Crypto markets run on gyrating cycles of wild exuberance and inconsolable despair, and if you can manage it, buying during the despair phases can be a good way to position yourself for success.
Right now, sentiment about the sector is quite sour, and the vast majority of assets are still priced well below their 2025 highs
So it’s time to load up on the coins that might be the leaders during the next bull run, whenever that occurs. Two cryptocurrencies stand out in particular. Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) is battle-tested, relatively inexpensive, indispensable to the crypto sector as a whole, and, as a cherry on top, it’s also increasingly attractive to financial institutions.
Zcash (CRYPTO: ZEC), in contrast, is a risky privacy-focused protocol that’s clearing hurdle after hurdle. Here’s why each deserves a look and perhaps an investment. Ethereum is crypto’s home for capital Ethereum’s price is about $2,100 as of mid-May, 57% below its all-time high of nearly $4,946 set in August 2025.