As Bitcoin (BTC) hovers near its recent highs and altcoins begin to awaken from prolonged consolidation, many retail and institutional buyers alike are scanning the market for the best crypto to buy right now. Among the emerging names making headlines and capturing attention are three standout tokens, namely Virtual Protocol’s VIRTUAL, Ai16z’s AI16Z, and CartelFi’s CARTFI. The latter is currently in the midst of a fast-moving presale that’s attracting considerable capital. These tokens are gaining traction not just due to market hype but because they each represent a unique value proposition aligned with the most important trends in the digital asset space, from DeFi innovation to AI integration and meme-powered yield generation. Virtual Protocol (VIRTUAL): breaking out of obscurity with purpose Virtual Protocol (VIRTUAL) recently broke out of a prolonged downtrend, gaining over 145% in seven days following a key fix to its Genesis Allocation error that had previously clouded investor sentiment. This surge in price is backed by a significant increase in trading volume, which jumped to over $550 million, a signal that strong demand and renewed confidence are returning to the project. With a market cap now exceeding $935 million and a circulating supply of just over 652 million tokens out of a 1 billion max supply, VIRTUAL appears undervalued relative to the growing interest in its ecosystem. Analysts have set their sights on a potential rally toward the $2 mark , which would represent a substantial gain from its current consolidation near the $1.30 level. What’s particularly compelling is that Virtual Protocol is no longer just another speculative token; it’s evolving into a DeFi solution with real utility and community engagement, aligning it with broader market themes that tend to outperform in bull cycles. Ai16z (AI16Z): an over 120% surge Ai16z has emerged as one of the most talked-about AI-integrated tokens after an explosive 121% surge in a week pushed it past the $0.3 mark, well above the long-anticipated $0.22 breakout point . Notably, Ai16z’s rally has been directly fueled by its integration with Auto.fun, an autonomous AI agent platform, which adds significant utility to the token beyond speculative hype. AI16Z now serves as a key governance and utility asset within an ecosystem that enables AI agents to perform real-world tasks, manage digital identities, and execute smart contracts autonomously. This connection to real AI deployment gives Ai16z a utility layer that many AI-labelled tokens currently lack, making it a top contender for those looking to gain early exposure to the convergence of artificial intelligence and decentralised finance. With strong trading volume backing the move and clear technical momentum in its favour, Ai16z appears to be forming a new base above $0.30, with price targets at $0.4, making it one of the best cryptos to buy at the moment besides VIRTUAL. CartelFi: The DeFi cartel reshaping the narrative around meme coins Still in its presale phase but already raising over $1.17 million, CartelFi is one of the most intriguing new entrants to the crypto space, blending the virality of meme culture with the high-yield mechanics of decentralised finance. The project’s core innovation lies in its ability to turn meme coin capital into productive yield through single-asset staking and liquidity pools that promise up to 1000% APY while leveraging the popularity of viral coins. With staking pools like the Long Pool offering 1000% APY over six months and over 222,000 CARTFI already staked, investor confidence in the protocol’s mechanics is building rapidly, even before its full launch. CartelFi’s roadmap shows a clear plan from Q2 2025’s presale and protocol development through to Q3’s platform launch and a full DeFi suite rollout by late 2025, including stablecoin and meme coin LPs. This structure not only gives the project long-term credibility but also provides early investors a clear timeline to track progress and expected value generation. Its presale pricing, currently at $0.0389 per token, offers a potentially significant upside for early participants who want exposure before broader exchange listings and platform functionality go live. The post Best crypto to buy: Virtuals Protocol, Ai16z, CartelFi appeared first on Invezz