Six Cryptos Whose Value Skyrocketed

Gone are the days when cryptocurrencies were a fanciful concept of the future. They’ve been replaced with a reality in which crypto is becoming increasingly woven into daily life. While this is certainly convenient, users face an ever-growing selection of coins to choose from. Considering there are more than 13,000 currently available, this isn’t exactly a simple choice. 

However, some crypto coins are clearly the favourites and have skyrocketed in value since their launch. This isn’t only because of their unique aspects but also because demand for them has increased. Here are six coins that have experienced this stratospheric growth.  

Bitcoin (BTC)

The first and most obvious coin that went well beyond anyone’s expectations of value is Bitcoin. Launched as the world’s first cryptocurrency in 2009, the concept behind the coin was entirely new, and it, therefore, launched with virtually no value whatsoever.

With a limited supply of 21 million coins, many quickly began mining the coin despite still holding almost no value. By 2017, however, just shy of a decade after launching, the coin started making waves when it passed the $1,000 per coin mark and became the coin to have in your crypto wallet.

As crypto has grown internationally to be used in many markets and even be an investment through some institutions, Bitcoin has remained the most popular option. Today, it is valued at over $65,000 per coin, an increase of 14,224% in value since 2016.  

Ethereum (ETH)

Launched in 2015, Ethereum is one of the most well-known cryptos aside from Bitcoin. The coin, which has experienced a transition to Ethereum 2.0 through a proof-of-stake consensus mechanism, has increasingly grown in popularity for online transactions and trading.

One of the most instrumental factors contributing to Ethereum’s rise is its blockchain’s ability to support smart contracts. In addition to these, it also provides a platform for tokens and decentralized applications (dApps), making it attractive to even more users.

At launch, the coin was valued at around $0.31, significantly more than the starting price of many other cryptos. Breaking the $100 per coin cap in just two years, the coin is currently valued at around $2,658 after reaching a peak in 2021 when it was valued at over $4,500 per coin.

Binance Coin (BNB)

Many people know Binance as a crypto exchange—one of the best in the world. The exchange has grown so large that, in 2017, it decided to create its own cryptocurrency in the form of a utility token that can be used on the exchange.

Although not overly popular and only valued at $0.10 at launch, the Binance Coin has quickly caught crypto users’ attention because of its concurrent launch of the Binance Smart Chain, offering DeFi and dApps. The reducing supply of BNB due to token burning has also captured the minds of crypto lovers. 

All this attention only helped the coin gain traction in 2021 when it passed the $100 mark in mid-February. A few months later, however, the coin skyrocketed from just over $100 to more than $600 per coin. Today, the price remains around this mark, hovering at around $580 to $600 per coin. 

Solana (SOL)

Solana is a relatively new cryptocurrency, launched in 2020, just before global lockdowns forced people online and helped spread awareness of cryptocurrencies. Surprising many, the coin launched with a value of $0.79, higher than most, immediately sparking the interest of the crypto community.

Like many cryptos becoming popular for their ability to host DeFi and NFTs, Solana has a growing ecosystem and a high-performance blockchain that can outshine many others. Due to this fast-working chain, the coin is also known for offering much lower transaction fees.

Although not worth thousands of dollars like Bitcoin, Solana has increased in value staggeringly. Passing $100 in September 2021, the coin peaked at $260 later that year—an increase from a value of just $39 in early August. Today, the coin is worth around $156.

XRP (XRP)

With a launch price of around $0.006 per coin, XRP had little hope of competing with larger coins. However, because of its unique attributes, it did attract attention, particularly as a replacement for daily fiat currency transactions performed in shopping or accessing stylish games with catchy tunes via iGaming providers.

Designed to be a fast and budget-friendly coin for international transfers, XRP was quickly affiliated with major banks and payment providers. These partnerships, alongside strong support from the crypto community, made the coin increasingly popular.

While still only valued at $0.59, XRP has experienced one of the most significant price jumps among coins. Valued at just $0.76 in early December 2017, the coin’s value rocketed to just under $4 in early January 2018. This meteoric jump was short-lived, as its value had stabilized by March and returned to the sub-dollar mark.  

Filecoin (FIL)

Another coin that was formed as a utility token is Filecoin. Launched in 2020, the coin’s primary purpose is to be used in the unique decentralized storage network it was created in. Due to a surge in cloud computing at the time, the coin carried a high value of $26.73 at launch.

Listed as one of the top exploding utility coins for 2024, Filecoin has been partnered with many large tech companies, particularly for use in advancing AI. This, alongside its integration with other blockchain technologies, has continued to help it grow in popularity. 

The coin experienced its most significant surge in 2021, moving from around $40 at the start of March to more than $190 by the beginning of April. This massive jump in value tapered down and seems to have crashed, with the coin now valued at around $4.10—a drop of 64% on its original value. 

Disclaimer

All current crypto prices mentioned above were correct at the time of publication. Due to the highly volatile nature of cryptocurrencies, whose values can change quickly and vastly, it is recommended to find the current live price from a reputable exchange and not rely on those listed above.