Cardano, Chainlink, or Stellar – Which altcoin should you choose in 2025?

• Cardano, Stellar, and Chainlink have leveraged the “Trump pump” to escape their slumps
• The big question – Which of these three will lead the charge in 2025?

As the year comes to an end, the push to diversify portfolios is in full swing. Whether the market closes on a bullish high or a bearish dip is still uncertain, but one thing is clear – This final quarter has been a game-changer.

After years of stagnation, patient HODLers are finally reaping the rewards. Among the major comeback stories are Cardano [ADA], Stellar [XLM], and Chainlink [LINK]. For them, this rally feels like the breakthrough they’ve been waiting for.

But if you were to bet “long” on just one of these altcoins, which one truly deserves a place in your portfolio for the long-term?

The competition is fierce

For both Stellar and Cardano, the recent “Trump pump” has been the most significant catalyst. Each coin broke free from long periods of consolidation, drawing in investors who were waiting for a sign of life.

Cardano made headlines by breaking the $1 barrier, a significant psychological threshold that many altcoins are still fighting to cross. Stellar, not far behind, almost hit $0.60

But just as quickly as they rose, a correction followed. The pump had delivered big profits, prompting many to cash out before the market turned. 

The same pattern was evident on LINK’s daily chart where the price shot up, only to be followed by a pullback. Now, all three of these coins are sitting near key support levels, testing the waters for a rebound.

With the market now in the red, the next move hinges on Bitcoin’s recovery. Historically, LINK has thrived alongside Bitcoin rallies, but with its network becoming more centralized and the market turning unpredictable, 2025 could look very different.

Will the ‘underdogs’ rise and dethrone LINK, or will it reclaim its dominance as the market settles?

Cardano, Stellar or Chainlink – Whose dip should you dig?

When it comes to investing in crypto, fundamentals are everything. With the market’s constant volatility, short-term price swings are inevitable. However, if you’re in it for the long haul, you need to focus on what truly matters.

Take LINK, for example. Recently, Chainlink saw a 23% single-day surge as news resurfaced that World Liberty Financial (WLF) had bought over $1 million in LINK.

Why does this matter? Large purchases like these act as ‘safety nets,’ providing a cushion during pullbacks. Also, they give smaller investors confidence that bigger players believe in the asset’s long-term potential.

Now, let’s shift to Cardano. While it made headlines by breaking the $1-mark, the story isn’t as clear-cut. In the past month, Cardano’s daily active addresses have dropped by 40%. Despite whale accumulation, its price has remained in a downtrend, signaling potential manipulation.

On the contrary, Stellar has shown greater stability, with only a minor 5% reduction in its active addresses. 

Source : Artemis Terminal

Still, investing in both Cardano and Stellar could come with higher risks, especially as the market heads into 2025. So, with greater stability and institutional adoption, Chainlink stands out as the safer bet for now.

Is your portfolio green? Check out the LINK Profit Calculator

This will be even more apparent when BTC rebounds and we see how capital flows into Chainlink—An indicator of its growing dominance in the market.