Best Crypto to Buy Now (January 2): XRP, PEPE, Solana
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Ahmed Balaha
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2026 is finally here, and crypto traders are entering the new year hoping that 2025 will hold the altcoin even better. Currently, XRP, Solana and PEPE stand out as some of the most interesting choices for the best crypto to buy.
While Bitcoin is recovering to $89.5K, most altcoins are still down more than 50% from their all-time highs.
Bitcoin has pretty well broken the familiar four-year cycle narrative, so no one can say with confidence what's coming next. Still, when looking at the fundamentals, SOL, XRP and PEPE remain some of the most compelling names heading into the new year, and here's why.
Ripple (XRP) may head to $8 in 2026: bank analyst predicts
XRP has reached an eight-year low in exchange supply.
A big part of that is coming from ETFs, which have raised more than $1.4B since inception. That's close to 0.75% of the total XRP supply in a few months.
On top of that, Standard Chartered analysts think XRP could rally more than 300% and push above $8 by 2026, with ETF demand in place and regulatory transparency XRP finally has…
There are three key levels to focus on the XRP chart right now. To remain in a bullish structure, XRP should continue to hold above $1.80 as we head into Q1.
It just broke above the initial level at $1.90. If that rally continues, a retest of $2.00 psychological resistance is expected. The RSI is around 64, which still leaves room for short-term pressure towards $2.20.
Any sustained break below $1.80 will damage the bullish structure, and the $1.60 level will be critical support to watch on the downside.
Solana (SOL) is the highest chain in 2025 and can do it again in 2026
Solana is no longer a pop-up chain. It closed 2025 as the number one blockchain, bringing in over $1.4B and even beating out second place HyperLiquid.
It also led all chains in terms of DX volume and was second only to Binance Smart Chain in terms of active addresses in November, and that was one of the weakest periods for the network.
Another major milestone that cannot be missed is the approval of Solana ETFs. These are expected to bring new demand to the ecosystem similar to the launch period where the SOL experienced 21 consecutive days of inflow.
With all this said, while the price is still above 18-month support, Solana could be quietly poised for an explosive move in 2026.
From a technical angle, SOL has now pushed above its short-term resistance at $128. If it holds above the $127.50 to $130.50 zone and holds, the momentum could increase quickly.
That would first pave the way to $133, followed by a retest of the channel's highs around $139 to $140. If it fails to hold this area, $118 will come back into focus, with $112 set to watch as the next deep support.
PEPE can do it again and Memecoin can start a chapter.
PEPE is up nearly 50% since early 2026. The last bear market, PEPE came out of nowhere and was one of the sparks that helped start the bull run.
It basically created the era of memecoin that everyone still remembers. The way it's going now, a lot of people are starting to think that it could pull that back and bring memecoins back to life.
That candle broke through months of resistance around $0.000005, but there is still a long way to go.
After this push, the RSI settled around 89, which is clearly overbought, not oversold. That means backtracking will be the norm here. If PEPE can flip that old resistance to support on the dip, it could be a very strong year.
In the year In 2025, he could recreate the same rally he had earlier. If so, the coin below stands out as one of the strongest candidates to follow suit.
Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) could be the next coin to follow this trend.
As big cryptocurrencies such as XRP and Solana grind through key stages, early stage capital is already spiraling into high-upside plays. One project gaining attention right now is Bitcoin Hyper.
Bitcoin Hyper positions itself as a Bitcoin-aligned Layer 2 focused on speed, scalability and real utility. There is something that many investors today feel is lacking in Bitcoin itself. The project has already passed the $30M milestone. This is interesting given the current market conditions and risk sentiment towards altcoins.
It's the time that stands out. Bitcoin is gaining hyper traction. While most speculative assets are still in deep declines, the same set-up that has historically yielded large amounts will return once momentum returns. In the year If 2026 turns into a broader bearish bearish trend, Bitcoin is in a strong position to benefit from that hyper-spin.
As usual, higher games have higher risks. But for traders looking beyond the big copycats, Bitcoin Hyper is shaping up to be one of the most visible narratives of the year.
Visit the official Bitcoin Hyper website here
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