7 Best Long Term Crypto Investments January 2025

Cryptocurrencies are not your typical assets to hold for long term – but some might be.

To this day, we’ve had over 400 obituaries written for Bitcoin, but as we all know by now, it’s not really going anywhere.

The same is true for many other coins out there. With solid research and careful consideration, you could also discern the tokens to keep for the long term among many, many lists of best cryptocurrencies of 2025.

Below, we list our pick of the seven best long term crypto investments with the most potential to grow in value over the next few years.

Read on to learn more about which crypto to buy for the long term, and how you can do your own research.

7 Best Cryptos to Buy for the Long Term

List of the Best Long Term Crypto Investments

Detailed Reviews of the Top Long Term Crypto Investments

1. iDegen: An AI bred on crypto memes

• Symbol: IDGN
• Market cap: $16,091,312
• Current price: $0.0786
• Founded: 2024
• Whitepaper

Overview

iDEGEN is an experimental AI with a knowledge base that’s created and developed based on interactions with its X account.

Rather than learning from structured datasets, it evolves based on community posts, memes, and hashtags, updating every hour. With no human oversight or control.

This project explores what happens when an AI develops through decentralized, unpredictable participation rather than a controlled environment.

You can be a part of it by joining in the presale, where unsold tokens will be burned to create value for early adopters.

 

Key features

A unique project to develop a new, community-driven AI Find out what happens when an AI learns from crypto X – unfiltered Auction model creates value for early adopters

Key negatives

A wholly unpredictable token – in more ways than one

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2. Bitcoin: Best crypto for a long term store of value

• Symbol: BTC
• Market cap: $2.05T
• Current price: $103,691.58
• Founded: 2010
• Whitepaper

Overview

Bitcoin is the oldest and most widely adopted cryptocurrency, valued for its broad support and various use cases.

It’s accepted as payment by many businesses and serves as a store of value through decentralized and traditional finance channels.

With a capped supply of 21 million coins, Bitcoin’s built-in scarcity helps sustain its long-term value and appeal.

Key features

Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency and remains the most popular The total supply is limited which creates natural scarcity and value Bitcoin is widely accepted as a means of payment in-stores and online

Key negatives

Already very popular which may limit future growth

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3. Ethereum: The most secure and battle-tested blockchain

• Symbol: ETH
• Market cap: $402.88B
• Current price: $3,343.32
• Founded: 2015
• Whitepaper

Overview

Ethereum, a cornerstone of blockchain technology, powers decentralized applications and the DeFi ecosystem.

It’s the leading smart contract platform, with countless projects built on its network and strong long-term potential.

Many see ETH as both a store of value and an investment for those interested in blockchain innovation, with room to challenge Bitcoin’s dominance.

Key features

Ethereum is the leading platform for smart contract applications Capable of processing more transactions than ever Offers decentralized apps, smart contracts, DeFi, and more

Key negatives

There are lots of potential 'Ethereum killers'

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4. Chainlink: Connecting blockchains to real-world data

• Symbol: LINK
• Market cap: $16.24B
• Current price: $25.45
• Founded: 2017
• Whitepaper

Overview

Chainlink bridges blockchain smart contracts and real-world data, enabling secure, reliable data feeds for DeFi applications.

It powers tokenised finance products and real-world betting markets by providing live price information via its decentralised oracle network.

LINK tokens are essential for paying oracle operators and incentivising accurate data. Chainlink’s adaptability makes it a cornerstone of DeFi innovation.

Key features

Chainlink can connect blockchains to external data sources LINK is the means of payment within Chainlink LINK token holders influence the reputation of data providers

Key negatives

Chainlink's technology has been overtaken by some layer 2 projects

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5. Solana: Best Ethereum competitor

• Symbol: SOL
• Market cap: $127.66B
• Current price: $262.35
• Founded: 2020
• Whitepaper

Overview

Solana is a high-performance blockchain platform for decentralized applications and cryptonative projects, offering fast, scalable solutions.

Its smart contracts process thousands of transactions per second, reducing transaction costs and encouraging wider adoption of dApps.

This supports innovation in DeFi, gaming, NFTs, and the crypto space, potentially increasing the value of the SOL token.

Key features

Allows a much larger number of transactions per second A developer-friendly environment Lots of dApps are built on the Solana blockchain

Key negatives

Lots of competitor coins offer a similar service Solana has experienced significant downtime issues

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6. Avalanche: Best DeFi blockchain for fast financial transactions

• Symbol: AVAX
• Market cap: $15.21B
• Current price: $36.98
• Founded: 2020
• Whitepaper

Overview

Avalanche is a fast, scalable blockchain tailored for dApps and DeFi.

Its flexibility allows developers to create private or public networks with custom features. AVAX, its native token, powers transactions, app creation, and fee payments.

Known for low costs and high efficiency, Avalanche has become a leading DeFi protocol, making AVAX a popular investment choice.

Key features

Avalanche offers rapid transaction speeds Supports cross-chain compatibility AVAX is a flexible utility token

Key negatives

Difficult to beat out competition

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7. Binance coin: Get great trading discounts on Binance

• Symbol: BNB
• Market cap: $100.44B
• Current price: $697.46
• Founded: 2017
• Whitepaper

Overview

Binance Coin is the native cryptocurrency of the Binance exchange, offering discounts and benefits to users.

It serves as a utility token for paying trading fees, accessing features, and participating in token sales on the platform.

BNB’s success is closely tied to Binance’s dominance as a leading exchange, making it a popular choice among crypto enthusiasts.

Key features

Tangible value and demand for the token Used to pay trading fees and for discounted trading Invest in token sales on the Binance Launchpad

Key negatives

Binance has had its share of regulatory issues

Read review Trade BNB

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What Makes a Crypto the Best Choice for Long Term Investment?

Successful long term cryptocurrency investments typically involve careful consideration of various factors.

While holding crypto long term carries inherent risks, here are some key features to consider when aiming for a crypto portfolio set up for long term success.

Strong fundamentals

The underlying blockchain technology and innovation of the cryptocurrency project are vital to long term success.

Projects that have real-world utility, offer technological advancements, or have the potential to disrupt existing industries are best placed to succeed over time.

Solid use case and market potential

Any long term crypto investments need to have a large potential market capitalization and practical, real-world applications that will help them reach the target audience.

Ideally, there should also be limited competition so that the cryptocurrency can gain widespread adoption and maximize its long term growth potential.

Scalability

High scalability is crucial for good long term cryptocurrency investments, as it ensures the blockchain network can handle increasing demand without sacrificing performance or incurring high fees.

Your long term crypto portfolio must include digital assets where the underlying technology can handle increased transaction volumes and accommodate future growth.

Network effects

Network effects occur when the value of a cryptocurrency increases as more users join and use the network.

A robust and growing crypto ecosystem with active users, developers, and partnerships can contribute to network effects.

This is vital for long term crypto projects to expand and attract new users. Network effects can be extremely powerful, as once a new crypto project reaches a critical mass of users joining and sharing the word, it can expand dramatically and achieve mainstream adoption.

Earning potential

One way to make money over the long term is to invest in the best staking coins, which you can use to earn passive income on your holdings.

Staking coins effectively pay interest in the form of crypto rewards that you can add to your portfolio.

These coins are built using Proof-of-Stake (PoS) consensus mechanisms. PoS blockchains require some users to act as validators, approving transactions so they can be added to the blockchain.

To incentivize people to do this, anyone who stakes their tokens earns rewards for doing so, and these can be a good little bonus earner in your portfolio.

Security and governance

Crypto projects that prioritize strong encryption, auditability, secure smart contract development practices, and protection against potential vulnerabilities or attacks have a good chance to succeed for long term investors.

Also consider the governance model of the cryptocurrency project. Assess whether there is a clear and transparent decision-making process, community involvement, and mechanisms for protocol upgrades and improvements.

Diversification and risk management

Long term investing is about protecting the value of your crypto token as much as it is about achieving long term growth. Digital currencies can be highly volatile in the short term, so you want to minimize damage during a bear market while making hay during bull runs.

Spread your investment across multiple cryptocurrencies to mitigate risk if you plan on holding crypto long term. Diversifying your portfolio can help protect against potential losses from individual projects and increase the chances of benefiting from successful investments.

Community and ecosystem  

Community and ecosystem are crucial factors when choosing a long-term crypto investment.  A strong, engaged community drives investor confidence.  Look for projects with active online communities, doxed developer teams, and a clear roadmap for the future.

A robust ecosystem built around a cryptocurrency signifies its potential for long-term success.  Consider whether the crypto facilitates decentralized applications, enables low transaction costs, and offers utility beyond pure speculation.  A thriving ecosystem with real-world use cases suggests the project has staying power.

Regulatory landscape

Governments around the world are still grappling with how to regulate the cryptocurrency industry.  While regulations can introduce uncertainty, clear and well-defined regulations can also instill investor confidence and pave the way for institutional adoption.  Stay up-to-date on evolving regulations and prioritize crypto projects operating within compliant frameworks.

Is Investing in Crypto for the Long Term Worth It?

The cryptocurrency space is still young and volatile, but it also boasts immense growth potential. Technological advancements are constantly pushing the boundaries of the crypto world.  Decentralized finance (DeFi) applications and innovative consensus mechanisms like Proof-of-Stake may offer a more efficient and scalable future.  

These advancements could lead to wider adoption and mainstream acceptance, potentially propelling the value of established cryptocurrencies. Institutional investors are increasingly taking notice of the cryptocurrency landscape.  The rise of Bitcoin exchange traded funds, and the growing interest from hedge funds and financial institutions signal a shift in investor sentiment.  

This institutional flow of money could bolster investor confidence and propel the long-term growth of the entire asset class. Before diving in, remember that crypto remains a speculative investment and still requires a high risk tolerance.  Spreading your money across a diversified portfolio that includes established cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin alongside emerging coins with strong fundamentals can help mitigate risk.

Conclusion

When looking for a long term crypto there’s a lot to consider, especially if you’re planning to invest for many years.

It’s important to find a coin with a unique offering that has the potential to gain traction in the future, while market timing is important: always try to buy low and sell high.