Retail Picks Ethereum, Solana, Ripple Over Meme Coins For January Crypto Rally

By Stocktwits Inc  |  First Published Jan 7, 2025, 7:03 PM IST

Altcoin majors were already seen rising sharply this week as Bitcoin (BTC) reclaimed its six-digit price for the first time since Dec. 19 and started 2025 strong following the holiday lull.


Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), and Ripple (XRP) are the top picks among retail investors for January, beating out community tokens and meme coins. 

According to a poll by Stocktwits,  these blue-chip cryptocurrencies received the majority of votes, showcasing a preference among retail investors for relatively more established assets backed by strong fundamentals going into 2025.

Stocktwits Poll On Crypto Category Performance In Jan. 2025

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Retail investors appear to be banking on Ethereum’s leadership in decentralized finance, Solana’s high-speed blockchain, and Ripple’s potential growth following its partial victory against the SEC.

In contrast, enthusiasm for community coins appears to be fading. Dogecoin (DOGE), Shiba Inu (SHIB), and newer entrant Pudgy Penguins (PENGU) collectively garnered only 26% of the vote, while a mere 13% believe meme coins like FART will outperform in January. 

Altcoin majors were already seen rising sharply as Bitcoin (BTC) reclaimed its six-digit price for the first time since Dec. 19 and started 2025 strong following the holiday lull.

At the time of writing, the apex crypto had risen by 1.37% in the last 24 hours and was trading at around $100,000.

Industry watchers expect a rebound in crypto prices in early January, ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on Jan.20.

Retail investors believe that cryptocurrencies may have a more favorable regulatory environment once Trump is at the helm, given his pledge to retail government Bitcoin holdings and support for setting up a national strategic Bitcoin reserve. 

Ethereum Sentiment and Message Volume on Jan 7 as of 6:20 a.m. ET | Source: Stocktwits

Despite the bullish outlook on Ethereum for the month, sentiment around the cryptocurrency was in the ‘bearish’ territory on Stocktwits. 

Ethereum, trading above $3,600 at the time of writing, has gained 7% over the last seven days but has only risen 62% in the past year.

Solana Sentiment and Message Volume on Jan 7 as of 6:30 a.m. ET | Source: Stocktwits

Retail sentiment around Solana was also in the ‘bearish’ territory on Stocktwits but muted chatter at ‘low’ levels. 

Despite this, retail expects Solana to outperform peers Polkadot (DOT), Cosmos (ATOM), and Sui (SUI), which industry watchers have all called ‘Solana-killers’ at one point or another. 

Another poll on Stocktwits shows that at least 50% of investors believe Solana has better potential than its competitors.

Stocktwits Poll On Crypto Project Performance

At the time of writing, Solana was trading at $213, down 0.6% in the last 24 hours.  The crypto has gained 130.3% in the last year. 

Ripple Sentiment and Message Volume on Jan 7 as of 6:40 a.m. ET | Source: Stocktwits

Meanwhile, retail sentiment around Ripple improved to ‘neutral’ from ‘bearish’ a day ago, even though message volumes remained at ‘low’ levels. 

Trading at $2.43, Ripple was down over 1% for the day but up 338.53% for the year. Its momentum continues to be driven by optimism surrounding its legal battles and future potential in the cross-border payments space.

The poll reflects a broader shift in retail trading behavior, with participants showing an increasing appetite for projects that can weather market volatility. Blue-chip cryptos may dominate the spotlight as January approaches, potentially setting the tone for early 2025.

For updates and corrections, email newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com.<

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