The cryptocurrency industry suffered broad losses during 2025, with some of the largest coins and the most speculative tokens alike ending the year in the red. In fact, the combined value of all cryptocurrencies in circulation currently stands at $3.1 trillion, which is down 28% from its all-time high.
Bitcoin (BTC 1.11%), XRP (XRP 1.87%), and Dogecoin (DOGE 0.15%) are three of the industry's most popular cryptocurrencies, but that didn't shield them from moving lower in 2025:
Bitcoin Price data by YCharts
We're only a week into 2026, but all three of those cryptocurrencies are comfortably in the green already. Here's the big question: Which one is likely to deliver the best return for investors between now and the end of the year?
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XRP: A useful but flawed payment solution
Ripple is the company behind the Ripple Payments network, which allows global banks to settle cross-border transfers with one another directly and instantly. It created XRP to standardize each transaction, cutting out costly foreign exchange fees. For example, a British bank might send XRP to an American bank instead of sending British pounds, incurring a transaction cost of just 0.00001 XRP tokens (a fraction of one U.S. cent).
From a fundamental standpoint, XRP had a spectacular year in 2025. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission agreed to settle its five-year legal battle against Ripple in August, and the first spot XRP exchange-traded funds were also approved for trading at around the same time. These tailwinds sent the token rocketing to a new record high for the first time since 2018.
CRYPTO: XRP
Key Data Points
But XRP still ended 2025 in the red, because it has a few structural issues which investors simply can't ignore. For example, banks don't have to use XRP to benefit from instant cross-border transactions through Ripple Payments, so the success of the network won't necessarily boost the token's value.
Plus, Ripple launched a stablecoin called Ripple USD in 2024, which is better suited for making payments because it experiences practically zero volatility. The value of XRP, on the other hand, can swing significantly from day-to-day, leaving banks exposed to losses even during brief holding periods.
Dogecoin: The crypto industry's first meme-token
Dogecoin was created in 2013 by two friends who felt the cryptocurrency industry was taking itself too seriously. They used the famous "Doge" meme as inspiration, hence Dogecoin is widely regarded as the industry's original meme-token.
Unfortunately, Dogecoin never really found a use case in the real world, which is why it was one of the biggest losers in 2025. It isn't very popular as a payment mechanism, with just 2,141 businesses willing to accept it in exchange for goods and services worldwide, according to crypto directory Cryptwerk. It isn't a reliable store of value, either, considering it hasn't set a new record high since 2021.
CRYPTO: DOGE
Key Data Points
Speculative investors have fueled every Dogecoin rally since its inception, and two of its most powerful annual gains (in 2021 and 2024) were partly driven by one person: Tesla CEO Elon Musk. He has actively promoted Dogecoin on social media since 2019, but his endorsement could only go so far. In the absence of a concrete plan to create real value, this meme-token is likely to keep sinking.
Bitcoin: The crypto industry's version of gold
Bitcoin's $1.8 trillion market cap accounts for more than half of the total value of all cryptocurrencies in circulation, and it's one of the only coins that consistently climbs to new highs. A growing number of investors consider it to be a legitimate store of value thanks to its unique attributes, and it is often likened to a digital version of gold.
First, Bitcoin is completely decentralized, which means no person, company, or government can control it. Second, it has a capped supply of 21 million coins which creates the perception of scarcity, and scarcity is often a prerequisite for any store of value. Third, Bitcoin is built on a secure and highly transparent system of record called the blockchain, which instills confidence in investors.
CRYPTO: BTC
Key Data Points
It's hard to predict how high Bitcoin will go in the long term. The total value of all above-ground gold reserves is currently $30 trillion, so Bitcoin would have to soar by 1,570% from here for its market cap to match that.
But Strategy co-founder Michael Saylor thinks Bitcoin is more than just an alternative to gold. He predicts it will transform the entire global financial system, and appreciate in value by 23,200% to reach $21 million per coin by 2045.
The verdict
I think Bitcoin has the best chance of delivering a positive return in 2026. The structural issues plaguing XRP and Dogecoin aren't going away, which will only weigh on their value from here.
Bitcoin isn't widely used as a payment mechanism, and there is no other evidence it's going to transform the financial sector, so Saylor's lofty price target probably isn't realistic as things stand today. However, as long as a growing number of investors consider it a real store of value, it's likely to trend higher over time.
