The crypto market’s recent stabilization has reignited investor interest in affordable tokens that could deliver exponential returns in the next cycle. Historically, major rallies have often started from low-cost assets that combine strong community backing or innovative technology with a clear roadmap. While some older meme coins are struggling to recapture their former glory, new DeFi projects are starting to attract serious attention from both retail and early institutional participants.
Among the most talked-about tokens under $1 right now are Dogecoin (DOGE), Shiba Inu (SHIB), and the rising DeFi protocol Mutuum Finance (MUTM), a new entrant analysts say could follow the early trajectory of SOL. Let’s examine why these three coins dominate discussions among investors searching for the best crypto to buy now.
Dogecoin (DOGE)
Dogecoin (DOGE), once the pioneer of meme coin mania, currently trades around $0.19–$0.20 with a market cap near $27 billion. Despite its strong community and occasional endorsements from figures like Elon Musk, Dogecoin has struggled to establish new highs.
From a technical perspective, DOGE faces heavy resistance in the $0.24–$0.29 range. Each time the price nears these levels, profit-taking tends to cap rallies. Meanwhile, support sits around $0.19–$0.22, with potential downside toward $0.15–$0.17 if sentiment weakens further.
The main challenge lies in Dogecoin’s high market capitalization and infinite supply model, which makes large percentage surges harder to sustain. With limited use cases and minimal DeFi integration, analysts predict modest returns, possibly revisiting $0.25–$0.28 by mid-2026 under bullish conditions, translating to just a 25–30% upside from current levels. While DOGE may continue as a cultural icon, its potential for 10x growth is seen as unlikely.
Shiba Inu (SHIB)
Shiba Inu (SHIB), trading near $0.0000129, holds a market capitalization of approximately $5.8 billion, still massive for a meme-based token. Its current resistance zones lie between $0.0000135–$0.0000142, and broader resistance persists near $0.000015–$0.0000175, which SHIB has failed to break multiple times.
Despite the rollout of Shibarium, its own Layer-2 network, price movement remains largely sentiment-driven. Analysts note that while SHIB’s burn rate initiatives and community enthusiasm occasionally generate short-term pumps, these rallies tend to fade quickly without new utility catalysts.
Given its size and limited yield mechanisms, SHIB’s growth outlook appears muted. Price models for 2026 place SHIB within a narrow $0.000015–$0.000018 band, a 15–40% potential gain, far from the 10x runs seen in 2021. As a result, most analysts classify it as a high-risk, low-return play compared with newer, utility-focused projects.
Mutuum Finance (MUTM)
By contrast, Mutuum Finance (MUTM) is positioning itself at the intersection of DeFi lending, smart contracts, and yield generation, making it one of the potential top cryptocurrencies to watch before 2026.
The project is currently in Phase 6 of its presale, priced at $0.035, and has already raised over $17.8 million from more than 17,400 holders, selling more than 770 million tokens. This phase is 72% allocated, and once sold out, the price will rise by nearly 20%, ahead of the official launch price of $0.06. Mutuum’s presale model uses fixed-price, fixed-allocation stages, ensuring transparent progress while rewarding early buyers.
A 24-hour leaderboard also keeps engagement high — every day, the top contributor earns $500 in MUTM, fostering community participation and transparency. This unique structure has helped Mutuum sustain consistent presale momentum, drawing both retail and whale investors looking for the best cheap crypto to buy now.
Lending mechanics and token model
Mutuum Finance aims to build a scalable DeFi ecosystem based on dual lending markets — one for pooled assets like ETH and stablecoins, and another for isolated, customizable loans.
Depositors receive mtTokens, interest-bearing receipts that accrue yield as borrowers repay loans. For example, supplying $10,000 worth of ETH could generate around 12–14% APY, depending on pool utilization. Borrowers, on the other hand, face variable or stable rates, with loan-to-value (LTV) ratios and liquidation thresholds dynamically set to balance risk and liquidity.
The protocol also plans a buy-and-distribute mechanism, where a portion of platform fees is used to buy MUTM from the open market and redistribute it to mtToken stakers. This creates an ongoing demand loop linking platform activity to token value. Pricing data will rely on robust oracles like Chainlink, ensuring precise collateral valuations and fair liquidations.
Analysts believe that once the project hits early adoption milestones and listings align with roadmap expectations, MUTM could reach $0.20–$0.30 post-launch, representing a 470–750% increase from the current presale price, making it one of the best cryptos to invest in under $1.
Stablecoin and Layer-2 expansion plans
Beyond lending, Mutuum Finance is also developing a USD-pegged stablecoin to expand DeFi utility and a Layer-2 scaling solution to reduce transaction fees and enhance performance. Analysts emphasize that these long-term plans could drive sustainable growth by positioning Mutuum as an efficient, multi-chain credit protocol rather than a single-use platform.
Dogecoin and Shiba Inu face structural limitations, massive market caps, low utility, and sentiment-driven cycles that make 10x returns unlikely. By contrast, Mutuum Finance (MUTM) represents a new wave of DeFi crypto innovation, integrating yield-bearing tokens, collateral efficiency, and an expanding roadmap aimed at usability.
For more information about Mutuum Finance (MUTM), visit the links below:
Website: https://www.mutuum.com
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mutuumfinance
Disclaimer: This is a paid post and should not be treated as news/advice