Three cryptocurrencies with massive upside potential in 2026

It’s hard to find big-time crypto winners in 2026. Bitcoin (BTC) is still down more than 20% for the year, dragging down much of the broader crypto market. Still, some cryptocurrencies are managing to outperform, including three tokens highlighted for their upside potential this year.

Bittensor: AI-focused Layer 1 gains

Bittensor is positioned as the largest AI crypto by market cap. The token is up 47% for the year, with a market cap of nearly $3.5 billion.

The article frames Bittensor’s appeal around its status as a Layer 1 blockchain purpose-built for AI, contrasting it with more general-purpose networks such as Ethereum. The key to valuing Bittensor, it says, is understanding which AI projects are launching on its ecosystem and how they differ from existing AI offerings.

To gauge activity, the article points to Bittensor’s “subnets” (networks). It highlights Templar (subnet3) as the subnet drawing the most attention, noting it is being used for training large language models (LLMs).

Hyperliquid: DeFi token tied to perpetual futures

Hyperliquid, a decentralized finance (DeFi) token, has gained more than 40% in 2026 and has a market cap of $9 billion, placing it among the top dozen cryptocurrencies by market value.

Starting in 2023, Hyperliquid built a reputation as a decentralized exchange for perpetual futures (“perps”). The article notes that due to the risk and leverage involved, perps are largely off-limits to most U.S. investors, while they have become a popular way in other regions to place leveraged bets on the future performance of specific cryptocurrencies.

Stable: Layer 1 built for stablecoin transactions

Stable is described as a new Layer 1 blockchain purpose-built for stablecoin transaction activity, launched in December. The token is up 83% in 2026, with a market cap of $550 million, ranking it among the top 75 cryptocurrencies.

The article links Stable’s momentum to the broader growth of the stablecoin market. It cites the market’s current value at around $300 billion and references Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s view that it could reach $3 trillion by 2030—an increase the article characterizes as roughly tenfold.

It also states that Stable is optimized for Tether (USDT), the largest stablecoin by market share.

Impact and investment thesis shift

The article argues that investor focus may be moving away from general-purpose Layer 1 blockchains toward purpose-built networks. It cites Bittensor as an AI blockchain, Stable as a stablecoin-transaction blockchain, and mentions another Layer 1 created for meme coins that is said to rank among the top 30 cryptocurrencies.

It suggests this shift could help explain why Ethereum is “having so much trouble getting back on track,” implying that activity and attention may be concentrating elsewhere in the blockchain and crypto ecosystem.

How to choose between the three

The article presents a framework for selecting an investment thesis: TAO as a bet on AI, HYPE as a bet on DeFi, and STABLE as a bet on stablecoins. It concludes that for many investors, AI has been the default choice—helping explain Bittensor’s early 2026 surge—and that if demand for AI-related themes remains strong, it may continue to rise through the year.