Crypto Analyst Names Five Altcoins for Long-Term Holdings
George Tung, the founder of the CryptosRUs channel, has identified five altcoins he believes are worth holding for the long term. Speaking on the Milk Road podcast, Tung outlined how he would allocate $1,000 across these five cryptocurrencies: Ethereum, Solana, XRP, BNB, and Hyperliquid.
Tung explained that his selections were straightforward, focusing on coins widely recognized within the crypto community and those demonstrating leadership in user adoption, network activity, total value locked, and institutional interest.
Established Names with Strong Backing
Ethereum and Solana stand out due to significant institutional investment, with both being purchased by companies for their treasuries and featuring in exchange-traded funds. Tung cited Tom Lee’s firm as a notable buyer of Ethereum, noting that such consistent purchasing can reduce the available supply of these tokens over time.
XRP’s inclusion is bolstered by Ripple’s recent acquisition of a U.S. bank charter and its ongoing partnerships with numerous financial institutions.
While BNB may attract less attention from large institutions, its associated Binance network is substantial, and the token undergoes quarterly burns, reducing its circulating supply. Tung recalled his initial purchase of BNB when it was trading below $5.
Hyperliquid’s Appeal in Futures Trading
Hyperliquid has emerged as a leading platform for perpetual futures trading, with Tung highlighting its robust liquidity as its primary advantage. He contrasted this with many decentralized exchanges where a $1 million trade can cause significant price volatility, potentially up to 30%. Hyperliquid’s substantial pool of funds allows large traders to execute trades without such drastic price swings.
Despite competition from platforms like Binance’s Aster, Tung emphasized Hyperliquid’s first-mover advantage and its continued dominance in liquidity depth. The platform also serves as a foundation for other companies, with Tung pointing to the crypto wallet Phantom, which generated over $20 million in fees in its first year by launching futures trading through Hyperliquid.
Furthermore, Tung referenced discussions from the Trump administration and the CFTC regarding potential collaborations with Hyperliquid to reintroduce it to U.S. users.
Solana Outpaces Ethereum in Key Metrics
Although Solana is currently trading about 60% below its all-time high, Tung considers it undervalued. He asserted that Solana surpasses Ethereum in daily transactions, trading volume, and revenue. Ethereum, however, maintains its lead in total value locked, largely due to the concentration of stablecoins like USDT and USDC on its network.
Tung also noted Solana’s recent Alpenglow upgrade, which enhances its speed for financial transactions. He recalled the token’s resilience, having recovered to approximately $8 after the FTX collapse.
Skepticism Towards AI Tokens
Despite the strong performance of AI-related coins such as Venice and NEAR this year, Tung remains cautious. He believes that most current AI tokens primarily offer access to open-source AI models, with their tokens providing benefits like discounts or credits.
The analyst is awaiting the emergence of a truly AI-powered application that operates on a blockchain and offers genuine utility for its token. Tung concluded, “Once someone figures that out, that will be the next billion-dollar project.”
