Best Altcoins to Buy Now: Crypto VC Funding Tops $4.65B in Q3

Venture capital is pouring into crypto at a rate rarely witnessed since the fall of FTX. A new report from Galaxy Digital found that VCs invested $4.65 billion into the crypto market in Q3, the second-highest level of activity since late 2022.

This kind of trend is exactly what investors want to see. It represents conviction and optimism at the highest levels of early-stage investing, potentially signalling that the next wave of crypto market expansion is underway.

Galaxy’s report found that funding was concentrated in seven projects, which collectively raised half of the capital. The standout fundraiser came from Revolut, which collected $1 billion in Q3, taking its valuation to $75 billion.

But retail investors are excluded from these VC deals, so how do they capitalize on this budding trend? We’ve selected three of the best altcoins to buy now that are emerging with serious growth potential. Let’s dig in.

This publication is sponsored. CryptoDnes does not endorse and is not responsible for the content, accuracy, quality, advertising, products or other materials on this page.

Capital Is Returning to Early-Stage Crypto Ventures

Q3 saw a 290% quarter-on-quarter jump in venture bets compared to Q2, the Galaxy Digital report highlighted on Monday. This was only beaten by Q1, when VCs invested $4.8 billion in crypto projects.

“Despite remaining below 2021-2022 bull market levels, venture activity remains active and healthy overall,” noted Galaxy Digital’s head of research, Alex Thorn.

He continued, “Sectors like stablecoins, AI, blockchain infrastructure, and trading continue to draw deals and dollars, and pre-seed activity remains consistent.”

There were 414 venture deals overall in Q3, although seven accounted for half of the total funds raised. Following Revolut were Kraken, with $500 million, and crypto-focused US bank Erebor, with $250 million.

This reflects where VCs see the most valuable opportunities right now: facilitating the trading of crypto assets.

Thorn underlined that VC activity over the last two years has been subdued amid tapering momentum in previously hot narratives like gaming and NFTs, as well as competition from spot exchange-traded products (ETPs). These ETPs offer traditional investors exposure to adjacent crypto verticals without the need for early-stage VC investing.

Ultimately, however, Q3’s inflows represent a pivot, showing that the market appetite for early-stage projects is resurging. Additionally, Bitcoin spot ETFs remained relatively flat in Q3 compared to previous quarters, further suggesting that capital is rotating into emerging opportunities.

So with crypto fundraising on the rise, we’ve identified three early-stage altcoins that could offer strong upside in the months ahead.

Best Wallet Token (BEST)

While retail investors can’t participate in VC rounds, they can access early-stage deals through crypto presales, which function as the public’s version of seed-stage investing.

And given that banking and exchange ventures outperformed in Q3, we’ve selected Best Wallet Token as the most promising presale opportunity currently available.

It’s a next-generation Web3 wallet, equipped with everything from a cross-chain DEX to fiat on- and off-ramping. The wallet is already live, and supports Bitcoin, Solana, Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) chains, and more.

But looking ahead, there’s a lot more in store. Best Wallet plans to launch its own derivatives exchange, a crypto debit card, an NFT gallery, a portfolio manager, and a long list of additional features. It’s at the intersection of crypto and fintech – and as we know, that area is scorching hot.

The BEST token unlocks ecosystem perks, such as trading fee discounts and governance rights, and holders can also stake their tokens for a dynamic APY of up to 75%.

Best Wallet Token’s ongoing presale has raised $17.4 million – but it ends in just three days, leaving those yet to buy with limited time to get involved.

Monad (MON)

If you’ve been paying attention to the early-stage crypto market the last few days, you’ve probably heard about Monad. After launching a fundraising and ICO campaign that raised over $400 million across six rounds, the MON token debuted on exchanges yesterday.

It’s up 14% on the day and has delivered a 1.28x ROI for ICO investors so far, but given its recent launch, there could still be plenty of room to pump.

Raising over $400 million puts Monad alongside the likes of Kraken – so what’s it all about? It’s an Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) blockchain designed for scale and user experience. The blockchain can compute 10,000 transactions per second (TPS) and calls itself “the new benchmark for crypto.”

Its website explains, “No more high fees or long waits. Apps on Monad feel instant, cost pennies, and work with the wallets and tools you already know and love.”

The Monad token has also been integrated into Solana, providing wider exposure and greater liquidity potential.

PEPENODE (PEPENODE)

As mentioned earlier, gaming was one of the hottest areas for VCs in 2021 – but we quickly learned that the old Web3 gaming model was flawed. Players were there to extract value rather than have fun, and tokenomics were designed to attract users, but not keep them playing.

However, as VC capital returns, a new kind of crypto game is emerging – and it’s available to buy via a public presale. The project is called PEPENODE, and it’s calling its token the world’s first Mine-to-Earn meme coin.

Users must build their own virtual mining rigs to earn PEPENODE tokens. They’ll spend PEPENODE to buy and upgrade their hardware, and 70% of tokens spent in the in-game store will be burned.

This setup pairs strategy and progression with deflationary tokenomics, creating a loop that’s enjoyable while helping to sustain token value over time.

PEPENODE’s presale has raised $2.1 million so far. While this is a solid amount, it leaves plenty of untapped potential compared to the huge raises of Best Wallet Token and Monad.

If the Mine-to-Earn model gains traction, PEPENODE could certainly become one of the breakout gaming projects of this cycle.