Forget Bitcoin: These 3 Cryptos Could Beat It in 2022

Bitcoin has gained 18% over the past 30 days, but three crypto projects are beating it by double digits over the same timeframe.

So far in 2022, Bitcoin is having a so-so year. While the first crypto ever created has gained 18% over the past 30 days, and is currently trading above $42,700 as of this writing according to CoinMarketCap, the biggest coin on the block -- or blockchain -- by total market value is still 38% off its peak price of nearly $69,000.

Bitcoin has a way to go if it's going to match its 60% investor returns last year or its 220% average annualized return over the 10 years before.

As Bitcoin continues to consolidate within its current price range, here are three cryptos that are off to a strong start in 2022.

1. Aave (AAVE)

Aave is up 28% during the past four weeks as seen on CoinMarketCap at the time of writing, priced at $165.88 -- beating Bitcoin by a respectable 10% over the timeframe. Aave is a decentralized finance (DeFi) platform that enables individuals to borrow and lend more than a dozen types of cryptos directly with each other. Aave was the first project in the DeFi space to offer uncollateralized loan options called "flash loans."

Additionally, borrowers on the Aave network can easily switch between variable and fixed interest rates based on market conditions, providing greater control and savings for investors.

2. Elrond (EGLD)

Elrond is currently priced at $184.89, up 33% over the past four weeks at press time, which is nearly double Bitcoin's performance according to its charts over on CoinMarketCap. Elrond developers describe the project as a blockchain platform for the "new internet economy, decentralized applications, and enterprise use."

Its key differentiator is that it's highly scalable and fast, with the ability to execute more than 15,000 transactions per second, with transaction settlements occurring in six seconds, at a transaction cost less 1/100th of a penny. To drive adoption of the platform, the project offers developers who build decentralized applications on the Elrond layer to earn up to 30% of the smart contract fees as a type of royalty-sharing model.

3. Kyber Network (KNC)

Kyber Network is up 53% over the past 30 days according to CoinMarketCap -- nearly three times Bitcoin's returns for the same period. Kyber is currently trading at $3.29 per token. Kyber claims to be the first tool that enables users to swap cryptos directly with each other, without a third-party centralized exchange. It was designed to serve as a connector for various liquidity pools -- a collection of funds deposited into a smart contract -- across blockchains with a high level of security.

The Kyber construct is also very "user friendly" for developers, which enables the rapid launch and deployment of new services, features, and use cases across the entire Kyber network.

Please remember, these are only opinions and not financial advice. Every investor should engage in their own research and only invest what they can comfortably afford to lose. While Bitcoin's prospects are rock solid in the years to come, there are other cryptos worth considering in the here and now.