The crypto market looks set to end the year on a turbulent note, but investors can look ahead to 2026 as several altcoins offer attractive investment opportunities.
Rather than relying on broader market sentiment, a combination of real-world utility, technological innovation, and growing user adoption can cause select altcoins to rise and outperform more established assets.
Against this backdrop, Finvold identified three attractive altcoins driven by unique value propositions and catalysts that could support momentum in the year ahead.
Sui (SUI)
One project that has been attracting attention as having the potential to deliver significant returns by 2026 is Sui (SUI). This next-generation layer 1 blockchain is designed to offer high throughput and low transaction costs, making it attractive to developers building decentralized applications across decentralized finance, gaming, and other sectors.
Its architecture aims to address the scalability bottlenecks that challenged previous networks, and as adoption increases, it is likely to evoke demands that are not yet fully reflected in current ratings.
The combination of technological scalability and ecosystem growth supports the view that Sui has the potential to appreciate significantly if network activity continues to expand.
At the time of writing, SUI is trading at $1.48, down 60% year-to-date.
XRP
XRP is another asset that is frequently highlighted in forward-looking market analysis. Its role in cross-border payments and settlement infrastructure sets it apart from many other tokens, especially due to its improved regulatory clarity in major jurisdictions.
Continued efforts to integrate Ripple's technology into traditional financial systems and increased institutional interest in efficient global payments are creating conditions that could trigger new price increases.
Investors focused on XRP through 2026 are keeping an eye on developments such as spot exchange traded fund (ETF) products and growing legal clarity, both of which could significantly expand participation.
In particular, XRP spot ETFs have performed best in 2025, recording consistent inflows.
Nevertheless, much of XRP's 2025 gains have been wiped out by the recent economic downturn, with the asset trading at $1.91 at press time, down 8% year-to-date.
Toncoin (TON)
The third candidate for significant growth in 2026 is Toncoin (TON). This altcoin benefits from tight integration with the Telegram messaging platform, giving its blockchain a significant advantage in terms of potential user reach.
Efforts to extend utility through decentralized applications, along with upcoming features such as decentralized VPN services and decentralized storage, aim to push the network beyond social and gaming use cases and into more substantial infrastructure capabilities.
At the time of reporting, TON was valued at $1.52, down about 70% since the beginning of the year.
These planned expansions reflect a roadmap focused on improving utility and attracting a broader user base, which could support new market interest and price performance.
While results are never guaranteed in the inherently volatile crypto market, the trends underpinning these three digital assets suggest that they may offer investors an opportunity to maximize returns heading into 2026.
Featured image via Shutterstock
