2024 featured massive rises from some altcoins, and they may not be done yet. The crypto market moves in cycles, and some of the best winners from the past year are flashing strong continuation signals. Read on as we spotlight five altcoins that blew up last year and break down why they may still be upside in 2025
This should not be taken as financial advice, but as insights to help you discover available opportunities in the market. However, remember to use Dtunes.ng for quick crypto-to-Naira swaps when selling or trying to lock in profits.
Solana (SOL)
Rising DeFi Challenger
Solana (SOL) is a popular choice for several crypto enthusiasts, seeing its arc from comeback king to DeFi challenger. Solana overcame a massive price crash following the collapse of FTX in November 2022. In the years that followed, the Solana community managed to grow the blockchain into a much preferred network for smart contracts and dApps.
Solana’s lower fees also contributed to its quick recovery and its challenger status to Ethereum. At the start of 2024, Solana traded at about $100 and closed the year at over $200, with over 100% returns.
Solana (SOL) had a strong start to 2025, even hitting its $293 all-time high on January 19. However, SOL has seen almost a 50% retracement since its peak. As of this writing, Solana (SOL) is trading at $151. Experts argue that its current price could be a decent entry for investors looking to capitalise on a recovery pump to its recent highs.
Moreover, Solana (SOL) maintains a narrative as a strong competitor to Ethereum (ETH), which is almost four times bigger. This competition disparity offers some prospects for SOL believers to bet on if the network continues to grow and attract users.
SUI
From Underdog L1 to DeFi Powerhouse
Sui (SUI) is a unique layer-1 blockchain network launched in May 2023. After surviving the initial FUD at launch, SUI started 2024 at $0.8, but the price soared as narratives around the project grew. SUI closed the 2024 year well above the $4 price mark, and maintained momentum to establish a $5.35 all-time high on January 4, 2025.
Like Solana, SUI is also touted as a layer-1 solution for fast transactions at low costs. The network operates a unique Move programming language, opening up avenues for developers to build products in unique ways and elevate contemporary decentralised apps.
For what it’s worth, the team behind SUI were initially on Meta’s (formerly Facebook’s) blockchain project Diem. As of this writing, SUI is trading at $2.86, almost a 50% correction from its all-time high, allowing the opportunity for buyers to get in cheap.
Arweave
Growing Narrative Around AI And Data Storage
The crypto market saw massive growth amid the AI boom last year, with AI coins like Bittensor (TAO) and Render (RNDR) registering massive returns. The AI boom created a new demand for computing power and decentralised data permanence. Already positioned as a permanent storage layer for AI-generated data, Arweave (AR) gained serious traction, driving its price upward.
Arweave was considered a decentralised alternative to cloud giants like AWS. Starting 2024 at $8, Arweave (AR) closed the year at $17, rising as high as $43 at the peak of the AI hype. Arweave (AR) is trading at $5.41 at the time of writing, showing a massive drop from its opening price this year.
Experts believe Arweave (AR) could still be a decent bet, considering the AI hype lingers. As artificial intelligence is the next big thing, Arweave (AR) could offer an opportunity to frontrun the market.
PEPE
Strong Memecoin Narrative
PEPE had an impressive year in 2024, growing from a microcap meme coin into a top 50 coin. PEPE rose from about $500 million market cap and closed the 2024 year as a $8 billion market cap meme coin. Delivering over 1,500% returns in 2024 alone, investors have started to pay attention to the meme coin ahead of another run in 2025.
PEPE’s growth in 2024 can be tied to community-led burns and a major CEX listing on Coinbase. Also, PEPE picked up momentum following stagnation from DOGE and SHIB despite growing hype for meme coins. Add that to a couple of tweets from Elon Musk, and you have one of the best-performing meme coins for 2024.
As of this writing, PEPE is trading at $0.00001032 with a $4.34 billion market cap. Several crypto enthusiasts continue to eye PEPE for another run this year, considering all necessary factors align. However, investments in coins like PEPE are highly risky and should be a small percentage of your portfolio.
Render (RNDR)
Crypto AI Boom
Render (RNDR) is a decentralised network that allows users to connect with individuals offering rendering services with idle GPUs via the blockchain. The AI boom in 2024 caused a rise in demand for processing power, sparking growth in peer-to-peer GPU marketplaces. Users will contribute computing power to 3D rendering projects and earn crypto.
Render (RNDR) rose from about $4.4 to $7.5 by 2024. RNDR soared as high as $13.53 at the peak of the hype. However, the coin has since retraced, with traders considering it an opportunity to get in for cheap. As of this writing, Render (RNDR) is trading at $3.40 with a $1.76 billion market cap.
What To Watch Before December
Crypto experts and enthusiasts welcomed 2025 with high hopes, considering the highs of December 2024. Interestingly, the year has been for Bitcoin (BTC) alone. The largest crypto by market cap continues to break new all-time highs and has been riding on that momentum. As of this writing, Bitcoin (BTC) is at $108,000, trading close to its $111,814 all-time high in May.
As Bitcoin continues to dominate the market, experts advise watching for a lowering Bitcoin dominance as a sign that altcoins could pump. Crypto enthusiasts watch for market news or regulatory updates that catalyse market movement. With unexpected market movements, it’s important to access local tools like Dtunes.ng, which allow Nigerians to quickly convert crypto to Naira and vice versa.
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Final Thoughts
The five coins mentioned in this article saw massive growth in 2024, and their market narrative and momentum suggest there might be room to resume the uptrend. However, it’s important to remember that past performance does not guarantee future gains. It’s vital to continue to research, track on-chain signals, reallocate your portfolio, and plan your exits ahead of time.
And when you secure those gains, remember to use Dtunes.ng to convert crypto to Naira for instant cashouts.
