The cryptocurrency market has been on a rollercoaster ride in 2025, with most assets struggling to regain the bullish momentum seen toward the end of last year.
Nevertheless, hidden gems in the market, priced under $1, still offer an investment opportunity driven by strong fundamentals and growing adoption.
Notably, cryptocurrencies below $1 attract investors seeking high-growth opportunities with minimal upfront costs. While volatility remains a risk, the following two cryptocurrencies under $1 stand out as strong investment options in 2025.
Cardano (ADA)
Cardano (ADA) makes the list due to its promise of sustainability and scalability. Despite slow price growth, ADA remains an ideal bet thanks to its expanding blockchain ecosystem and ambitious roadmap.
Built on a research-driven approach, Cardano’s proof-of-stake (PoS) protocol provides an energy-efficient alternative to Bitcoin’s (BTC) mining-intensive system, aligning with the increasing demand for eco-friendly crypto solutions.
Additionally, ADA’s potential also lies in its recent network upgrades like the Chang Hard Fork. This upgrade improved Cardano’s speed, security, and scalability, making it more attractive for decentralized applications and developers.
The asset could also see increased institutional investment, particularly with the potential rollout of a spot ADA exchange-traded fund (ETF). Companies such as Grayscale have already applied for such a product.
However, Cardano faces stiff competition from entities such as Solana (SOL), which processes up to 65,000 transactions per second with ultra-low fees.
Regarding price movement, some analysts forecast that ADA could rally to $6 based on technical formation.
As things stand, ADA was valued at $0.74 at press time, gaining almost 3% in the last 24 hours, although it has dropped over 22% on the weekly chart.
ADA one-week price chart. Source: Finbold
VeChain (VET)
VeChain (VET) is another strong under $1 option for 2025. Known for its focus on supply chain management and enterprise adoption, VeChain’s blockchain tracks everything from luxury goods to pharmaceuticals, ensuring transparency and authenticity.
Its dual-token system—VET for transactions and VTHO for gas fees—makes it a practical choice for businesses and drives steady adoption growth.
This year, VeChain’s partnerships with major corporations, including Walmart China, fuel optimism for further expansion.
Meanwhile, VeChain has also been actively developing its network. The recent “VeChain Renaissance” upgrade represents a significant overhaul of its blockchain technology and tokenomics. This upgrade introduces dynamic gas fees, enhancements to the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), and a historic community vote finalized in February.
At press time, VET was trading at $0.02, surging over 5% in the last 24 hours, although it remains down 15% over the past seven days.
VET one-week price chart. Source: Finbold
In summary, Cardano and VeChain are ideal under $1 assets to buy in 2025, but their returns largely depend on overall market trends. Both could see significant gains if bullish momentum returns, but investors should remain mindful of volatility and external risks.
Featured image via Shutterstock
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