Bitcoin Stable, Ethereum Declines, Niche Tokens Rally

The median cryptocurrency investor saw their portfolio grow by $5,482 in 2024, according to a recent report by crypto tax and portfolio tracking platform CoinLedger.

The study analyzed data from more than half a million users, highlighting key trends in the digital asset market, including top-performing tokens and the impact of regulatory changes on trading platforms.

Winners and Losers

According to the report shared with CryptoPotato, SUPER, the native token of the blockchain gaming ecosystem SuperVerse, delivered the highest unrealized gains for investors. It was closely followed by Hyperliquid’s HYPE token, indicating growing interest in niche blockchain projects.

Data from CoinGecko shows that SUPER peaked at about $2.18 in December 2024, having started the year priced below $0.61. It is currently trading just above $0.71, showing a 36.2% drop across 12 months but a nearly 11% improvement over the last 24 hours.

On its part, HYPE experienced rapid growth between November 29, when it launched, and December 22, when it hit an all-time high of $34.96. Although it registered a 4% uptick in the last 30 days, its price at the time of writing was still almost 30% below its highest-ever level.

Other coins that made it into CoinLedger’s list of top gainers include Bitcoin (BTC), which has broken multiple price records in the last two months, Shiba Inu (SHIB), and Render (RENDER).

On the flip side, the study shows that Ethereum (ETH) and Cardano (ADA) led the pack for the largest unrealized losses. CoinLedger’s analysts suggest that increased competition from blockchains like Solana may have contributed to Ethereum’s underperformance. Polygon’s MATIC, Cosmos (ATOM), and Cronos (CRO) also fared poorly.

Holding Patterns and Exchange Preferences

Regarding long-term holdings, the report confirmed that Bitcoin is still the most trusted store of value, carrying the crown for the second year running. ETH, XRP, and ADA were also popular choices for long-term holders.

The survey also noted a marked shift in exchange preference among investors. Coinbase and Crypto.com pushed aside Binance, which has been the top choice in previous years, to become the two most popular exchanges among crypto investors.

This change is most likely due to regulatory challenges Binance faced in multiple jurisdictions, including a $4.3 billion settlement with the U.S. Justice Department over accusations of conducting an unlicensed money-transmitting business and failing to maintain an effective anti-money laundering (AML) program.

The exchange’s co-founder, Changpeng Zhao (CZ), also served a four-month prison sentence for similar violations and was forced to step down from his role as CEO.