In 2024, when so much has shaken the world and the traditional financial system is suffering some difficulties, many users have turned their attention to another type of donations, namely, – crypto donations. In this article, we will tell you about the top 10 reliable cryptos that are worth investing in.
Key Points:
- Crypto donations have become one of the most popular types of supporting a charity or an individual.
- There are different types of cryptocurrencies.
- NOWPayments offers different donation tools and over 100 cryptos to choose from.
What are cryptocurrencies?
Cryptocurrency is a digital currency, which is a program code on the blockchain — a fully decentralized system consisting of information blocks. The cryptocurrency is not managed by any monetary authority or government. Most cryptocurrencies are pseudonymous. No user data is displayed in the global transaction registry, but the transactions and addresses themselves are visible, so if necessary, they can be tracked and associated with a specific user or company. In addition to decentralization and anonymity, cryptocurrency has the following properties:
- peer-to-peer;
- fast;
- cost-effective;
- secure.
Types of Cryptocurrencies
In addition to the standard classification for Bitcoin and Altcoins, as well as coins and tokens, almost all cryptocurrencies can be divided into 4 main types:
- Payment cryptocurrencies
The main purpose of payment cryptocurrencies is payment for goods and services. They are used as traditional (fiat) funds, but at the same time, there is decentralization, anonymity, speed, and low transaction costs.
Examples: Bitcoin, Dash, Litecoin.
- Platform cryptocurrencies
The crypto platform is a network based on blockchain technology that allows software developers to write and deploy smart contracts. People can create various services and applications based on these platforms, thereby achieving an almost unlimited number of use cases.
Examples: Ethereum, Cardano, Solana.
- Exchanges’ cryptocurrencies
All reputable trading platforms issue their own digital tokens, which are the fuel for their work. Thanks to these assets, the turnover of funds on exchanges accelerates and liquidity increases. Moreover, due to such tokens users receive discounts and bonuses.
Examples: Binance Coin, Huobi Token, FTX Token.
- Stablecoins
These cryptocurrencies differ in that their volatility is minimized. All this is due to the binding to some more stable asset, for example, the dollar or gold.
Examples: Tether, USD Coin, Dai.
Top 10 Crypto Donations Options in 2024
Bitcoin (BTC)
Probably none of the top crypto ratings can do without Bitcoin. For the first time, the decentralized Bitcoin network was launched in 2009 and since that moment the coin has been considered the flagship, which the creators of altcoins are guided by in one way or another. Surely you have already noticed that if the price of BTC falls, then the prices of other cryptocurrencies fall. Therefore, it makes sense to keep such an asset in your portfolio.
In addition, BTC is in incredible demand. The coin is actively used by foreign online stores as a crypto payment gateway. Social networks are also keeping up with this trend.
Bitcoin has always remained the most expensive cryptocurrency, but it also had difficult times. Despite having not the fastest and cheapest transactions, Bitcoin is the most popular, reliable, and liquid cryptocurrency on the market.
The recent Bitcoin halving 2024 has further fueled interest in Bitcoin. Read Bitcoin Halving Predictions in the article.
Ethereum (ETH)
The second in the rating is Ethereum, launched in 2013 by Vitalik Buterin. Ether, just like BTC, can act as an indicator of the crypto market. It is often used to evaluate the alt season (ETHDOM index). The project has built an ecosystem around itself that supports it and helps during periods of crypto-winter. The coin already has a capitalization of 300+ billion dollars. A big plus is a demand for Ethereum, because many other projects (among which many also have tens and hundreds of billions of dollars of capitalization) are based on the Ethereum platform. That is, Ethereum is the base for many blockchains, which makes it an incredibly reliable tool.
However, in addition to the high fundamental reliability of the project, Ethereum can also give potentially high returns, because the network is soon scheduled to switch to Ethereum 2.0. This fundamental update will help the network get rid of a lot of problems, which will make ETH even more attractive.
After the latest news that Hong Kong’s SFC approved its first spot Bitcoin and Ethereum exchange traded funds, the interest to this ecosystem has risen.
Cardano (ADA)
Cardano is a blockchain platform created on the basis of scientific research; there are many engineers and scientists in the development team. ADA is actively improving in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh and Lancaster University. Cardano is a fast-growing blockchain network that positions itself as a competitor to the next generation of Ethereum. In 2021, the coin showed stunning growth. Cardano’s thing is a well-thought-out development scheme. The developers presented a five-stage plan, thanks to which the cryptocurrency will be able to become a popular decentralized system. In addition, at the end of 2021, the platform launched smart contracts, which took the project to another level.
Cardano (ADA) is showing signs of upward momentum following a resilient April 2024. Once considered a potential competitor to Ethereum, Cardano continues to maintain its popularity within the cryptocurrency market. With years of dedicated research and development, Cardano aims to demonstrate its strengths scientifically and mathematically compared to Ethereum.
Solana (SOL)
In 2021, Solana broke, out of nowhere, into the top 10 cryptocurrencies by capitalization, and such growth would not have been possible without a powerful fundamental. Experts believe that the project will continue to grow in 2024. Solana may seriously compete with Ethereum in the near future, as the platform offers faster and cheaper transactions. Solana is also able to deprive Ethereum of leadership in the field of NFT. In many “points” Solana is already what Ethereum developers will come to after the planned update.
The blockchain project offers users the same as Ethereum: a framework for creating smart contracts and application development (dApps), NFT, and decentralized finance (DeFi). Solana will probably remain the best choice for those institutions and individuals who don’t want to wait for Ethereum to catch up.
Recently, Solana has experienced a significant resurgence, soaring nearly 800% in the past months of 2024 to reach $128. Now, investors are contemplating whether the network’s cryptocurrency could potentially reach its previous all-time high price of $260 once more.
BNB (BNB)
BNB is in the top 5 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Cryptocurrency is actively developing in many directions. Binance has been building an ecosystem for a long time, in which everyone will find something useful for themselves: an exchange, passive earnings, dApps. The main drivers of growth in 2022:
- The growing popularity of the Binance exchange plays into the hands of BNB.
- Developers often burn coins, reducing the supply.
- The crypto exchange plans to create new products where BNB will be used.
The prospects of BNB should include the development of DeFi at BSC. BNB is at the heart of these projects. The entire Binance economy is based on BNB.
BNB, a well-established cryptocurrency created by Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ), currently holds the position of the fourth-largest coin by market capitalization. Over the April 2024, BNB has shown a positive trend, with its value increasing by nearly 24% to around $323.
There is an overall optimistic sentiment regarding BNB’s long-term prospects, with projections indicating a potential value of $645 by the end of next year.
Polkadot (DOT)
Polkadot is a unique altcoin that can exchange data between different blockchains. One of the main problems of cryptocurrencies is that each of them works “remotely” — by itself, without the possibility of exchanging information.
Polkadot includes the main network, the relay chain, and the parachains that work together. Through bridges, these parachains are connected to other blockchains (for example, Ethereum). Polkadot’s leadership and its ability to connect to blockchains can help it stay in the lead as the crypto industry develops.
The platform operates on the principle of auctions. Netizens vote for projects, and the winning project receives Polkadot’s power. Users who voted for the winning project receive a reward in the form of tokens of this project. You can participate in such Polkadot auctions, for example via the Binance exchange.
With its strong fundamentals, Polkadot has garnered attention not only from retail investors but also from institutional players. As it continues on a bullish trajectory driven by increasing interest and adoption, analysts forecast a surge beyond $15 by the end of the second quarter of 2024. Not only recognized as one of the leading altcoins, Polkadot is also considered one of the top cryptocurrency investment options.
Chainlink (LINK)
The Chainlink network was developed as the first decentralized oracle, which is designed to provide external data for smart contracts. With its help, you can link smart contracts with real information — payments or events. To date, the project is already cooperating with the SWIFT international payment system, as well as with Google Cloud.
Chainlink oracles can use datasets, APIs, and other, almost any, sources from the outside world. This will be useful for projects that need external data to work. Chainlink aims to become a bridge between traditional information and the technology of the future — blockchain. It is a promising direction for the whole 21st century.
The blockchain oracle project Chainlink has recently collaborated with Rapid Addition, a Financial Information eXchange (FIX) connectivity solutions provider, to create a FIX-native adapter tailored for institutional digital asset trading.
According to Chainlink’s recent announcement, the adapter will leverage its Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP), which is an interoperability protocol with applications spanning token transfers, gaming, and decentralized finance (DeFi).
IOTA (MIOTA)
IOTA ecosystem is not connected to the blockchain. It is based on a special registry that follows the principles of decentralization. The main goal of the IOTA project is integration with the digital technology of the Internet of Things. It is this focus on the megatrend of the future that may lead to an increase in the asset price in 2022-2023.
Today, the Internet of Things is actively “entering” into all spheres. For example, smart greenhouses have already appeared in agriculture, which independently dose water and fertilizer for plants. Transportation companies use IoT to control smart cars. Medical institutions implement devices that monitor the patient’s health indicators in the background. In the coming years, this area will grow rapidly, especially given the opportunities that the speed of 5G mobile networks will open up.
In November 2023, the IOTA Ecosystem DLT Foundation made history by becoming the first foundation to be registered under the regulatory framework for blockchain foundations in the emirate.
Stellar (XLM)
Stellar is a platform focused on making currency payments in real-time. It operates on its own protocol of the same name, built on the basis of Ripple (Stellar is a fork of Ripple). Last year, the platform took first place in terms of the level of ICOs held on it. It is not surprising that the demand for the Lumen token is growing at the same time. Stellar is increasingly being used as a useful financial infrastructure in companies, especially for organizations registered in developing countries.
The coin has experienced a 12% decline over the last week in April 2024 and a 23% decrease in the last 30 days, although it has still managed to maintain a 12% gain over the past year. While these percentages may be disappointing compared to the returns seen by other major tokens recently, they also suggest the potential for XLM to deliver above-average gains in the near future.
Keep in mind that this guide serves as a preliminary resource for your research. It’s crucial to conduct thorough due diligence before making any investment decisions.
Other Top Cryptocurrencies
| Name | Ticker | Market Cap | |
| Uniswap | UNI | $5,338,739,343 | The token of the most popular decentralized exchange Uniswap. |
| Decentraland | MANA | $826,482,057 | The most popular cryptocurrency for metaverses. |
| Aave | AAVE | $1,257,595,857 | Cryptocurrency for decentralized finance. |
| Algorand | ALGO | $1,479,735,449 | The leader in transaction processing speed. |
| Avalanche | AVAX | $12,778,598,031 | The fastest blockchain supporting smart contracts. |
NOWPayments
Due to the situation that has developed in recent years, sending and accepting cryptocurrency donations is a reasonable step. NOWPayments offers more than 350 cryptocurrencies to accept, including those listed in the article. We provide convenient donation tools for non-profit organizations and individuals: widgets, links, and buttons. In addition, with the help of our service, businesses can set up the acceptance of crypto payments, and employers can pay crypto salaries.
Conclusion
For donations, the best choice is selecting those currencies that not only are fast and have low transaction fees but also those that are well-known not only in the crypto industry and have real value. However, you can choose any crypto you personally prefer. NOWPayments offers 350+ cryptocurrencies for making donations to any charity or individual.