As we move into a new year, the crypto landscape remains a mix of established players like Solana (SOL) and new crypto to buy now that promise disruptive potential in their respective spaces. One of the most interesting trends this year is the increasing focus on projects with clear utility, such as Tapzi, a skill-to-earn platform combining Web3 gaming and blockchain economics.

With Bitcoin trading at around $87,000 and Ethereum above $2,000, many investors are shifting attention to the best crypto to buy now that offers high growth potential at more accessible prices. 

Among them, Tapzi is standing out in the best crypto presales category, with over 111 million tokens sold and clear use cases within the GameFi sector. Meanwhile, Solana has regained attention after a strong rebound, and Bittensor (TAO) is drawing interest as AI-based blockchain infrastructure heats up.

Let’s take a closer look at these tokens, their performance, and how they compare to one another in the current market.

Key Takeaways: Best Crypto to Buy Now

The Tapzi presale is drawing considerable attention as more than 111 million $TAPZI tokens have been sold, building momentum for this new Web3 project. Tapzi is unique in its approach to blockchain gaming. 

Instead of relying on random rewards typical of traditional play-to-earn (P2E) games, Tapzi uses a skill-to-earn model, where players stake tokens to enter games like chess, checkers, and tic-tac-toe. Winners of these games take home the prize pool, offering a competitive structure that encourages retention and repeat engagement

What sets Tapzi apart is its fixed supply of 5 billion $TAPZI tokens, with 20% already allocated for the presale. This capped supply is crucial in a market that has seen inflationary rewards dilute value in the past. By offering a model where the tokenomics directly tie to the platform’s utility: PvP match entry fees, rewards, and staking, Tapzi creates a more sustainable economic ecosystem.

In terms of pricing, the current presale price is $0.0035, well below the projected listing price of $0.01 on exchanges like PancakeSwap. This price movement, combined with the fixed-supply tokenomics, makes Tapzi an attractive option for early investors looking to buy into the next crypto to explode. The platform also integrates NFTs for in-game purchases, adding another layer of utility to the $TAPZI token.

Solana has made a strong recovery from its earlier 2025 losses, trading at $123.55 with a 2.97% increase over the last 24 hours. Solana’s market cap stands at approximately $57.06 billion, with impressive trading volume suggesting renewed investor interest. 

Despite facing challenges, including macroeconomic volatility and technical issues in the past, Solana remains one of the most popular blockchain infrastructure projects, providing high-speed transactions for decentralized apps and platforms.

The network is poised to continue benefiting from increased institutional adoption, particularly following the approval of Solana-focused ETFs in 2024. These ETFs have sparked increased liquidity and interest from institutional investors, signaling a growing trust in the Solana network.

However, with a MACD of -7.51 and an RSI of 38.71, Solana’s price action remains volatile, suggesting that while there are bullish forecasts predicting a rise to $162.32, a correction may also be imminent as the price consolidates.

For those interested in the best crypto to invest in for both short-term gains and long-term growth, Solana provides a high-performance blockchain with established use cases, and its ability to scale DeFi applications and decentralized apps (dApps) positions it as a strong contender.

Bittensor (TAO), currently priced at $219.50, represents a different angle in the crypto market. TAO is an AI-powered blockchain project designed to support decentralized machine learning networks. 

Its network is a growing infrastructure for AI models, enabling nodes to connect and share data in exchange for TAO tokens. The recent halving event in December 2025 reduced the daily issuance of TAO by 50%, improving scarcity and potentially increasing value over time.

Although Bittensor’s price recently saw a 5.03% drop, the project continues to grow in terms of institutional adoption. Grayscale has filed for a Bittensor Trust, and the project is also launching European Exchange Traded Products (ETPs), signaling a move toward regulated investment products. These developments indicate that Bittensor could be one of the altcoins to watch in 2026, as AI infrastructure continues to gain traction in the blockchain space.

Bittensor’s focus on AI integration within decentralized networks offers a new frontier for investors interested in the intersection of blockchain and artificial intelligence. However, much like Solana, its future success depends on broader market adoption and the platform’s ability to deliver tangible use cases.

Each of these projects—Tapzi, Solana, and Bittensor—has its own strengths and growth potential in 2026. Tapzi’s skill-to-earn gaming model positions it as one of the most intriguing best crypto to buy now for 2026. 

Meanwhile, Solana’s robust infrastructure and institutional interest ensure its place in the best crypto to buy now list. Bittensor stands out for its unique AI integration, making it an exciting pick for those interested in the intersection of blockchain and AI.

Join Tapzi’s $500,000 community giveaway and compete across nine prize categories to earn $TAPZI tokens—sign up today and become an early adopter!

Website: https://www.tapzi.io/

Whitepaper: https://docs.tapzi.io/

X Handle: https://x.com/Official_Tapzi

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