This guide reviews five crypto assets that delivered unusually large, long-term gains—100x or more—over roughly the last decade, while keeping the article’s original line of reasoning about holding through extended market quiet periods.
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- Capturing major upside often means enduring long stretches where price action looks slow or uninteresting.
The more consistent investors tend to treat markets as cyclical and step-like, not as a straight line upward.
In many cases, the basic approach is to identify strong projects, then maintain a long time horizon.
That patience has also been rewarded in traditional markets.
But how does this translate to cryptocurrencies—particularly Bitcoin—when the drivers of price can shift quickly?
Market Backdrop: Early-Stage Market and Indices
Crypto is often described as comparatively young next to equities.
For example, only in November 2024 did Coinbase introduce a benchmark index designed for digital assets, intended to be more comparable to established equity-style indices.
Still, the environment is evolving.
At a technical level, most cryptocurrencies are digital value systems secured by cryptography and maintained via blockchains. A blockchain is a shared ledger that records transactions as they are validated and grouped into new blocks. Rather than depending on a single central operator, many networks rely on distributed nodes that verify activity, enabling peer-to-peer transfers that can be inspected through on-chain records.
Prices can move for multiple, overlapping reasons: changes in supply and demand dynamics; adoption by users, developers, and businesses; shifts in regulatory expectations; technical upgrades that affect performance, fees, or security; and broader macro conditions such as liquidity and interest-rate outlooks.
Bitcoin recently moved above US$ 100,000 per coin, a milestone that drew wide attention.
Over the prior ten years, that level roughly aligns with a ~100x increase from earlier prices.
Were there other assets with similarly large “century-bagger” outcomes?
Based on the review described in this article, only a small number fit that threshold.
As of 24 December 2024 (the most recent date referenced in this article), a commonly tracked snapshot of the largest cryptocurrencies by market cap appeared as follows:
| Rank (Market Cap) | Cryptocurrency | Market Cap (as of 24 Dec 2024) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bitcoin (BTC) | Under US$ 2T |
| 2 | Ethereum (ETH) | About US$ 450B |
| 3 | Tether (USDT) | About US$ 140B |
| 4 | XRP | About US$ 129B |
| 5 | BNB | Near US$ 99B |
For readers asking about the “top 5 cryptos today” in the context of this article, the table above lists the top five by market cap as of 24 December 2024.
On the same date, here are examples of large percentage movers during the day:
| Cryptocurrency | Day Gain (as of 24 Dec 2024) |
|---|---|
| XRP | +9.8% |
| Solana (SOL) | +7.1% |
| Dogecoin (DOGE) | +6.4% |
| BNB | +4.2% |
| Ethereum (ETH) | +3.1% |
And here are examples of large same-day changes measured by absolute magnitude (up or down):
| Cryptocurrency | Direction (as of 24 Dec 2024) | Magnitude of Price Change |
|---|---|---|
| XRP | Up | +9.8% |
| Solana (SOL) | Up | +7.1% |
| Dogecoin (DOGE) | Up | +6.4% |
| Bitcoin (BTC) | Down | -1.3% |
| Ethereum (ETH) | Down | -0.8% |
For a “recent winners” style snapshot, here are examples of strong performers over the prior three months (percentage gains):
| Cryptocurrency | 3-Month Gain (ending 24 Dec 2024) |
|---|---|
| XRP | +160% |
| Solana (SOL) | +110% |
| Dogecoin (DOGE) | +85% |
| Bitcoin (BTC) | +35% |
| Ethereum (ETH) | +28% |
Using filters of at least US$ 10 million in market cap and inclusion in the top 100 by size, these tokens are presented as delivering 100x gains in the last decade. Within this set, BNB is shown with the highest reported multiple (about 346x), making it the largest gainer in the group for the purposes of this article.
| Rank | Cryptocurrency | Start Price (Year) | Peak Price (Year) | Gain (x) | Market Cap (as of 24 Dec 2024) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bitcoin (BTC) | US$ 800+ (2014) | US$ 106,000 (2024) | 114x | Under US$ 2T |
| 2 | Ethereum (ETH) | US$ 12 (2016) | Not stated (2024) | 290x | About US$ 450B |
| 3 | Dogecoin (DOGE) | US$ 0.0032 (2017) | US$ 0.4 (2024) | 110x | About US$ 47.3B |
| 4 | BNB | Under US$ 2 (2017) | US$ 692 (2024) | 346x | Near US$ 99B |
| 5 | XRP | US$ 0.016 (2015) | US$ 2.24 (2024) | 139x | About US$ 129B |
| Bonus | Solana (SOL) | US$ 1.3 (2020) | US$ 193 (2024) | 149x | Around US$ 92B |
Decade’s Standout Winners
#1 Bitcoin (Up 114x)
After trading a little above US$ 800 in January 2014, Bitcoin reached a peak near US$ 106,000 in December 2024.
Despite the large run-up, some comparisons can still make Bitcoin appear modest relative to certain benchmarks.
For instance, using gold’s above-ground reserves as a rough reference can produce an estimated “gold-equivalent” market cap of about US$ 17.7 trillion (as of 24 December 2024).
By comparison, Bitcoin’s market cap on 24 December 2024 was under US$ 2 trillion.
Long-term BTC holders who stayed invested through volatility are often cited as an example of execution discipline.
#2 Ethereum (Up 290x)
Next is Ethereum.
From around US$ 12 per coin in October 2016, ETH is presented in the article as having grown roughly 290x over the period covered.
By market-cap ranking, Ethereum sits second, and it is frequently compared to a “base layer” asset alongside Bitcoin.
Built on the Ethereum blockchain, the ecosystem supports token standards, decentralized applications, NFTs, and smart-contract activity.
In 2024, the article notes that some market participants favored Solana, which saw stronger gains than ETH during that period, while Bitcoin also rallied. As a result, the direction of relative performance may shift from year to year.
The article also highlights tokenized assets as a theme expected to grow, where real-world assets like bonds, real estate, or T-bills are represented as blockchain tokens that can be transferred on a decentralized ledger.
Within that framing, Ethereum is described as having a major share of tokenized-asset activity.
How ETH performs in the coming year therefore remains a key question for observers.
#3 Dogecoin (Up 110x)
Third is Dogecoin.
As described here, DOGE moved from about US$ 0.0032 in June 2017 to around US$ 0.4 per coin by late in 2024.
The article points to an earlier all-time high near US$ 0.7 in May 2021.
It also notes that high-visibility figures have occasionally influenced attention and sentiment around DOGE; at times, that attention has been associated with large short-term price swings.
For a period, AMC Theatres reportedly enabled Dogecoin payments, alongside other cryptocurrencies.
As of 24 December 2024, Dogecoin was shown as ranking seventh by market cap, at about US$ 47.3 billion.
#4 BNB (Up 346x)
Fourth on the list is BNB.
Launched at under US$ 2 in 2017, it later climbed to around US$ 692 per coin, with a market cap near US$ 99 billion, according to the article’s figures.
BNB (Binance Coin) is described as the fifth-largest crypto asset by market cap in the article.
The write-up connects BNB to Binance and explains its evolution from an earlier token role toward its use within Binance Chain.
It also notes a capped supply of 200 million tokens and that Binance has historically used a portion of quarterly profits to burn or repurchase BNB.
Initially positioned for discounted trading fees, BNB is also described as being used for transaction fees on Binance Chain and for selected services.
The article adds a risk note: exchanges can be targets for hacks, which introduces platform risk; nevertheless, it states that BNB has continued through multiple market cycles.
#5 XRP (Up 139x)
Fifth is Ripple’s XRP.
According to the article, XRP traded near US$ 0.016 at the start of 2015 and rose to about US$ 2.24 by December 2024.
Another statistic highlighted is that Bitcoin’s market cap grew by roughly 12x in 2017, while Ripple is described as outperforming with about 262x gains.
XRP, the currency associated with the Ripple network, is frequently listed among the largest assets. As of 24 December 2024, it is shown as ranking fourth with a market cap of about US$ 129 billion.
The article characterizes Ripple as a payments and currency-exchange network aimed at faster transaction settlement.
It states that the network can route transfers across fiat, cryptocurrencies, and other reference assets such as gold.
At launch in 2012, the article says XRP was positioned as a faster and cheaper alternative to Bitcoin, with settlements typically in 3–5 seconds.
It also notes that this speed is associated with a more centralized infrastructure rather than proof of work.
Unlike Bitcoin, XRP is described as not being mined; the total supply was created at launch and portions were periodically released from escrow into the market.
Within a portfolio context, the article argues that assets like XRP can diversify exposure beyond a Bitcoin-only approach.
#(Bonus) Solana (Up 149x)
Although the main list focuses on five assets, the article adds a bonus mention of Solana.
Solana is described as ranking sixth by market cap at around US$ 92 billion.
The article reports that SOL rose from roughly US$ 1.3 in July 2020 to near US$ 193 at the time referenced.
In October 2021, the article’s earlier text highlighted Solana’s relative speed and low transaction costs, and pointed to ecosystem momentum across DeFi, NFTs, and Web3.
It also mentioned that support from FTX helped seed some Solana-based projects.
A separate point in the current article is that a company called Sol Strategies holds 130,125 SOL on its balance sheet, valued at over US$ 33 million at the time of writing.
As SOL’s price increases, the market value of that holding would change accordingly.
The article notes that Sol Strategies initially focused on Bitcoin but later shifted toward a Solana-centered strategy.
Finally, it states that Solana’s performance over the prior year exceeded Bitcoin’s.
Conclusion
After reviewing data across more than a thousand cryptocurrencies over about ten years, the article concludes that only a limited subset reached 100x-style outcomes—highlighting how rare such results are.
In crypto, risk management matters as much as conviction: size positions so you can hold through volatility rather than being forced to sell at the worst time.
- Decide your crypto allocation in advance.
- Consider your risk tolerance and volatility comfort.
- Diversification may not eliminate discomfort with crypto.
- Avoid panic selling during drawdowns.
- Choose a portfolio you can hold through turbulence.
Equitymaster on Cryptos
We at Equitymaster do not present Bitcoin as a trading signal for everyday needs, and views should be treated as informational rather than as advice.
In practical terms, if a reader chooses to hold crypto, it is typically better treated as a speculative allocation instead of the foundation of financial stability.
The stance stated here is that cryptocurrencies remain difficult to evaluate with traditional fundamental valuation methods.
When operating in an area you do not fully understand, caution is essential.
Invest only what you can afford to lose—nothing more.
Happy Investing.
Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only. It is not a stock recommendation and should not be treated as such.
