NFTs, Bitcoin, or Ethereum: What’s the Best Investment?

The cryptocurrency industry has major growth potential these days, as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and NFTs rapidly gain popularity, but here’s the best investment.

Diagonal chain made of zeros and ones. Cryptocurrency and mining.

Image source: Getty Images

Some of the most exciting investments over the last year have been in the cryptocurrency industry. There’s, of course, Bitcoin, the next most popular blockchain Ethereum, and the revolutionary non-fungible tokens (NFTs) that have become wildly popular over the last few months.

The cryptocurrency industry continues to gain in popularity, because decentralized currencies are important to a lot of people. Bitcoin is a currency, meaning it’s a store of wealth and, in some cases, a medium of exchange.

It’s gotten extremely popular over the last year, and one of the main reasons is because it’s decentralized.

People are watching currencies being devalued during the pandemic and are buying Bitcoin as a hedge against that inflation. That goes for investors in developed countries, but even more so for residents in countries where their local currency is collapsing.

Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin are increasingly relied upon worldwide, which is why it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.

Another major benefit of Bitcoin, though, is its technology and all the possibilities and innovation that have spun off from the blockchain technology.

One asset that was created thanks to blockchain technology is NFTs.

NFTs are growing in popularity faster than Bitcoin

The market for NFTs is still early, and many still haven’t heard of these revolutionary blockchain products. Basically, the idea behind NFTs, especially for art, is that the artwork in question can be sold repeatedly to new owners while the original creator can retain copyright and reproduction rights.

It’s still early, and the industry has a long way to go to catch on. However, the idea makes a lot of sense.

Early on, though, the industry will be prime for investors speculating, just like Bitcoin. So, while it’s something you could make money on, there’s certainly no guarantee. The only guarantee is that NFTs are a significantly risky investment.

That doesn’t mean you should avoid them. Just know what you’re getting into. I’d also suggest using play money you don’t mind losing since nobody really knows how the industry might turn out.

Early on, some of the first NFTs were sports moments or iconic moments in time, such as NBA Top Shots, or the NFT that Jack Dorsey, the founder of Twitter, sold of the first tweet ever sent.

Anybody can create art and sell it as an NFT, though. So, it’s still early and nearly impossible to tell which NFTs will appreciate over time and which are part of a bubble.

Are there stocks that make NFTs?

Another way to invest in this growing sector besides buying Bitcoin or the actual NFTs is through CurrencyWorks (TSXV:CWRK). CurrencyWorks is an intriguing tech stock that creates digital currencies, security tokens, and blockchain platforms.

Most recently, though, CurrencyWorks has been expanding into the NFT market, creating another unique way for investors to gain exposure to these revolutionary products.

The company has signed exclusive deals to create and distribute NFTs. So, it offers investors a slightly lower-risk way to gain exposure to the rapidly growing cryptocurrency industry. NFTs, though, may not be the asset with the most long-term potential.

If you want to make an actual investment in the cryptocurrency industry, rather than just speculating on NFTs, I would recommend investors consider Ethereum.

Ethereum has the most long-term potential

Ethereum is a decentralized, open-source blockchain. It was one of the first developments based on Bitcoin’s revolutionary technology.

This is quite apparent considering that the Ethereum network has addressed several of Bitcoin’s shortcomings.

One of the most important developments with the Ethereum network is that you can send more than just financial transactions. This is crucial and why many have called Ethereum the future.

Many developers continue to create decentralized applications that run on the Ethereum network. Even most NFTs run on Ethereum. This is ideal for investors, because anything running on Ethereum is powered by Ether, its native currency. That’s why it’s the second most popular cryptocurrency after Bitcoin.

With developments and innovation continuing to take place on Ethereum, there is a tonne of long-term potential for investors.

That’s why many investors are so bullish on Ethereum and why it’s one of the best investments you can make in the cryptocurrency industry today.

This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the “official” recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium service or advisor. We’re Motley! Questioning an investing thesis — even one of our own — helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer, so we sometimes publish articles that may not be in line with recommendations, rankings or other content.

Fool contributor Daniel Da Costa has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Tom Gardner owns shares of Twitter. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Twitter.

More on Tech Stocks

grow dividends
Tech Stocks

Celestica Stock Is up 62% in 2024 Alone, and an Earnings Pop Could Bring Even More

Celestica (TSX:CLS) stock is up an incredible 280% in the last year. But more could be coming when the stock…

Read more »

Businessman holding AI cloud
Tech Stocks

Stealth AI: 1 Unexpected Stock to Win With Artificial Intelligence

Thomson Reuters (TSX:TRI) stock isn't widely-known for its generative AI prowess, but don't count it out quite yet.

Read more »

Shopping and e-commerce
Tech Stocks

Missed Out on Nvidia? My Best AI Stock to Buy and Hold

Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) stock isn't the only wonderful growth stock to hold for the next 10 years and beyond.

Read more »

IMAGE OF A NOTEBOOK WITH TFSA WRITTEN ON IT
Tech Stocks

The Ultimate Growth Stocks to Buy With $7,000 Right Now

These two top Canadian stocks have massive growth potential, making them two of the best to buy for your TFSA…

Read more »

A shopper makes purchases from an online store.
Tech Stocks

Down 21%, Is Shopify Stock a Buy on the TSX Today?

Shopify (TSX:SHOP) stock certainly rose in 2023 but is now down 21% from 52-week highs. So, is it a buy…

Read more »

Man holding magnifying glass over a document
Tech Stocks

Lightspeed Stock Could Be Turning a Corner

Lightspeed Commerce (TSX:LSPD) is making strides towards operating profitability.

Read more »

Retirement plan
Tech Stocks

Want $1 Million in Retirement? Invest $15,000 in These 3 Stocks

All you need are these three Canadian stocks to build a million-dollar portfolio.

Read more »

alcohol
Tech Stocks

3 Magnificent Stocks That Have Created Many Millionaires, and Will Continue to Make More

Shopify stock is an example of a millionaire-maker stock that is likely to continue to thrive in the long run.

Read more »