Best Penny Crypto in 2025: Top Cryptocurrencies Under $1
Seeking affordable cryptocurrencies that have potential for growth? Here’s a curated selection of coins priced under $1 that could be worthy of your investment attention in 2025. Not all cryptocurrencies come with hefty price tags; many remain under the $1 mark, commonly referred to as penny cryptos. These assets tend to fly under the radar of major investors but can provide impressive returns if they gain traction. This article explores what penny cryptos are, considerations before investing, and highlights some standout options available today.
What is a penny crypto?
The term “penny crypto” is derived from traditional finance, specifically referencing “penny stocks.” It encompasses cryptocurrencies that trade for less than $1 or even significantly lower. Typically, these coins or tokens are tied to projects that are either in their infancy or those that have lost their appeal among investors. It’s crucial to understand that the token price alone does not reflect a project’s true value; instead, market capitalization—which is determined by price multiplied by circulating supply—is a more accurate measure. For instance, a cryptocurrency priced at $0.001 could possess a greater total value than one priced at $5 if it has a substantially higher circulation. This article will utilize both price and market cap to identify lesser-known, inexpensive cryptocurrencies that present promising growth potential.
Characteristics of penny cryptos
Penny cryptos generally exhibit several defining characteristics that set them apart from more established cryptocurrencies:
Low price: Typically valued at less than $1, often dipping below $0.01.
Low market cap: Most penny cryptos fall within the micro-cap or small-cap categories, frequently under $100 million, indicating limited market adoption or being in the early stages of development.
Low liquidity: Penny cryptos often experience thin order books and restricted daily trading volumes, making it challenging to buy or sell without influencing the price.
High volatility: Due to low liquidity and small market caps, prices can fluctuate dramatically in short periods, making these assets particularly vulnerable to market speculation and hype.
High risk and high reward: While these assets can rapidly lose value due to limited adoption or unclear business models, a small uptick in popularity can lead to significant price increases.
Limited exchange listings: Many penny cryptos are only available on a few centralized or decentralized trading platforms, which can hinder visibility and accessibility for potential buyers.
Uncertain longevity: A significant number of these projects either fail to gain traction or vanish altogether.
Why do investors consider penny crypto coins?
Investors are often attracted to penny cryptos for a variety of reasons. The primary draw lies in the potential for substantial short-term returns, along with a combination of financial, psychological, and market dynamics. These coins may embody emerging technologies that hold promise for future adoption. Investors who are optimistic about a particular use case may find value in backing a smaller, less known venture. Furthermore, in the vast crypto landscape, some investors actively search for “hidden gems”—undervalued projects with solid fundamentals that go unnoticed due to their low market capitalizations. Early-stage investors in successful projects can realize considerable returns as the initiatives grow and gain traction.
Additionally, the explosive price increases associated with these assets can stem not only from promising technologies but also from the hype and viral marketing surrounding them. Many investors pursue these “lottery ticket” opportunities, hoping to discover the next big success story before it becomes mainstream. Psychological factors also play a role; with smaller capital investments, individuals can acquire thousands or millions of tokens, which feels more gratifying than owning a fraction of a pricier cryptocurrency. Speculation is another element, as traders often target short-term profits in micro-cap tokens due to their volatility and sensitivity to minor shifts in sentiment or trading volume, though this approach carries heightened risk. Lastly, some investors view penny cryptos as a cost-effective strategy to diversify their portfolios, opting to spread smaller amounts across various low-cap assets with the hope of identifying a couple that perform exceptionally well.
The flip side: why do many avoid them?
While the potential for growth can be appealing, penny cryptos are frequently labeled “shitcoins” for valid reasons. They present significantly higher risks in comparison to larger, more established cryptocurrencies. A considerable number of penny cryptos fail to gain momentum and can plummet in value by 90% or more. Risks such as scams, rug pulls (where developers abandon their projects), and pump-and-dump schemes are prevalent in this sector. Consequently, most investors in penny cryptocurrencies end up losing money rather than achieving their desired returns.
What should you pay attention to when buying penny cryptocurrencies?
Investing in penny cryptocurrencies requires careful consideration beyond mere price tags. Key factors to analyze include:
Project fundamentals: Understand the problem the project aims to solve. Does it address a genuine need or have a clear application? Is there a comprehensive whitepaper outlining the technology and objectives?
Project development and roadmap: Is there active development? Evaluate GitHub activity and updates on project progress.
Team and transparency: Trustworthy projects typically feature visible, accountable teams. Are team members publicly identifiable with verifiable backgrounds? Do they have expertise in blockchain, finance, or the relevant industry? Are they responsive to community inquiries?
Tokenomics: Investigate the structure of the token: supply limits, inflation rates, insider allocations, and release schedules. What are the total and circulating supplies? How are tokens distributed? Is there a vesting schedule for team allocations?
Token’s utility: Examine the actual utility of the token within its ecosystem.
Trading volume and liquidity: Review daily trading volumes and liquidity on exchanges. Low trading activity can complicate buying or selling without impacting prices or resulting in illiquid holdings.
Exchange listings: The number and quality of exchange listings are critical. Projects that are only available on small or less-known platforms may struggle with visibility and liquidity.
Community and partnerships: An active community and solid partnerships indicate ongoing interest. Does the project boast a vibrant community? What partnerships does it have?
Top 10 penny cryptos
So, which penny crypto should you consider investing in now? Although no single option can be deemed foolproof, several low-priced and low-market-cap coins deserve attention. Below is a list of promising penny cryptos, including some that trade for fractions of a cent.
Celer Network (CELR)
Celer Network (CELR) is a blockchain interoperability and Layer-2 scaling solution designed to facilitate rapid, cost-effective, and secure cross-chain transactions. Its Celer Inter-chain Messaging Framework (Celer IM) allows smart contracts across various blockchains to communicate efficiently. Celer also supports layer-2 rollups and state channels, offering scalability for both developers and end-users. It has been integrated with major chains, including Ethereum, BNB Chain, Arbitrum, and Polygon. CELR tokens are utilized for staking, network security, and transaction fees. Despite its relatively modest market cap, Celer remains undervalued, as it addresses critical cross-chain communication challenges. As the demand for interoperable DeFi and decentralized applications (dApps) increases, Celer’s infrastructure and first-mover advantage could position it for strong performance in the upcoming altcoin season.
Key statistics (as of July 22, 2025):
Price: $0.009
Market cap: $70.65M
All-time high: $0.1987
Covalent X Token (CXT)
Covalent is a significant Web3 data infrastructure project that provides a unified API for accessing blockchain data from over 100 chains. By eliminating the necessity for developers to run nodes or create custom indexers, Covalent simplifies access to rich, historical on-chain data. Used by prominent projects such as Consensys, Covalent already enjoys real-world adoption and has a functional revenue model. The CXT token is integral for staking, governance, and data payments, creating utility and internal demand. With its current market cap, Covalent appears undervalued compared to competitors like The Graph. As the need for multi-chain dApps and analytics continues to grow, Covalent is well-positioned to benefit.
Key statistics (as of July 22, 2025):
Price: $0.029
Market cap: $28.59M
All-time high: $0.1692
Joystream (JOY)
Joystream (JOY) is a decentralized video platform and decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) ecosystem designed to provide creators with full control over their content, monetization, and governance. Built on the Polkadot ecosystem, Joystream allows users to earn tokens by contributing to the network, whether by uploading videos, curating content, or participating in governance. This model replaces traditional ad-driven, centralized platforms like YouTube with a community-owned framework that prioritizes transparency and creator interests. Major platform decisions are made through voting by token holders, empowering both creators and viewers to shape the platform’s future. As concerns about centralized control and censorship in digital media rise, Joystream presents a viable alternative that aligns with Web3’s principles of ownership and decentralization.
Key statistics (as of July 22, 2025):
Price: $0.001492
Market cap: $1.62M
All-time high: $0.06033
Maverick Protocol (MAV)
Maverick Protocol (MAV) is an advanced decentralized exchange (DEX) designed to enhance capital efficiency in the DeFi space. In contrast to conventional automated market makers (AMMs), Maverick introduces “directional liquidity,” allowing liquidity providers to concentrate their capital where it is most likely to be utilized, thereby improving yields and minimizing slippage. Built on Ethereum and compatible with Layer-2 solutions, it facilitates efficient trading with reduced impermanent loss. Maverick enjoys backing from notable crypto investors, including Jump Crypto and Pantera Capital. Despite being lesser-known than DEX giants like Uniswap and Curve, Maverick offers innovative liquidity tools that could make it a significant player in the next wave of DeFi advancements.
Key statistics (as of July 22, 2025):
Price: $0.04998
Market cap: $33.77M
All-time high: $0.8216
Taraxa (TARA)
Taraxa (TARA) is a Layer-1 blockchain protocol aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability in off-chain activities through tamper-proof audit trails. Utilizing a Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) architecture, it supports rapid, scalable transactions and is fully compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), allowing for seamless deployment of smart contracts and dApps. Taraxa targets real-world applications, such as monitoring informal business agreements, IoT data recording, and supply chain auditing. The native TARA token is used for gas fees, staking for network security, governance participation, and trading within the ecosystem. By anchoring off-chain data to a secure, immutable ledger, Taraxa enables businesses and developers to validate the authenticity of digital records without depending on centralized intermediaries. With fast transaction finality and low fees, it offers a lightweight but robust infrastructure for dApps interacting with real-world applications. As the demand for verifiable off-chain data increases, Taraxa could establish a distinct presence in the Web3 ecosystem.
Key statistics (as of July 22, 2025):
Price: $0.0029
Market cap: $15.87M
All-time high: $0.07728
Flux (FLUX)
Flux (FLUX) is a decentralized cloud infrastructure platform that enables developers to deploy applications, nodes, and services on a global, permissionless network. It serves as a powerful alternative to conventional cloud providers by leveraging thousands of independent nodes to provide computing resources, storage, and network bandwidth. This infrastructure allows Flux to host dApps, websites, APIs, and blockchain nodes in a scalable and resilient manner. The FLUX token facilitates ecosystem payments and supports governance. In light of increasing concerns over centralized infrastructure and the rising demand for censorship-resistant cloud solutions, Flux stands out as a practical and functional Web3 backend.
Key statistics (as of July 22, 2025):
Price: $0.2711
Market cap: $105.23M
All-time high: $4.17
Mintlayer (ML)
Mintlayer (ML) is a Bitcoin-centric Layer-2 sidechain designed to facilitate DeFi, tokenization, and smart contracts on Bitcoin’s secure UTXO model. Launched on January 29, 2024, it enables true atomic swaps of native BTC and tokenized assets, removing the need for wrapped tokens, intermediaries, and associated counterparty risks. Mintlayer employs a hybrid Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism with block anchoring to Bitcoin, optimized transaction batching, and a Turing-incomplete smart contract system executed via WebAssembly (WASM) for enhanced security and efficiency. The ML token plays a central role in Mintlayer’s ecosystem, powering transactions, staking, governance, and fee payments, and is necessary for creating new assets or accessing dApps on the network. With its unique combination of Bitcoin-native security, DeFi utility, and a simplified infrastructure, Mintlayer aims to serve as a vital bridge between Bitcoin’s legacy and next-generation DeFi.
Key statistics (as of July 22, 2025):
Price: $0.03016
Market cap: $1.93M
All-time high: $0.9894
LUKSO (LYX)
LUKSO (LYX) is a creative-focused Layer-1 blockchain developed by Ethereum veteran Fabian Vogelsteller. It introduces Universal Profiles, which are smart contract-based identities that merge wallets, digital assets, and permissions into a single on-chain account. This innovation facilitates gasless onboarding, modular access control, and enhances the overall user experience. LUKSO also leads the charge in NFT 2.0 with token standards tailored for dynamic, multi-creator digital assets, making it ideal for industries such as fashion, gaming, and art. Built on a Proof-of-Stake model and fully compatible with Ethereum, it equips Web3 with powerful identity and ownership tools while remaining energy-efficient.
Key statistics (as of July 22, 2025):
Price: $0.8034
Market cap: $24.53M
All-time high: $11.61
Radiant Capital (RDNT)
Radiant Capital (RDNT) is a cross-chain lending protocol built on the LayerZero infrastructure, designed to unify fragmented liquidity across various blockchains. Unlike traditional DeFi platforms, Radiant allows users to deposit and borrow assets on one chain while seamlessly interfacing with others, thereby reducing friction and boosting capital efficiency. The RDNT token is utilized for governance, staking, and incentives, promoting user engagement while securing protocol operations. As the DeFi space evolves toward cross-chain operability, Radiant offers a scalable solution, making it a project to monitor closely as the next altcoin season approaches.
Key statistics (as of July 22, 2025):
Price: $0.02571
Market cap: $33.2M
All-time high: $0.4952
Stratos (STOS)
Stratos (STOS) is a decentralized data infrastructure network providing scalable solutions for storage, computing, and bandwidth—three essential components for Web3 applications. In contrast to traditional cloud providers, Stratos distributes these services across a decentralized node network, enhancing redundancy, minimizing costs, and resisting censorship. It acts as a comprehensive platform for developers seeking high-performance backend infrastructure for dApps, DeFi platforms, and digital content delivery. The STOS token is utilized for network fee payments and governance participation. As demand for decentralized alternatives to centralized cloud services rises, Stratos delivers a holistic solution.
Key statistics (as of July 22, 2025):
Price: $0.1365
Market cap: $5.3M
All-time high: $5.50
