Crypto is no longer just a speculative asset class, it’s now being used to actually move money. From global remittances and real-time commerce to protocol-level integrations, digital currencies are now powering payment infrastructure at scale. But with thousands of coins out there, only a few are worth your attention if you’re looking for the best crypto to invest in 2025.
We’ve broken down the four projects that are doing it right, backed by smart tech, real adoption, and rising utility. Whether it’s powering smart contract settlements, enabling real-time agent-driven activity, or being considered for ETF and government reserves, these cryptos are pushing the payment narrative forward.
At the top of our list is Unstaked, an AI-native protocol bringing automation to the crypto economy. Following closely are Chainlink, Avalanche, and Cardano, each with their own play in the payments arena.
What you'll learn 👉
1. Unstaked – Automating Payments with AI Agents
Unstaked blends AI with crypto utility in a way that makes automated payments not just possible, but efficient and transparent. Its decentralized platform lets users deploy intelligent agents that manage online communities, post content, reply to messages, and grow engagement 24/7 across platforms like X and Telegram.
These agents don’t just act, they learn, evolve, and adapt based on social interaction. Every action is recorded on-chain using a “Proof of Intelligence” model, so all engagement is verifiable. The key? These agents aren’t just for marketing, they can be used to automate and track meaningful on-chain interactions, including payment-triggering events.
At the center of this system is the $UNSD token. It’s used to deploy and upgrade agents, unlock premium features, and access the AI customization marketplace. The ai crypto presale price began at $0.0065 with an estimated listing price of $0.1819, giving early backers a potential upside of over 2,700%. With no private sale, no early investor discounts, and a burn-based model to reduce supply over time, Unstaked is structured for sustainable, utility-driven growth. For anyone looking for the best crypto to invest in, Unstaked offers something unique: AI agents that can work, respond, and execute tasks, including economic ones, entirely on-chain.
2. Chainlink – Smart Contracts Need Smart Payments
Chainlink is one of the top infrastructure projects helping power real utility in crypto, especially when it comes to building smarter, more efficient payment systems. Its recent launch of Payment Abstraction allows users to pay for services in tokens like ETH, while Chainlink handles the conversion to LINK behind the scenes.
This creates a smoother user experience and removes friction for developers trying to build apps with multi-token payment options. With integrations across 37 blockchains and 77 new Data Streams added in Q1 2025 alone, Chainlink is positioning itself as a vital layer for powering cross-chain value flow and smart contract payments.
Chainlink is also working with platforms like Aave to enable Smart Value Recapture (SVR), a feature that helps users reclaim MEV from liquidation processes. This innovation ties directly into improving cost-efficiency and reward distribution in DeFi payment models.
LINK is currently trading at around $23.45 with strong institutional collaborations from groups like Coinbase, Paxos, and Apex. For those exploring the best crypto to invest in, Chainlink brings both technical depth and wide network adoption, making it one of the most practical options in this space right now.
3. Avalanche – Fast Layer 1 with Payment Potential
Avalanche is gaining momentum as a top-tier Layer 1 blockchain that’s fast, affordable, and now gaining serious traction in the best crypto to invest in conversation. With near-instant finality and low transaction costs, it’s well-suited for use cases like microtransactions, real-time transfers, and merchant payments.
Its AvaCloud offering makes it easy for developers to launch custom chains built for payment-specific functions. This flexibility has made it attractive not just to crypto natives, but also to institutional players looking for scalable and programmable blockchain infrastructure.
The interest isn’t just technical, it’s financial. In March 2025, Avalanche saw 8.66 million AVAX scooped up by whale wallets, and ETF applications were filed by both Grayscale and VanEck. These signals suggest confidence in AVAX’s long-term role in digital finance.
After dropping to a low of $15.27, AVAX bounced back over 35% and now trades around $19.65. Analysts see a breakout past $22 as highly likely. For those looking into the best crypto to invest in that balances developer accessibility with network strength and growing institutional interest, Avalanche is firmly on the radar.
4. Cardano – Strategic Push into Institutional Payments
Cardano has built its reputation on security, formal methods, and careful upgrades, and now it’s making moves that matter in the best crypto to invest in category. In March 2025, ADA was officially included in the U.S. Crypto Strategic Reserve alongside Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana.
This move signals growing recognition of Cardano’s long-term viability, especially for institutional-grade payment systems. Backed by Input Output Global’s “Work Program 2025,” Cardano is doubling down on research-driven development to support sustainable, large-scale adoption of its smart contract and transaction capabilities.
From a price perspective, ADA is currently trading around $0.6152, with recent technical patterns pointing toward a bullish trend. Analysts are watching a potential Cup-and-Handle formation that could take ADA toward a $10 long-term target.
While Cardano might not be the fastest chain, its focus on reliability, governance, and network integrity makes it a solid contender for payment rails that need compliance and resilience. For anyone evaluating the best crypto to invest in with a focus on regulated environments and government recognition, Cardano is one of the most credible options out there.
Wrap-Up: Which Token Is the best crypto to invest in
All four of these projects are strong contenders for the title of best crypto to invest in, but for very different reasons. Chainlink provides smart contract infrastructure that supports flexible payments. Avalanche offers fast, scalable throughput for real-time financial activity. Cardano is playing the long game with institutional-grade reliability and recent government attention.
But Unstaked stands out with a fresh take, blending AI with real on-chain actions and automating entire engagement and payment cycles through its $UNSD-powered agents. It’s not just about paying faster, it’s about letting AI handle everything from communication to compensation. \
If you’re looking for a payment utility that’s practical, programmable, and ahead of the curve, Unstaked is leading the pack.No matter your payment goals, efficiency, programmability, or reach, these four cryptos are well worth a closer look in 2025. Each one is reshaping how value moves across networks and between users, and that’s where the real future of crypto lies.
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