Photography by Getty Images; Illustration by Bankrate
Cryptocurrency prices have fluctuated widely so far this year, leaving some investors with notable gains and others with losses. But crypto is a notoriously risky investment and prices can skyrocket or plummet in a matter of days or minutes. Keeping an eye out for the top performers every now and then can give you important context on how the market is performing.
Here are the top eight best-performing cryptocurrencies year-to-date.
Data as of May 1 , 2025.
Top-performing cryptocurrencies in 2025
| Cryptocurrency | Performance YTD |
|---|---|
| Monero | 42.41% |
| XRP | 7.61% |
| Bitcoin | 3.72% |
| Ethena USDe | 0.30% |
| Tether | 0.26% |
| Dai | 0.04% |
| USDC | 0.02% |
| UNUS SED LEO | -1.02% |
Source: CoinMarketCap.com.
Note: The top eight cryptocurrencies featured here all have a market cap above $4 billion.
1. Monero (XMR)
Monero is a special crypto designed to keep its users anonymous. Unlike other tokens, Monero uses cryptographic technology to hide the details of transactions that occur on its blockchain. The coin was launched in 2014.
- Price: $274.91
- Market cap: $5.07 billion
2. XRP (XRP)
XRP was created to enable faster money transactions. Its main use case is to power Ripplenet, which is a system that allows fast and efficient international money transfers. In some cases, Ripplenet surpasses the capabilities of other similar platforms like SWIFT. The XRP ledger is open source, but not directly on the blockchain, which has led many people to question whether XRP is technically a cryptocurrency.
- Price: $2.24
- Market cap: $131.01 billion
3. Bitcoin (BTC)
As the granddaddy of them all, Bitcoin is often the token people reference when they talk about crypto. Bitcoin has a mysterious creator — allegedly Satoshi Nakamoto — who introduced the currency in 2009.
- Price: $96,964.45
- Market cap: $1.93 trillion
4. Ethena USDe (USDe)
USDe is a stablecoin tied to the value of the U.S. dollar. Like other stablecoins, USDe gives investors the experience of owning a crypto without the extreme price fluctuations associated with it.
- Price: $1.00
- Market cap: $4.67 billion
5. Tether (USDT)
Tether is one of the world’s most popular stablecoins. Its value is pegged to the U.S. dollar via a 1:1 ratio. Tether’s most popular use case is its ability to act as a medium when traders exchange one coin for another, or aren’t quite ready to cash out their earnings.
- Price: $1.00
- Market cap: $148.76 billion
6. Dai (DAI)
Dai is a collateral-backed stablecoin. It’s decentralized and runs on the Ethereum blockchain. Unlike some stablecoins that are backed by the U.S. dollar via a 1:1 ratio, Dai is backed by crypto collateral on a platform called MakerDAO. For every Dai coin created, the collateral behind it always has to be more than $1 (or the price of one Dai coin). This information is locked in a smart contract on the blockchain.
- Price: $0.9997
- Market cap: $5.36 billion
7. USDC (USDC)
Similar to Tether, USDC is a stablecoin backed by the U.S. dollar. USDC operates on a few blockchains, but most notably Ethereum. USDC is managed by a company called Circle. Recently, the company filed an initial public offering to go public on the New York Stock Exchange.
- Price: $1.00
- Market cap: $61.39 billion
8. UNUS SED LEO (LEO)
UNUS SED LEO is a crypto coin that was introduced by iFinex (the parent company of Bitfinex, a crypto exchange). The coin was created to rebuild trust among investors after the company experienced several legal issues. The coin offers reduced fees and access to specific features on Bitfinex.
- Price: $8.95
- Market cap: $8.27 billion
Should you invest in cryptocurrency?
Crypto prices have regained slight momentum after falling in March and April, as investors dealt with sticky inflation and broader market swings fueled by tariff news.
The important thing to remember is that crypto is so volatile because the tokens aren’t backed by any underlying asset, meaning that the price of crypto depends solely on what buyers are willing to pay for it.
To that end, any investments you make in the crypto space (especially during times of market uncertainty) should be part of a broader investment strategy — not your only one — in order to offset any money you could lose. Take time to consider your individual risk tolerance and time horizon for meeting other financial goals like retirement.
Bottom line
When investing in any type of asset, it helps to look at the top performers to get a sense of what’s going on in the market. When it comes to crypto, it’s especially important because the prices fluctuate so much and new coins are issued at a fast pace. Before investing in crypto, consider your own risk tolerance and only invest what you’re willing to lose.
Editorial Disclaimer: All investors are advised to conduct their own independent research into investment strategies before making an investment decision. In addition, investors are advised that past investment product performance is no guarantee of future price appreciation.
