Hey everyone!
Over the last couple of months, I've done research about a multitude of cryptocurrencies to try and determine the best course of action going into the coming year. In my first post on Steemit, I want to talk about the 15 best cryptos that I'm looking to invest in as we begin 2018. Since all cryptos are different, I've decided to separate the list into 3 groups. The three group are Backbone, Moderate, and Sleeper. All these are ranked in, what I believe are, the best cryptos in each area.
Backbone- As close to a safe bet as you can get in the crypto world at the moment. Mostly well established cryptos that will most likely experience gains in the next year, but will mostly likely not show the potential explosiveness of the other groups.
Moderate- Cryptos that are relatively well known and commonly bought and sold. Yet, these cryptos are either low priced or have "a higher ceiling" (aka more potential for large percentage growth). These cryptos are relatively risky in comparison to backbone cryptos, but are definitely safe enough to invest a large portion of your portfolio in.
Sleeper- Cryptos that are slipping under the radar of many investors and analysts, yet have the potential to make triple digit percentage gains over the next year.
So, here are the My Top 15 Cryptos to own going into 2018!
*Disclaimer: All these recommendations are a compiling of my research and are simply my opinion. I am not a financial advisor and you should always do your own research before ANY crypto investment.
Backbone Cryptos
#1.
Market Cap Rank: 2nd
Ethereum currently has the second highest market cap of all cryptos, solidifying it as an established currency. Ethereum specializes in the creation of contracts between two entities without the need of a lawyer and has proven crucial in the funding of many other cryptos. Since bitcoin attracts most of the attention of the everyday market, Ethereum remains rather undersold in comparison to Bitcoin.
#2.
Market Cap Rank: 1st
The king of the crypto market, Bitcoin, is the only crypto that has come even close to a household name. Bitcoin's market cap is greater than the sum of all other cryptocurrency market caps combined. Though, its popularity has led to high levels of growth (and most probably will in the future), it has also led to overbuying of this crypto in comparison to others. It's almost impossible to have a crypto portfolio without Bitcoin though, and it should be a core piece of any well rounded portfolio.
#3.
Market Cap Rank: 5th
Litecoin's relatively low market cap in comparison to the other two cryptos in this section allow for, potentially, more explosive gains. However, its support system, following, and (in my opinion) purpose is inferior to both Bitcoin and Ethereum, which makes me hesitant to place it above either on this list.
Moderate Cryptos
#1.
Market Cap Rank: 7th
The main appeals of IOTA are no fees, regardless of the transaction, as well as fast transaction times. At only 18 months old, the growth that IOTA has shown is truly remarkable, and its momentum alone will most likely carry it to a positive 2018. Moreover, with bitcoin and other fees becoming an increasing issue for potential crypto investors, IOTA could be a vital currency in allowing smaller investors into the market.
#2.
Market Cap Rank: 13th-15th
NEO (previously known as antshares) has been called the "Chinese Ethereum" by many crypto analysts and investors, and for good reason. NEO functions similarly to Ethereum, in that it utilizes contracts to convert real assets into digital ones. NEO, since its rebranding 6 months ago, has skyrocketed nearly 10 fold, and is showing consistent positive growth that will likely continue into and through the new year.
#3.
Market Cap Rank: 9th
While almost all the cryptos utilize the basic coding framework of Bitcoin or Ethereum, NEM's code is completely independent of these two. NEM specializes in speed and its ability to scale. The 323 times growth over the last year proves the hype about this currency. With large gains over the last month as well, I feel this crypto will carry well into the new year.
#4.
Market Cap Rank: 10th
Monero specializes in more private and untraceable transactions, which certainly has market appeal. With a 45 fold increase over the last year and minimal drawdowns, Monero is a well established cryptocurrency which will see future gains. I'm afraid, though, that the large percentage gains on Monero have already been missed. This is the safest play in this section, and can be a good portion of a more conservative crypto portfolio.
#5. 
Market Cap Rank: 11th
If NEO is the "Chinese Ethereum", then EOS is the "Ethereum Killer". Though I'm more than slightly doubtful about this ambitious name, the numbers don't lie. EOS has skyrocketed 20X in the last 2 months, which is an extreme positive for the crypto's future. However, its equally enormous decline off the original ICO leaves me a bit skeptical and provides a reason for why it is relatively low on the list despite such monumental gains.
#6.
Market Cap Rank: 6th
Similar to NEM, Cardano's code was constructed from scratch. Cardano focuses on quick and cheap exchange, as well as a good means of storing money. With almost 20X gains in less than 2 months, the market is certainly paying attention.
(If your considering Cardano, please check out their website first, as there is much much much more on Cardano than I could write in a small paragraph).
#7.
Market Cap Rank: 18th
Lisk is the first cryptocurrency separate from the normal blockchain, which makes Lisk more independence from other cryptos. Lisk's very recent spike exemplifies positive market sentiment, which gives me confidence that, on the next drawdown, Lisk can be a nice pickup to a crypto portfolio.
#8.
Market Cap Rank: 4th
Ripple is a crypto that focuses on access across payment networks, speed, and low fees. After a massive 200% increase over 4 days (Dec 11-Dec 15), now is probably not the best time to purchase the booming currency. Moreover, I feel they are spread a bit thin in terms of what they want to accomplish with their cryptocurrency. However, Ripple's recent spike is an indication of the hype, which could cause the currency to take off again in the near future.
Sleeper Cryptos
#1.
Market Cap Rank: 36
Ark specializes in fast and decentralized transactions. With up to 10% dividends that are paid every few days, tokens will grow extremely fast. In my portfolio, I see Ark as the equivalent of a dividend paying stock. In case of a downturn, a dividend paying stock can supply a steady source on income, which can help soften the blow during a market slide.
#2.
Market Cap Rank: 33
Even leaving bias out of it, I feel that Steem is worth taking a chance on. The potential in 2018 is monumental, especially since there is so much room to grow. The one concern I have about Steem is that it is relatively centralized, in that it's distributed by an entity rather than mined through an algorithm.
#3.
Market Cap Rank: 44
Sia specializes in the storage and security of data. With storage prices almost 100 times less than their competitors, Sia's utilitzation of the blockchain can lead them to become a major ICloud leader in the next 5 years.
#4.
Market Cap Rank: 23
Waves allows for the creation of cryptocurrencies in minutes instead of months. Through crowdfunding and decentralized trading, startups can now participate in the crypto craze on a larger scale.
My Portfolio:
As a relatively young investor, my ideal portfolio would look like this,
Backbone 40%:
Ethereum: 15%
Bitcoin: 12.5%
Litecoin: 12.5%
Moderate 45%:
Iota: 10%
NEO: 10%
NEM: 7%
Monero:7%
EOS: 7%
Lisk: 2%
Ripple: 2%
Sleepers 15%:
Ark: 6%
Steem: 5%
Sia: 2%
Waves: 2%
Everyone should tailor their portfolio to their needs, but consider this a jumping off point on where you can get started.
I hope this article helped you out! Please leave an upvote or a tip if you enjoyed!
Bitcoin Address: 1DH3ZrxNnQob7nXuXYWKqcNWi9hYw4vuRb