The year 2022 has been a rollercoaster for crypto investors. Bitcoin and all other major digital assets are down around 60% from their all time highs in late 2021.
Although there have been some short lived rallies recently, the 2022 market has largely ranged. Regardless of the drop in prices, people’s interest in the burgeoning financial market remains high.
In this light, we have come up with a list of five coins that should be on your investment list, in quarter 4 2022.
Ethereum
Ethereum network leads the pack in decentralized finance (DeFi) projects and non-fungible tokens (NFT) markets. The DeFi king is a top pick of many investors and there are reasons for this.
One of the biggest concerns about the network over the years has been its sluggish speeds and its high transaction costs. And now, Ethereum 2.0, also called “The Merge,” will transition the network from a proof of work (PoW) protocol to a proof of stake (PoS) system.
The change will likely significantly increase the network’s speed and efficiency while lowering the costs of its transactions. Though the transition has been delayed multiple times, it is tentatively set for mid-September.
The atmosphere in the community is positive and the momentum seems to be high. Moreover, Ethereum continues to gain market share as it adds more use cases. So ETH should definitely be on your list of coins to invest in Q4 2022.
Solana
Solana is one of the most promising blockchain networks. Its price skyrocketed by over 4,200% in 2021, making it one of the most profitable cryptos of the year.
In tandem with the recent downturn of most cryptos, SOL has shed a great deal of its value in the last several months. However, its bull case remains intact, making it a fascinating pick for Q4 2022.
One of the unique elements of the network is its robust consensus mechanism. It operates a proof-of-stake system, which effectively requires token holders to validate their transactions. Solano is one of the fastest blockchain networks, as it’s able to handle 50,000 transactions per second.
Also, data from Hello Moon indicates that more than 25 million Solana users were active in July, representing a 150% year-over-year surge. Additionally, there are more than 1,100 active programs on the network, up from just 100 during the same period in 2021.
Another key element that sets SOL apart from the rest is Solana Labs’ ability to innovate. It has introduced cutting-edge projects such as a crypto smartphone and executable NFTs. Another tool it launched is Solana Pay, which should help lower transaction costs on the network.
There are a number of other growth projects on the network that crypto investors are bullish on. $SOL remains a top cryptocurrency and It is quickly becoming a top player in the crypto space.
For those thinking long term, consider having some $SOL token heading into Q4 2022.
Cardano
Although Cardano bears a lot of similarities to Ethereum, it stands out from other packs of cryptocurrencies. It was developed with an emphasis on stability, security, and sustainability.
Cardano is speculated to someday dethrone Ethereum because one of its most attractive elements is its calculated development process that effectively targets multiple network bottlenecks.
Cardano has been making news in recent weeks and months. Novel, thoroughly researched, peer-reviewed features are added to the network in every phase of its development.
The network is currently in its fourth development phase called Basho, which will equip the crypto with sidechains. The sidechains will enable additional blockchains to run in tandem with the main network, thereby reducing fees and congestion and significantly boosting the network’s speeds.
This update and Cardano’s recently released Layer-2 solution will help enable its network to process a whopping 3 million transactions per second. Also, ADA’s ecosystem consists of more than 1,000 dApps, and new ones are added yearly.
If Cardano usurps Ethereum like it is being speculated, it could multiply several hundred-fold in value. Also, In light of all of Cardano’s strengths, $ADA should remain a mainstay of your crypto portfolio heading into Q4 2022.
Sandbox
The Sandbox, with $SAND as native token, is a blockchain-based virtual world where users can sell, purchase or even develop their own digital assets.
Sandbox hopes to bring blockchain technology to the masses, making it one of the more intriguing metaverse cryptos. The developers behind the project not only target gamers but also attract creators. Users can play to earn and also develop digital art in-game.
One of the intriguing developments why you should be bullish on $SAND in Q4 2022 is that recently, Sandbox tweeted that they are teaming up with the internationally reputed lifestyle brand Playboy.
Playboy is an entrant in Web3, and its iconic creation which is the Playboy mansion will be moving to the Sandbox metaverse. The Playboy mansion’s metaverse version will be known as ‘MetaMansion’.
Furthermore, Sandbox has attracted other mainstream partnerships from the likes of Snoop Dogg, Deadmau5, Warner Music and other prominent corporations and influencers.
Investors looking for the ‘hip’ place to be in the metaverse are increasingly looking at The Sandbox right now which is a bullish indicator for its token.
Decentraland
Decentraland, with $MANA as a native token, is a leading metaverse crypto project based on the Ethereum blockchain.
In Decentraland, there are a total number of 90,000 land parcels investors can buy. Given the laws of supply and demand, this makes these land parcels interesting to watch from an investment standpoint.
Developers can own property such as plazas, common spaces and roads. And users can sell or buy these. Such a scarcity proves to be one of the fundamental drivers of the land value in Decentraland and makes it unique among the metaverse cryptos.
Decentraland has been rolling out updates which are expected to bolster the $MANA market price in Q4 2022. It launched the world’s first metaverse ATM recently with an aim to ease user experience.
Also, to allow users to purchase MANA or any other crypto easily, Decentraland has joined hands with Metaverse Architects studio and Transak payment gateway. Furthermore, streaming giant Netflix entered its metaverse.
Decentraland is popular and has grown its user base over the past few years. If you’re looking for a top-tier cryptocurrency to add to your portfolio heading into Q4 2022, $MANA should be on the list.
