Opinion piece: My favorite cryptocurrencies to invest in right now.

Now that interest in crypto has once again dropped to a low point, this may indicate that it is the ideal time to buy (via DCA?) for the long term. In this opinion piece, I discuss three of my favorite coins that I have high expectations for: Ethereum, Bitcoin, and Mina.

1. Ethereum (ETH)
Ethereum is my first choice because of its versatility and the strong foundation it provides for decentralized applications (dApps). Since its inception in 2015, the platform has proven to be a reliable and innovative ecosystem. Ethereum’s smart contracts serve as the foundation for countless projects, including decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Given all the activity on Ethereum and the second layers, this ecosystem is miles ahead of its competitors.
With the recent transition to a Proof of Stake consensus mechanism, they demonstrate that the development team is continuously working to improve the network. This upgrade could significantly reduce transaction costs (in the long run) and the environmental impacts of mining, making Ethereum even more attractive to both investors and developers. An update expected by the end of this year will ensure that Ethereum can handle a multitude of transactions. The currently high fees that hinder mass adoption should then be a thing of the past.

2. Bitcoin (BTC)
Bitcoin, the first and most well-known cryptocurrency, remains one of my favorites due to its proven value storage and growing acceptance as a means of payment. Although there are concerns about the environmental effects of the proof-of-work (PoW) consensus mechanism, Bitcoin remains a solid investment because of its scarcity and the fact that it is often seen as a ‘digital version of gold.’ Additionally, with new laws and regulations, the importance of true decentralization, as seen with Bitcoin, is becoming increasingly significant.
Institutional adoption of Bitcoin and the growing interest from major companies like Tesla and MicroStrategy also strengthen confidence in the coin. Moreover, recent developments such as the Lightning Network are making Bitcoin more scalable and user-friendly for everyday transactions. I personally run a Lightning node and follow the developments closely. However, an important footnote here is that I believe the Lightning network is quite complex, which does not benefit the comprehensibility (and according to many, the decentralization) of the system. Ultimately, the user does not necessarily need to notice this.

3. Mina (MINA)
Mina, a relatively new player in the crypto world, has caught my interest due to its unique approach to blockchain technology. Mina’s main selling point is the fixed size of the blockchain, which is only 22 kB. This allows anyone with a smartphone to participate in the network and help validate transactions.
Thanks to the use of zk-SNARKs, a technology that allows (via zero-knowledge proofs) transactions to be verified without the need to download the entire blockchain, Mina can offer a high degree of decentralization and privacy. This makes the project promising, and it could become a strong competitor to established blockchains in terms of scalability and accessibility.

Conclusion
Ethereum, Bitcoin, and Mina represent three promising cryptocurrencies with diverse characteristics and applications. Ethereum and Bitcoin have already proven themselves as solid investments, while Mina is an interesting newcomer with innovative technology. Although there are always risks associated with investing in crypto, I believe that these three coins have a good chance of creating long-term value for their users and investors.