It was a strange year for the cryptocurrency market in 2025. All of the usual suspects -- including Bitcoin and Ethereum -- declined in value, while a number of relatively unknown cryptocurrencies soared in value.
The five biggest winners of 2025 were Bitcoin Cash (BCH +0.97%), Zcash (ZEC +2.30%), Monero (XMR +15.75%), Pax Gold (PAXG +0.20%), and MYX Finance (MYX +14.54%). But are any of them worth a place in your portfolio in 2026?
Bitcoin Cash
Somewhat surprisingly, Bitcoin Cash -- a spinoff of Bitcoin -- soared in value by more than 30% in 2025. That's despite the fact that Bitcoin actually fell by 5% last year.
CRYPTO: BCH
Key Data Points
Quite simply, this isn't supposed to happen. Over the long haul, Bitcoin has absolutely trounced the performance of Bitcoin Cash, so I don't expect this period of outperformance from Bitcoin Cash to continue much longer.
Privacy coins
While privacy coins have been around for more than a decade, it was not until last year that they burst into the spotlight. The returns, quite simply, were out of this world. Zcash soared by a head-spinning 782%, while Monero soared by 122%.
Image source: Getty Images.
There's a lot to like about privacy coins. Through the use of advanced cryptography, they can provide complete anonymity for online transactions and can help keep users safe from blockchain surveillance. But, for the average investor, they likely have little to zero appeal.
I fully expect the shine to wear off privacy coins by mid-2026. Already, Zcash is down 17% for the year.
Gold stablecoins
Given that the price of gold soared by nearly 70% last year, it's perhaps no surprise that gold stablecoins followed suit. Pax Gold, one of the two largest gold stablecoins, soared in value by 70% last year.
CRYPTO: PAXG
Key Data Points
This is one big winner from 2025 that should be able to carry its momentum into 2026. Amid a backdrop of macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty, It's easy to see more money flowing into gold as a safe-haven asset. If that happens, Pax Gold should continue its upward ascent.
MYX Finance
MYX Finance, a decentralized perpetual futures exchange, debuted to much fanfare in May 2025. The token traded flat for the first few months of trading, then saw a huge pump in September and October, rising as high as $19. But since then, it's been mostly downhill for MYX, which now trades for just $5.
CRYPTO: MYX
Key Data Points
That's why I feel bad even mentioning MYX Finance. Just look at the above chart. It's a sober reminder of how retail investors can get burned by rushing into a momentum crypto. Yes, MYX Finance ended the year up a head-spinning 3,700%, but if you weren't already invested in MYX by September, you likely posted a loss for the year.
Momentum in crypto
At the end of the day, it's a fool's errand trying to market time different momentum cryptocurrencies. It's far better to buy and hold, while investing for the long haul. For that reason, the only big winners from 2025 that have my attention are the gold stablecoins.
