1. Bitcoin (BTC) – The Digital Gold

• Function: Store of value, decentralized money

   

• Why It Matters:

   

  • Most trusted and recognized crypto

     

  • Limited supply (21 million BTC) ensures scarcity

     

• Use Case: Long-term investment, hedge against inflation

   

• Market Cap (Feb 2025): ~$2.1 Trillion

   

• Price: ₹90–95 lakhs (approx)

   

2. Ethereum (ETH) – Smart Contracts & dApps Leader

• Function: Decentralized application platform

   

• Key Feature: Transitioned to Proof-of-Stake (PoS) in 2022

   

• Use Case: DeFi, NFTs, staking, identity solutions

   

• Popular In India: NFT platforms, Web3 development, staking

   

• Market Cap: ~$330 Billion

   

• Price: ~$2,736 (₹2.3–2.5 lakh)

   

3. Tether (USDT) – The Stable Crypto

• Function: Pegged to the US Dollar (1 USDT = $1)

   

• Use Case: Reduces price volatility, quick transfer between coins

   

• Why It’s Safe: Backed by USD reserves

   

• Market Cap: ~$141 Billion

   

• Ideal For: Traders parking value during volatility

   

4. Binance Coin (BNB) – Powering Binance Ecosystem

• Function: Pay fees on Binance exchange, staking, launchpads

   

• Key Utility: Used in the Binance Smart Chain (BSC) for DeFi and gaming

   

• Market Cap: ~$83.4 Billion

   

• Price: ~$585.9

   

• Indian Interest: Pro traders using Binance for high-volume trading

   

5. Solana (SOL) – Fast, Scalable, and DeFi-Friendly

• Function: High-speed smart contracts & dApps

   

• Unique Advantage: Handles up to 65,000 TPS

   

• Use Case: NFTs, DeFi, Web3 apps

   

• Market Cap: ~$96 Billion

   

• Price: ~$196.9

   

• Growing in India: Used by developers for NFT platforms and low-cost DeFi

   

6. USD Coin (USDC) – Regulated Stablecoin

• Function: USD-pegged, fiat-backed stablecoin

   

• Issuer: Circle (regulated, U.S.-based)

   

• Use Case: Safe store of value, crypto payments, bridging fiat

   

• Market Cap: ~$55.9 Billion

   

• Price: $1

   

• Why It’s Safe: Regulated and regularly audited

   

7. XRP – Borderless Banking by Ripple

• Function: Real-time global payments

   

• Consensus Mechanism: XRP Ledger (not PoW or PoS)

   

• Use Case: Cross-border bank transactions

   

• Market Cap: ~$136.1 Billion

   

• Price: ~$2.36

   

• Relevance in India: Fits remittance-heavy market like India

   

8. Dogecoin (DOGE) – The People’s Memecoin

• Function: Tipping, micro-payments, community-driven usage

   

• Created As: A parody of crypto speculation

   

• Market Cap: ~$37.3 Billion

   

• Price: ~$0.252

   

• Why It’s Still Popular: Elon Musk’s support, social media-driven

   

9. Toncoin (TON) – From Telegram to Web3

• Function: Blockchain for fast, scalable apps and finance

   

• Developed By: Originally by Telegram, now community-driven

   

• Use Case: Fast payments, dApps, NFT platforms

   

• Market Cap: ~$9.5 Billion

   

• Price: ~$3.79

   

• Gaining Momentum: Especially among mobile-first crypto users

   

10. Cardano (ADA) – Peer-Reviewed Blockchain Tech

• Function: Smart contracts, DeFi, voting, ID solutions

   

• Consensus: Ouroboros PoS

   

• Use Case: DeFi, education, voting, ESG projects

   

• Market Cap: ~$25.6 Billion

   

• Price: ~$0.73

   

• Why It’s Unique: Academic foundation, strong roadmap