Crypto prices had a turbulent year in 2025, with meme coins among the top laggards. This trend may continue in 2026, with the Altcoin Season Index expected to drop further. This article looks at some of the best cryptocurrencies to buy with real utility.
Chainlink is a Key Crypto to Buy
Chainlink price has crashed by over 50% from its highest point in August. This crash happened because of the broader crypto market plunge that has hit Bitcoin and most altcoins.
Despite the crash, Chainlink has some of the best fundamentals in the crypto industry. It is the biggest Oracle network in the industry, with a significant market share.
Chainlink is also the largest player in the fastest-growing real-world asset tokenization industry, with partnerships with some of the largest companies globally.
Additionally, the LINK ETF has accumulated millions of dollars in assets over the past few weeks, a trend that may continue in the foreseeable future.
Chainlink is also accumulating LINK tokens as part of its Strategic LINK Reserves, which have now added over 1.3 million tokens. That is a sign that the developers are optimistic that the token will bounce back over time.
READ MORE: Here’s Why Shiba Inu Coin Price Crashed ~70% in 2025
Ethereum is Becoming the Operating System of the Crypto Industry
ETH is another top crypto to buy in 2026 due to its growing market share across key areas of the blockchain industry. This growing market share is occurring despite the entry of additional layer-2 and layer-1 networks, such as Monad, Plasma, and Katana.
Ethereum has a 70% market share in the decentralized finance industry. It also holds the largest share in the RWA industry, where JPMorgan recently selected it for its first on-chain fund.
Similarly, Ethereum is the biggest player in the stablecoin and decentralized exchange industries. These metrics, together with its ETF accumulation and falling supply on exchanges, will help boost its price in the long term.
Midnight (NIGHT) to Benefit From the Privacy Theme
NIGHT is another top crypto to buy today for big gains into the coming year. It has already jumped by over 155% from its lowest level this month, making it one of the best-performing newly launched tokens in the crypto industry.
Midnight has two main catalysts in 2026, including the upcoming mainnet launch in the first quarter. It is common for tokens to jump ahead and after a major event.
The token will also benefit from the ongoing privacy theme, which most analysts believe will do well in the coming year.
Solana Price to Benefit From the Alpenglow Upgrade
SOL is another top crypto to buy in 2026 because of its strong fundamentals, including the upcoming Alpenglow upgrade that will make it a better chain
While Ethereum will be the most dominant player in key industries, Solana’s track record means that it will be its most important alternative. Indeed, Solana generated some of the highest fees in 2025, and this trend may continue.
Solana has a high staking yield, which helps offset its price losses. Data shows that the token has a staking yield of 7.5%, much higher than Ethereum’s 2.85% and BNB’s 2.5%.
Binance Coin is Another Top Cryptocurrency to Buy
Binance Coin (BNB) is another top utility coin to buy and hold in 2026. Like Solana, the BSC chain has substantial utility that will continue to grow in the coming years. BSC benefited from three major upgrades last year: Pascal, Lorentz, and Maxwell, which lowered its block times.
The network generates millions of dollars in fees and, most importantly, burns tokens worth over $4 billion every year. Its goal is to reduce the number of tokens in circulation from the current 139 million to 100 million.
Therefore, a combination of its utility, high burn rate, and uncorrelation with other tokens means it will rebound in the coming year.
READ MORE: Dogecoin Price Crashed 63% in 2025 — What’s Ahead in 2026?
