By 2026, the cryptocurrency market has fully transitioned from hype to real utility and institutional dominance. If you are building a portfolio right now, your focus should be on projects with strong infrastructure and integration into the real economy.
Here is my list of favorites, shared by analysts and top authors on Square:
1. Infrastructure Giants (Portfolio Foundation)
Ethereum ($ETH): Despite competition, it remains the base layer for DeFi and tokenization. Price expectations for 2026 range from $7,000 to $11,000.Solana ($SOL): The leader in speed and new user acquisition. The ecosystem continues to grow exponentially, and institutions are increasingly choosing SOL for their products.Binance Coin ($BNB): The utility king. Burn mechanisms, Launchpool events, and Binance's dominance in trading volumes make it an essential asset for stability.
2. Projects with Real World Utility (RWU)
Chainlink ($LINK): The bridge between blockchain and traditional finance. In 2026, LINK is seen as one of the most reliable assets due to its crucial role in data transmission and oracles.XRP ($XRP): After gaining regulatory clarity, the project has become a key tool for institutional cross-border payments. 2026 forecasts reach $2.50–$3.00.Sui ($SUI): The new generation of scalability. The project from former Meta employees is actively gaining traction and is considered one of the main "killers" of older L1 solutions.
3. Trending Narratives (High Growth)
AI (Artificial Intelligence): Projects like Fetch.ai ($FET) and Bittensor ($TAO) remain top picks as AI agents have started massive adoption within the crypto space.DePIN and RWA: Real World Asset tokenization and decentralized physical infrastructure are the main narratives of 2026.
📊 Recommended Allocation:
60% — Fundamentals (ETH, SOL, BNB)30% — Medium Risk (LINK, XRP, SUI, TON)10% — Speculative Ideas (AI tokens, meme coins like PEPE or DOGE for high volatility/excitement).
💡 Remember: 2026 is a year of quality, not empty hype. Always do your own research (DYOR) before buying!
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