Bitcoin gets all the headlines when people talk about cryptocurrencies, but there are literally thousands of other options when it comes to these digital currencies. In fact, non-Bitcoin cryptos are usually considered what is called “altcoins” or as an alternative to Bitcoin.
Bitcoin may have been the first major cryptocurrency to be on the market, but it debuted in 2009, but many others are extremely popular, even if not as large as the original.
Here is the largest cryptocurrency by the total dollar value of a coin that exists, or market capitalization, or market capitalization. (As of May 23, 2025, the data is from coinmarketcap.com.)
The largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization
1. Bitcoin (BTC)
- price: $109,481.17
- Market Cap: 2.2 trillion dollars
As a precursor to the cryptocurrency era, Bitcoin is still the people of coins, when talking about digital currency. Its mysterious creator, Nakamoto Satojima, introduced currency in 2009 and has been riding a roller coaster ever since. However, it wasn’t until 2017 that cryptocurrency invaded the wider popular consciousness. In 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved trading in ETFs that invest directly in Bitcoin, giving investors an easy way to wager on Bitcoin.
2. Ethereum (eth)
- price: $2,567.87
- Market Cap: $311 billion
Ethereum, the name of the Cryptocurrency Platform, is the second name that is most likely to be recognized by the crypto space. This system allows you to perform many functions using ether (currency), but the aspect of Ethereum’s smart contracts helps make it a common currency.
3. Tether (USDT)
- price: $1.00
- Market Cap: $152.5 billion
The tether price is fixed at 1 dollar per coin. That’s because it’s what’s called a stablecoin. Stablecoins are tied to the value of a particular asset. For Tether, it is US dollars. Tethers often act as medium when traders move from one cryptocurrency to another. Instead of going back to the dollar, use the tether. However, some people are concerned that tethers are not secured in the dollars held in the reserve, but instead use short-term unsecured debts.
4. XRP (XRP)
- price: $2.36
- Market Cap: $138.7 billion
Created by Ripple in 2012, XRP offers a way to pay in a variety of real world currencies. XRP helps with cross-border transactions and uses unreliable mechanisms to promote payments.
5. BNB (BNB)
- price: $668.04
- Market Cap: $94.1 billion
BNB is a cryptocurrency issued by Binance, one of the world’s largest crypto exchanges. Originally created as a token for payments for discount transactions, Binance Coin can now be used to pay as well as to purchase a variety of products and services.
6. Solana (Sol)
- price: $179.63
- Market Cap: $93.4 billion
Launched in March 2020, Solana is a new cryptocurrency that touts transaction completion and the speed of overall robustness of its “web-scale” platform. The issuance of a currency called SOL concludes with 480 million coins.
7. USD coin (USDC)
- price: $0.9997
- Market Cap: $61.4 billion
Like a tether, a USD coin is a stable coin that is fixed in the dollar. In other words, its value should not fluctuate. The founders of the currency say they are supported by fully reserved assets or assets with “equivalent fair value” and that those assets are held in a regulated US institution account.
8. Dog coin (doge)
- price: $0.2353
- Market Cap: $35.2 billion
Originally created as a joke after a run with Bitcoin, Dogecoin takes its name from an internet meme featuring Shiba Inu Dog. Unlike many digital currencies that limit the number of coins that exist, Dogecoin has unlimited issuances. Can be used for payment and transfers.
9. Cardano (there)
- price: $0.7804
- Market Cap: $27.6 billion
Cardano is the cryptocurrency platform behind the ADA, the name of the currency. Cardano also uses smart contracts created by the co-founders of Ethereum, allowing identity management.
10. Tron (TRX)
- price: $0.2695
- Market Cap: $25.6 billion
Tron is a decentralized blockchain for creating applications established in 2017. Its native token is known as TRX. In 2018, the Tron Foundation acquired the famous peer-to-peer network BitTorrent
11. On (SUL)
- price: $3.69
- Market Cap: $12.3 billion
The SUI was created by a former meta-engineer to allow for quick transactions while charging stable fees. It is also built to process many transactions at once, making it scalable.
12. High lipids (hype)
- price: $34.06
- Market Cap: $113.8 billion
High lipids are decentralized exchanges built on a proprietary blockchain. It is known for its advanced features such as permanent futures trading and margin trading. Hype is the platform’s native coin.
Conclusion
As the cryptocurrency market is Wild West, those who speculate on these digital assets should not put in more money than they can afford to lose. It is also important to note that individual investors often trade with very sophisticated players, making it a challenging experience for beginners.
Editorial Disclaimer: All investors are advised to conduct their own independent research into investment strategies before making an investment decision. Furthermore, investors recommend that past investment products performance is not a guarantee of future price increases.