Next Crypto to Hit $1: Our Top 4 Picks in 2026

Hitting the $1 mark is an important psychological barrier that many investors consider a breakthrough moment for certain coins and tokens. With thousands of cryptos to potentially choose from, we’ve established several key parameters when considering the most likely candidates. 

We’ve narrowed the search to cryptocurrencies that have never traded above $1, with a price above $0.01 (to avoid obvious long shots), and that belong to the 500 largest crypto projects by market cap. 

Ultimately, we’ve settled on 4 cryptocurrencies that have the potential to hit $1 this year. We are going to examine their chances in this article.

Top 4 next cryptos to hit $1 in 2026:

1. Dogecoin – The pioneering meme-based cryptocurrency
2. Kaspa – A high-throughput and scalable blockchain network
3. Stellar – A blockchain built for seamless crypto-to-fiat transfers
4. Hedera Hashgraph – A hashgraph-powered alternative to traditional blockchains

Top 4 cryptos that are eyeing $1 right now

In the following sections, we are going to examine 3 crypto projects that have never reached the $1 mark but have all the necessary attributes to do so in the future.

1. Dogecoin

Dogecoin (DOGE), a notable name in the cryptocurrency world, is garnering attention as a potential candidate to breach the $1 threshold. Reflecting on its performance during the 2021 bull market, Dogecoin achieved a peak value close to $0.74, just shy of the coveted $1 milestone. At its peak, Dogecoin’s market valuation soared to an impressive $69.6 billion.

Should Dogecoin hit the $1 mark, its market capitalization is projected to climb to a substantial $144.6 billion (assuming the circulating supply doesn’t change). This would position it as the third-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, surpassed only by industry leaders Bitcoin, at a staggering $1.39 trillion, and Ethereum, with a market cap of $238 billion.

The journey of Dogecoin towards the ambitious $1 goal seems intertwined with the general excitement around meme coins and the broader dynamics of cryptocurrency markets. The upcoming Bitcoin halving, coupled with the historical pattern of cryptos rallying in the months following previous halvings, suggests a scenario where Dogecoin could potentially reach or even surpass the $1 benchmark within 2026.

2. Kaspa

Kaspa (KAS) is making strides with its focus on high scalability and rapid transaction processing. By adopting a blockDAG structure instead of the conventional blockchain, Kaspa is carving out a niche for itself, promising swifter block confirmations and enhancing the overall user experience.

Recently, KAS has seen a notable uptick in interest, which could be partly attributed to the buzz around the launch of Bitcoin ETFs and the anticipation surrounding the upcoming Bitcoin halving. In August 2024, Kaspa marked a significant milestone, reaching an all-time high of $0.209. This peak represented a substantial 215% increase over the previous six months. At present, KAS trades at around $0.036, about 83% lower than its peak price. For KAS to hit the $1 mark, it would require more than a 25-fold increase from its current value, implying a market capitalization of over $23 billion.

Kaspa benefits from a robust online community presence and a dedicated development team. These factors could play a pivotal role in garnering market interest and potentially driving the coin’s value towards the $1 target.

3. Stellar

Stellar (XLM) is an open-source, decentralized framework that facilitates the exchange of digital currency for fiat money. The platform stands out for its emphasis on swift, affordable, and inclusive cross-border transactions, catering to both individual users and businesses.

As an established name in the crypto world, Stellar has maintained a favorable reputation over its roughly ten-year existence. In its journey through the crypto markets, Stellar saw significant uptrends during the bull runs of 2018 and 2021, where XLM’s value exceeded $0.60 on both occasions, yet it stopped short of crossing the $0.70 mark.

The expanding Stellar ecosystem, coupled with the growth of the broader crypto market compared to previous years, suggests a strong potential for XLM to surpass its previous highs and possibly reach the $1 threshold in an upcoming crypto rally. While our Stellar prediction algorithm remains conservative, not foreseeing the token hitting $1 within the year, it anticipates a high of about $0.248 in mid 2026. This trajectory underscores Stellar’s steady progress and potential in the evolving crypto landscape.

4. Hedera Hashgraph

Hedera (HBAR), the native token of the Hedera Hashgraph network, is gaining renewed attention as investors evaluate its long-term upside potential. During the 2021 bull market, HBAR reached a peak price of around $0.57, marking its all-time high at the height of broader crypto market euphoria. At that time, Hedera’s market capitalization climbed to a multi-billion-dollar valuation, reflecting strong demand and growing awareness of its enterprise-focused distributed ledger technology.

If HBAR were to revisit its previous all-time high or push toward a new psychological milestone, its market capitalization would expand significantly, assuming the circulating supply remains stable. A move toward higher price targets would likely position Hedera among the more prominent large-cap cryptocurrencies, competing with other smart contract and layer-1 networks for market share and investor capital.

Hedera’s growth trajectory is closely tied to enterprise adoption, real-world use cases, and the continued expansion of its governing council, which includes major global corporations. As institutional interest in tokenization, AI integration, and on-chain asset management increases, Hedera’s high throughput and low transaction fees could strengthen its position. Combined with broader crypto market cycles and potential post-halving momentum, these factors create a scenario where HBAR could challenge previous highs and potentially establish new ones in the next major bull run.

Final thoughts

Projects such as Dogecoin, Kaspa, Stellar, and Hedera each possess distinct qualities that position them favorably to potentially surpass the $1 milestone within the year. Nevertheless, it’s crucial to acknowledge the crypto market’s interconnected nature. The performance of these individual projects is closely tied to the overarching trends in the crypto world, particularly the trajectory of Bitcoin, which shapes general market trends.

If the broader crypto market experiences downturns, it becomes highly challenging for the coins and tokens we’ve highlighted to achieve the $1 target. Their successes are not isolated but rather are part of the larger, intricate web of the cryptocurrency ecosystem, where market dynamics play a pivotal role in determining their value and growth prospects.

If you want to know more about other cryptocurrencies with high potential, we suggest you check out our weekly updated list of the best cryptos to buy.