults to shielded transfers, have simplified usage for everyday users. Scalability initiatives such as Project Tachyon aim to increase throughput while maintaining privacy guarantees.

Regulatory discussions around selective disclosure have also positioned Zcash as a privacy-focused asset that still fits evolving compliance frameworks.

Hedera

Hedera continues to build momentum through enterprise-focused adoption and real-world use cases. The network operates under a governing council that includes global companies such as Google and IBM, which provides oversight and stability. Hedera’s low fees and fast finality have supported applications in supply chain tracking, carbon credit markets, and real-world asset tokenization. 

Public sector interest has grown around Hedera’s immutable timestamping and governance tools, particularly for audit and compliance use cases. Ongoing network upgrades and expanding council membership have reinforced confidence in Hedera’s role as an infrastructure layer for regulated digital applications heading into 2026.

Ethena

Ethena has emerged as a fast-growing Ethereum-based protocol centered on  Its synthetic dollar, USDe. Wider listings and increased adoption of USDe across centralized and decentralized platforms have driven demand for the ENA token. The protocol focuses on yield generation through delta-neutral strategies, appealing to users seeking alternatives to traditional stablecoins. 

Market participants have closely followed Ethena’s roadmap after late-2025 milestones tied to infrastructure expansion and governance development. Interest has also increased following reports of potential institutional exposure, which could broaden the protocol’s user base heading into 2026.

Bonk

Bonk remains closely linked to the Solana ecosystem, where low transaction fees and fast settlement support high-volume retail activity. The token gained prominence through community-driven distribution and continues to benefit from renewed interest in Solana-based applications. 

Bonk’s ecosystem has expanded to include integrations with wallets, NFT platforms, and gaming projects, supporting on-chain activity beyond speculation. Its price action often mirrors broader risk sentiment, with sharp moves during periods of rising retail participation. Traders continue to watch Bonk as a liquidity proxy for meme-driven cycles within the Solana network.

Floki

Floki has focused on building utility to support long-term engagement beyond meme-driven trading. The project’s ecosystem includes DeFi tools, NFT initiatives, and the Valhalla metaverse, which aims to introduce play-to-earn mechanics. Ongoing development has sought to convert community momentum into sustained on-chain usage. 

Technical indicators and marketing campaigns have kept Floki visible during broader market upswings. While sentiment remains a key driver, ecosystem progress has positioned Floki as one of the more active projects within the meme coin category.