Cryptocurrencies are an ever-growing market, with more and more coins and tokens emerging. According to CoinMarketCap, the global market capitalization of cryptocurrencies is $2.5 trillion at the end of April 2024, with Bitcoin accounting for more than $1.2 trillion.
In the article, we will explain cryptocurrency's market capitalization, the main causes of volatility, and which market representatives are among the top cryptocurrencies by capitalization today.
Reasons for Cryptocurrencies Volatility
Volatility, that is, regular price fluctuations — one of the key characteristics of cryptocurrencies. It is explained by several reasons:
- Lack of government regulation. Cryptocurrency is anonymous, decentralized and not governed by a single authority. That said, various countries are gradually introducing regulatory measures for the cryptocurrency market, which affects the exchange rate and overall capitalization of cryptocurrencies.
- Lack of collateralization of value. Unlike fiat money, cryptocurrency has no material backing in the form of, for example, precious metals. As a result, the cryptocurrency market's rate and capitalization depend on the demand for this asset.
Various factors can affect the rate of cryptocurrencies, but some of the main ones include:
- The current state of the market. The size of supply and demand affects cryptocurrencies' value and capitalization volumes. For example, bitcoin is one of the most famous and sought-after currencies with limited supply, which affects its value.
- Publications in the media and social networks. Both official news and unconfirmed rumors and opinions affect the exchange rate: the price of stablecoin can fall if a popular publication about the lack of assets of the company issuing it appears on social networks.
Top Cryptocurrencies by Capitalization
The market capitalization of cryptocurrencies is the total value, i.e. the price of an individual coin or token multiplied by their number in circulation. Let's take a look at the top 2024 cryptocurrencies by capitalization based on CoinMarketCap data.
Bitcoin
BTC has the largest capitalization: more than $1.2 trillion, three times the capitalization of its nearest competitor, Ethereum.
Satoshi Nakamoto invented Bitcoin in 2009 and made it the world's first cryptocurrency. Currently, BTC is actively used for investment and payment for goods and services, and many companies recognize it as a means of payment.
Ethereum
Ethereum is the second in our list of cryptocurrencies by capitalization, with over $377 billion. It was developed in 2013 by Vitalik Buterin and launched in 2015.
The main task of the Ethereum platform is the development and execution of smart contracts and decentralized applications. Such functionality and a high level of security attract investors and developers.
Tether
Tether (USDT) is a stablecoin that ranks third in our cryptocurrency capitalization comparison at $109.8 billion.
USDT was launched by Tether in 2014. It is a stablecoin, meaning it is tangibly backed by dollars at a 1:1 ratio. Tether is designed as a blockchain equivalent of the US dollar. Due to this, it has a stable exchange rate and is convenient for household transactions.
BNB
Binance Coin (BNB) is a token from the famous crypto exchange Binance. Its capitalization is $86.6 billion.
BNB was originally based on Ethereum but currently operates on the Binance Network. The token is used for transactions both on and off the Binance exchange, including payments and transfers, travel payments, gift cards, donations, and more.
Solana
Solana is a blockchain platform for hosting decentralized applications. Its capitalization is more than $66 billion.
The platform was launched in 2017 and is currently owned by the Geneva-based Solana Foundation. The project has rapidly developed due to the high speed of transaction processing and low commissions.
USDC
USD Coin is another stablecoin on our list of cryptocurrencies by capitalization. The cryptocurrency has a current market cap of over $33.9 billion.
Like Tether, USDC is backed by US dollars at a 1:1 ratio. The coin is issued by the Centre Consortium, which is registered in the United States. New tokens are issued via smart contracts each time USDC is purchased and destroyed when exchanged for fiat, which guarantees high exchange rate stability.
XRP
XRP (Ripple) is an internal cryptocurrency of the Ripple payment system. Its capitalization is $28.9 billion.
This currency exists only within Ripple Labs products and is used for internal transactions, such as payments, exchanges, transfers, etc. XRP's main task is fast conversion in transactions, especially those involving rarely traded currencies. Thanks to this, the Ripple system can offer users high-speed transaction processing.
Dogecoin
Dogecoin is a currency that was originally created as a satire on Bitcoin, but ended up becoming one of the top 10 cryptocurrencies with a capitalization of $22.7 billion.
Dogecoin was launched in 2013 and named after an internet meme. It is an open-source currency whose work is based on Litecoin and Bitcoin. Among the advantages are high speed of transaction processing and block creation, as well as low commissions.
Toncoin
Toncoin is a token of the TON blockchain, which has a capitalization of $21 billion — 9th place in the ranking.
The Telegram team created the blockchain in 2018 but passed it to independent developers in 2020. One of the main advantages is the high speed of transaction processing: a world record was set in 2023 (104,715 per second).
Cardano
Cardano is a Proof-of-Stake blockchain platform. Capitalization — $17 billion.
The platform was created to design blockchain applications that could offer users tools for solving complex business problems, as well as provide a high level of security and scalability. To produce blocks, the platform uses the Ouroboros algorithm, which minimizes energy consumption and the need for large-scale computing resources.
Other Popular Cryptocurrencies
TRON
TRON (TRX) is currently the 15th most popular currency, with a capitalization of $9.7 billion.
TRX is a TRON blockchain token that positions itself as a platform for decentralizing the internet: developing entertainment applications and offering them directly to users without intermediaries. In 2017, the TRON platform held one of the largest ICOs in the history of cryptocurrencies, raising $70 million, which allowed the system to abandon the Ethereum network and start using its own blockchain.
Avalanche
Avalanche (AVAX) is an Avalanche blockchain token with a capitalization of $14 billion.
Avalanche platform is one of the main competitors of Ethereum. It is a system for making smart contracts, which is managed by a Proof-of-Stake mechanism. AVAX is an internal blockchain token. It is used as the basic unit for settlements and transactions, as well as for payment of transaction processing fees.
Litecoin
Litecoin is ranked 20th in the cryptocurrency ranking, with a capitalization of $6 billion.
The currency was developed in 2011 as an analog of Bitcoin — with faster transaction processing speed and more efficient mining. Although the currency does not rank as high as others, it is still in demand by users who use cryptocurrencies to pay for goods and services.
Best Cryptocurrencies
The crypto market currently features hundreds of currencies and tokens from various developers, crypto exchanges and companies. Each of the coins has its own distinctive features and advantages.
Nevertheless, not all of them have received high popularity — Bitcoin, Ethereum and Tether remain at the top of the rating for a long time. These currencies are in demand from both investors and private users paying for goods and services in cryptocurrency, and are supported by most payment systems and gateways.
Merchants can accept payment in BTC, ETH, LTC, USDT and other popular currencies using CryptoCloud crypto processing. More information about the service — on our website and in FAQ.
