Bitcoin’s firm rally into six-figure territory this May has energized the crypto market. It has attracted a new wave of both retail and institutional investors. $100,000 was previously seen as a psychological barrier. Bitcoin’s smooth break above this level has encouraged traders. It created a widespread consensus that a bigger bull rally is still ahead.
Several key developments are contributing to this optimism. On May 19, JPMorgan Chase made headlines by allowing clients to buy BTC and display it on their account statements. Its CEO, Jamie Dimon, has been outspokenly critical of Bitcoin in the past. Institutional adoption has also broadened in other areas. Major banks are exploring custody solutions, and multiple US states are drafting legislation for holding Bitcoin reserves.
Leading analysts at 21Shares have predicted that Bitcoin could reach $138,500 in 2025, citing structural forces including institutional inflows, a historic supply crunch, and improving macro conditions. With the crypto market once again in “risk-on” mode, many traders and investors are hunting for cryptos that could outperform as this bull cycle gains momentum.
Below, we’ve highlighted five top crypto picks that are well-positioned to thrive as the 2025 crypto bull run unfolds.
BTC Bull Token
First on our list is BTC Bull Token (BTCBULL). It is a brand-new meme coin created to benefit directly from Bitcoin’s rising price. It has already raised $6 million in its trending crypto presale. This project taps into the excitement around Bitcoin’s long-awaited surge into six-figure territory.
As Bitcoin crosses certain price milestones like $150,000 and $200,000 for the first time, BTCBULL holders will receive BTC airdrops proportional to their token holdings. At intermediate levels ($125,000, $175,000, and $225,000), it plans to burn a portion of the BTCBULL supply. By reducing BTCBULL’s supply when public interest in BTC typically spikes, the token could see a demand-driven price increase.
When Bitcoin reaches $250,000 for the first time, BTCBULL plans to distribute a special airdrop of its BTCBULL tokens. So, in essence, holders have a shot at multiple rewards rounds as Bitcoin’s price increases.
Adding to the appeal, BTCBULL presale buyers can stake their tokens at a 68% APY (annual percentage yield). Early buyers have a limited time to buy BTCBULL at its current price ($0.00252) before the next price increase. As the crypto market turns bullish on BTC’s long-term uptrend, BTC Bull Token offers an innovative way to profit from this bull run.
Best Wallet Token
Next up is Best Wallet Token (BEST), the utility token behind Best Wallet—a multi-chain crypto wallet that’s quickly drawing attention from Web3 enthusiasts. The wallet supports hundreds of tokens across 60+ blockchains, all wrapped into a user-friendly mobile interface.
Managing crypto across multiple chains can be challenging. This is why Best Wallet simplifies everything, letting you buy, swap, stake, and store assets from Bitcoin to Solana and small-cap alts in one place. As this idea gains more traction, Best Wallet has attracted over $12.5 million in presale funding for BEST.
One unique feature of Best Wallet is its “Upcoming Tokens” portal, providing early access to promising presales directly within the wallet. If you hold BEST, you’ll get priority access to these new token sales. You can earn high passive income by staking BEST tokens for an APY of up to 116% pa. The token will also grant voting rights on future platform upgrades and features.
Currently priced at $0.025055 in its presale, BEST’s price will increase in the upcoming round. With the bull market picking up and more users exploring DeFi, Best Wallet Token could ride this wave as a top contender in the cross-chain wallet arena.
Solana
Launched in 2020, Solana (SOL) has earned a reputation as one of the fastest blockchains. It is capable of handling thousands of transactions per second at minimal fees.
While it faced occasional network outages, Solana’s core tech has matured significantly. Its high throughput and cheap transactions have made it a go-to for developers building DeFi protocols, NFT marketplaces, and gaming projects.
SOL currently trades around $165 per coin. It has rallied from roughly $95 to $184 over the past month amid renewed investor confidence.
Solana’s total revenue recently broke $1.2 billion in Q1 2025, while a revived wave of meme tokens on Solana has reaffirmed renewed community spirit.
Meanwhile, several spot Solana ETF proposals await approval from the SEC. If they go through, SOL could see a substantial influx of institutional capital, further fueling its rally. This is why market analysts are quite optimistic about Solana’s trajectory, making it one of the best cryptos to buy during the 2025 bull run.
Aave
Aave (AAVE) is a blue-chip DeFi token that’s making headlines with its strong recovery and consistent innovation. Launched in 2020, it’s grown into one of the world’s leading decentralized finance protocols, and mainly specializes in crypto lending and borrowing.
Aave’s platform allows users to deposit assets, earn yield, or borrow against collateral. They can do all that through smart contracts with no intermediaries.
After enduring 2025’s difficult DeFi winter, AAVE’s price is climbing again. Currently valued around $260 per token, the coin has nearly doubled from the $130 low it set in early April.
In fact, AAVE hit $270 on May 20 (its highest level in over two months), impressively outperforming most large-cap altcoins during the recent market rebound. The token is now up roughly 90% in the past month and about 200% in the past year.
The resurgence of DeFi during this bull market cannot be understated. Aave has seen its total value locked (TVL) soar to $24 billion—a milestone that marks a 50% increase in just a month. With Aave leading the DeFi revival, the token might be a relatively volatile yet promising option among major lending platforms.
XRP
XRP, the native token of Ripple’s XRP Ledger (XRPL) payment network, is rebounding in line with Bitcoin’s recent momentum. The XRPL is known for facilitating fast and low-cost transactions, targeting pain points in the rapidly expanding global money transfer space.
Ripple previously faced regulatory uncertainty due to a high-profile SEC lawsuit. That lasted from December 2020 until this March. It ended in a win for the Web3 space and Ripple’s leadership team.
Thanks to the influence of the Trump administration and the SEC’s new leadership (both of which have taken a clearly pro-crypto stance), sentiment has finally shifted in Ripple’s favor and helped XRP to surge over 3x since Q4 2024.
XRP is presently trading well above $2. However, this altcoin remains around 39% below its all-time high from 2018.
Growing institutional catalysts could fuel XRP’s upcoming growth. For instance, the CME Group’s launch of XRP futures on May 19 is also a huge milestone for Ripple. As one of the few crypto assets with regulated US futures, XRP is primed to attract more institutional capital.
Ripple’s On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) solution is also continuing to attract new deals with banks, fintechs, and payment providers worldwide. If institutions keep adopting XRP for international settlements, XRP stands to become one of the crypto market’s top performers in this bull cycle.
Source: https://www.thecoinrepublic.com/2025/05/21/best-crypto-to-buy-now-as-the-bitcoin-bull-market-heats-up/