Volatile cryptocurrencies

Volatility and uncertainty are pegged to most cryptocurrencies. However, the price swings and constant value changes are not new to the digital currency market. For many centuries, people and governments from across the globe have been combating inflation and deflation. Even before the paper money exchanges came into existence, the barter system was the biggest burden. Since people didn’t have a fixed value for any product, they encountered challenges whenever they have to buy or sell something. When the paper money system came into effect, it changed the financial ecosystem for better. But volatility is still a thing in the modern financial world. In the tech-driven financial sector, cryptocurrencies have emerged as a major disruption in the 21st century. Similar to stocks and other investment models, people can try their hands on cryptocurrencies. But one thing to keep in mind is that there are more volatile cryptocurrencies than the stable ones in this futuristic investment portfolio. Moreover, everything starting from government regulations to upgrades and influencers’ views have a massive impact on these volatile cryptocurrencies. While some take this as an advantage and use it to make money, others lost their capital investment due to price swings. In this article, IndustryWired lists the top volatile cryptocurrencies that investors should be aware of in 2021.

Top Volatile Cryptocurrencies of 2021

Bitcoin

Hailed as the crypto king, bitcoin is one of the most volatile digital tokens in the market. Although its market capitalization and price surge have benefitted investors in the long run, many have experienced losses when it comes to short-term investments. Recently, bitcoin touched US$68,000 in November’s first week after Bitcoin ETF made its debut in the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). While everybody was getting ready for bitcoin to touch US$100,000 before the end of 2022, the digital token is being traded for a moderate value between US$58,000 and US$62,000. 

Ethereum

Ethereum has recently hit US$4,600 and rallied as a major cryptocurrency in the market. The digital token has already outperformed bitcoin on the percentage of gains in 2021. The second-largest digital token now has a market capitalization of US$550 billion. Ethereum was always seen as the shadow of bitcoin. Whatever graph bitcoin draws, ethereum will follow the same with slight changes. But for the first time, ETH reached an all-time high this month without BTC’s guidance. Besides, owing to its recent upgrade, Ethereum 2.0, and burning methods, ETH is anticipated to grow in the coming years. 

Dogecoin

Labeled as the native memecoin, Dogecoin was launched in 2013 after Shiba Inu dog went viral over the internet. Although DOGE was launched at the initial phase of cryptocurrency development, it didn’t hit mainstream till 2020. Dogecoin’s loyal supporters created a price rally in May 2020 by creating a Reddit movement. Later, it was accepted as a payment model in sports events and AMC theaters also opened their door for Dogecoin. Besides, influencers like Elon Musk and Mark Cuban are the biggest supporters of DOGE. However, one thing to remember here is that since Dogecoin’s price is dependant on its investors and influencers, it is highly volatile. 

Shiba Inu

Following Dogecoin’s footsteps, Shiba Inu also became famous and well known only after maintaining a low profile for a long time. Launched in 2020 after the dogecoin rally, SHIB is also a memecoin that was born out of the Shiba Inu dog, which went famous over the internet as jokes and memes. Shiba Inu rose to prominence after an online petition at Change.org to add the digital token at Robinhood exchange has gained over 300,000 signatures. The price rally was further added with its NFT announcement and new investors. However, despite reaching an all-time high in October and making its debut in the top 10 list, SHIB is currently traded for a moderate value that is not very impressive. 

Ripple

Ripple experienced a 7100% surge in 2021 alone. With XRP vs SEC case still under investigation, the digital token’s value is expected to reach the moon if Ripple is there on the winning side. Besides, the win will mark a milestone in crypto history since the case is first of its kind where a decentralized finance platform has overstepped on government regulations but still got away with it. Ripple’s connecting with banks and financial institutions is also contributing to its price rally.