Since Bitcoin surged to a new all-time high of $126,080 in early October, the asset has been locked in a steady downtrend, one that deepened in the early hours today, UTC, when BTC briefly bottomed at $89,369.
Veteran crypto analysts remain unperturbed, viewing this correction as healthy for market growth. Cycles like this reset leverage, shake out speculative froth, and create the conditions for stronger, more sustainable bullish momentum in the months ahead.
At the same time, it’s becoming increasingly evident that Bitcoin, despite its dominant reputation as a “store of value”, may not lead the next major crypto rally. Several alternative assets are better positioned to support institutional adoption.
Here’s why XRP, Zcash, and Uniswap are likely to be the biggest gainers going forward.
XRP (XRP): Driving the Future of Global Payment Infrastructure
Ripple’s XRP ($XRP) is modernising international money transfers through its ultra-fast, low-cost blockchain settlement network. Ripple’s product pitch is that this system could eventually replace SWIFT.
XRP’s technology has been spotlighted in crypto reports by the UN Capital Development Fund and even the White House. Ripple has continued securing partnerships with major banks and payment providers, reinforcing XRP’s place as the fourth-largest crypto asset with a market cap hovering above $131 billion.
Ripple’s introduction of RLUSD, a U.S. dollar–backed stablecoin, signals the company’s ambition to dominate what many experts call the most critical sector of the future of digital payments. Every RLUSD transaction on the XRP Ledger triggers a small XRP burn, inherently connecting network usage to long-term value appreciation.
XRP has climbed 93% over the past year, reaching $3.65 in July, its first new all-time high since 2018. In comparison, Bitcoin actually fell 1% during the same timeframe.
XRP’s relative strength index (RSI) sits at a low 41, although today it’s on the rebound, suggesting traders are buying the dip.
Should U.S. regulators approve spot crypto ETFs and greenlight Project Crypto, the proposed framework for digital asset oversight, market strategists predict XRP could target $10 or more by 2026.
Zcash (ZEC): Biggest Privacy Coin Rockets 1,123% in 365 Days!
Created in 2016 as a Bitcoin fork, Zcash ($ZEC) was built with a single mission: protecting financial privacy.
ZEC relies on zk-SNARKs, an advanced cryptographic system that verifies transactions without revealing sender identity, recipient details, or transaction amounts.
Its hybrid address system, offering both transparent and shielded options, allows users to choose between privacy and regulatory clarity, giving ZEC wide appeal across multiple use cases.
Zcash has jumped 18% in the past week and an incredible 1,123% over the past year. With a current price near $571 and a market cap exceeding $9 billion, ZEC comprises the bulk of the privacy coin sector’s $32.5 billion market.
With an RSI around 39, traders are clearly cashing in on recent profits and creating a selling momentum that could push prices down further in the immediate term. Nonetheless, strong fundamentals, clearer crypto rules, and renewed enthusiasm for privacy technologies could push ZEC toward the $1,200 mark before year-end.
Uniswap’s DEX Utility Token $UNI Rallied 42% in a Fortnight Despite Market Downturn
Uniswap ($UNI) is the governance token of the Uniswap Protocol, one of the largest and most influential decentralized exchanges (DEXs) in crypto.
Built on Ethereum and utilizing a highly intuitive interface, Uniswap lets users trade tokens through automated liquidity pools rather than traditional order books, allowing anyone to provide liquidity and earn fees.
UNI plays a central role in the platform’s decentralization by giving holders voting power over protocol upgrades, fee structures, and treasury allocations.
In the last fortnight, UNI rallied 42%, a feat practically unheard of among most leading crypto projects. Yesterday evening, UNI hit a peak of $8.05 but has since fallen to trade at $7.28.
At its current price, the token remains about 84% down from its May 2021 high of $44.92, although that high still stands as a realistic target given Uniswap’s positioning as the foremost DEX.
That said, macroeconomic and industry factors could cultivate the conditions to rally UNI up to $20 by Christmas.
Bitcoin Hyper (HYPER): A Meme Coin Disguising Real Utility and High-Performance Layer-2 Scaling
A rising project tipped to dominate in 2026 is Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER), a layer 2 Bitcoin infrastructure protocol cosplaying as a meme coin. HYPER functions increase Bitcoin’s throughput, lower transaction fees, and unlock sophisticated smart contract functionality.
Powered by the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM), Bitcoin Hyper supports DAO-based governance and includes a Canonical bridge enabling smooth Bitcoin transfers across chains.
The project has already amassed $27.8 million through its presale, with analysts like YouTube crypto influencer Borch Crypto forecasting potential gains of up to 100×.
A recent Coinsult audit reported zero smart-contract vulnerabilities, boosting investor trust. The HYPER token is central to network fees, staking rewards, and platform governance. Early presale contributors can stake for returns of up to 41% APY.
Bitcoin is going $HYPER in 2026!
Visit the official presale website or follow Bitcoin Hyper on X and Telegram for more information.
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