With Q4 around the corner, many traders and investors are hoping to see an increase of activity in the crypto industry in the run up to 2026.
While there is no guarantee that this will come to pass, history shows that October often brings renowned bullish momentum - memeified as ‘Uptober’, which would then result in price growth among the most popular emerging assets.
So far, this has not yet happened in an industry-affecting way. On the contrary, the previous days have seen Bitcoin’s price decline to $112k, followed by a small recovery to $113.5k earlier today, September 23.
However, while BTC may still be struggling and causing the rest of the market to experience similar performance, there are several assets that have seemingly decoupled from the largest coin, seeing their own price boosts in the last 24 hours.
The most notable among these projects, and the best altcoins to buy now, are Avalanche (AVAX), Mantle (MNT), and Aster (ASTER). Each of them saw a notable surge and could explode further while resisting Bitcoin’s market dominance.
Avalanche (AVAX)
Avalanche is a Layer-1 blockchain that operates as a platform for decentralized applications and custom blockchain networks. As such, it is one of Ethereum’s rivals, and it aims to become a better platform for smart contracts by increasing the output to over 6,500 TPS while not compromising scalability.
The AVAX price soared over 10% in the last 24 hours, reaching the value of $35.44 earlier today before seeing a minor dip to $34.45, which is where it sits at the time of writing.
The price increase came after Anthony Scaramucci decided to double down on Avalanche. After announcing $300 million in tokenized hedge funds, Scaramucci became the strategic advisor for AVAX One - a $550 million AVAX-focused digital asset treasury.
AVAX Coin Price Chart
However, it is worth noting that AVAX’s price growth started long before this move, back in July. In the past 12 months, AVAX dropped from over $50 to $20, where it found a strong support, and after spending months fluctuating between $20 and $30, it finally broke this barrier earlier this month, and started to ascend, marking a recovery towards levels seen in late 2024 for the first time this year.
Mantle (MNT)
Another project that recently captivated the attention of traders and investors alike is Mantle (MNT), which soared over 12% in the last 24 hours to $1.84.
Mantle is pioneering an on-chain ecosystem dedicated to revolutionizing the future of finance and blockchain scalability, seamlessly bridging traditional finance and decentralized finance.
It rolled out innovative products such as Mantle Network, mETH Protocol, Function (FBTC), and Mantle Index Four (MI4), seeking to empower users and institutions with a unified financial services platform.
Mantle’s surge also started back in July of this year, and while it encountered a few barriers that gave it trouble, the project eventually managed to break each of them, reclaiming its December 2024 levels, and even exceeding them.
In fact, the project just hit a new all-time high only 5 days ago, when it reached $1.86.
Even now, it sits just below this level, with a possibility of pushing further up after it bounced back from a support at $1.50.
The project also recently announced a “defining moment” for Mantle Network: “We’ve upgraded to @SuccinctLabs's OP Succinct on Mainnet, becoming the first OP Stack L2 to launch as a ZK Validity Rollup - and the largest ZK rollup by TVL.”
Mantle Coin Price Chart
Aster (ASTER)
Another one of the best altcoins to buy now is Aster (ASTER), which surged by over 2,131% in the last week. Aster is a new crypto that launched only days ago on BNB Chain, soaring from $0.08879 to $1.88.
But, despite being a new project, it managed to reach the rank of 38th-largest crypto with a market cap of $3.13 billion.
Aster is the next-generation decentralized exchange that offers both Perpetual and SPot trading. It was designed as a one-stop on-chain venue for global crypto traders, featuring MEV-free, one-click execution in Simple Mode.
Meanwhile, its Pro Mode adds 24/7 stock perpetuals, Hidden Orders, and grid trading. Its unique edge lies in the ability to offer liquid-staking tokens or yield-generating stablecoins as collateral, unlocking unparalleled capital efficiency. Despite being a new player, Aster has quickly proven its worth, and it may not be too late to invest in it now in order to see some gains.
Aster Coin Price Chart
Granted, new cryptocurrencies often surge upon launch only to quickly decline after the hype passes, but most of them don’t get to rank under the 50 largest coins by market cap only five days after going live, making ASTER a project to consider, or at least keep a close eye on.
Maxi Doge (MAXI)
While most traders and investors tend to focus on existing best altcoins, it is worth noting that there are plenty of new crypto coins that hold just as much, if not more promise, such as Maxi Doge (MAXI).
Maxi Doge is a new meme coin currently still in the presale stage, which borrowed the name and likeness of Dogecoin, as a nod to the project that founded the meme coin sector. However, it added its own spin to the Doge brand by creating a muscular body that earned it the nickname “Buff Doge.”
Maxi Doge calls itself a meme-fueled token that personifies ultimate strength and the grind of the bull market. It views its MAXI token as more than just a coin; instead, it represents a “lifestyle rooted in green candles, gym reps, and relentless hustle.”
The project believes that it has identified a problem of retail traders who crave outsized returns but lack the brute conviction and capital of whales. With that in mind, it comes with a solution, which is to act as the embodiment of sheer willpower. Meanwhile, its community channels that same energy, sharing leveraged strategies, competitions, and meme-driven camaraderie to unlock maximal gains together.
This is why many view Maxi Doge as the best altcoin to buy now, while it is still in an early-stage token sale. Once live, the project will leverage “king culture,” organize holder-only competitions, rely on meme-first marketing, and more. This is why using Dogecoin’s likeness will come in handy, as it is easily one of the most recognizable cryptocurrencies in the world, inspiring trust, fun, and investments.
So far, Maxi Doge’s presale has raised over $2.4 million, offering its MAXI token for just $0.0002585 each. Purchasing the token is simple; all the user needs to do is connect their wallet to the widget on the project’s website or use Best Wallet on mobile devices, and pay with a bank card or buy it by swapping ETH, BNB, USDT, USDC, and other supported cryptocurrencies.
After that, all it takes is to wait for the presale to end, which is when users will be able to claim their tokens.
Experts like Borch Crypto, a YouTube influencer with over 92.3k subscribers, believe that Maxi Doge could be the next big meme coin and that it is the best altcoin to buy now, while it is still cheap and its price has not yet soared in response to demand.
Conclusion
A lot of inexperienced traders believe that they have to wait for the altcoin season to profit from the market, but that is rarely the case. The key is to find the best altcoins to buy early on, before their prices soar, and that can only be done by doing your research and recognizing promising opportunities like Maxi Doge early on.
Of course, altcoins that are already live also hold major potential, as other examples on this list have shown, so don’t sleep on them, either.
Disclaimer: Cryptocurrency investments are risky and highly volatile. This is not financial advice; always do your research. Our editors are not involved, and we do not take responsibility for any losses.
