2019's Top-Performing Cryptocurrencies Were Not Bitcoin

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The year 2019 was a rollercoaster for the cryptocurrency market. While Bitcoin remained a dominant force, several altcoins outperformed it by a wide margin, delivering extraordinary returns to early investors. From decentralized oracle networks to scalable blockchain ecosystems, a new wave of innovative projects captured the spotlight — and the gains.

This article explores the standout digital assets of 2019, analyzing their performance, technology, and market dynamics. Whether you're a seasoned trader or a curious observer, understanding these top performers offers valuable insights into the evolving crypto landscape.

Chainlink: Bridging Blockchains and the Real World

Chainlink emerged as one of the most impressive success stories of 2019. Designed to connect smart contracts with real-world data through decentralized oracles, Chainlink solved a critical blockchain limitation: trustless access to external information.

At the start of 2019, LINK traded around $0.31. Growth was steady through the first half, reaching just over $0.45 by May. However, momentum accelerated dramatically in June and July. By early July, LINK peaked at an astonishing $3.74 — a surge of more than 1,100% from its January price.

Even after correcting to around $1.90 by year-end, Chainlink had delivered over 500% growth against the U.S. dollar and more than 300% gains against Bitcoin. Its strong fundamentals, growing enterprise partnerships, and increasing adoption in DeFi applications solidified its status as a leading infrastructure project.

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Binance Coin (BNB): Utility Meets Value

Launched in 2017, Binance Coin (BNB) continued to prove its value throughout 2019 as both a utility token and investment asset. Primarily used on the Binance exchange for reduced trading fees, BNB also expanded into payment processing, travel bookings, and decentralized applications via Binance Smart Chain.

In January 2019, BNB traded at approximately $6. By late May, it had surged to $35.20 — an increase of over 450% in just five months. Though prices declined during Q3, dropping to $15.79, BNB stabilized near $14 by December.

Despite volatility, BNB achieved over 140% growth for the year. Its consistent utility, quarterly buybacks funded by exchange profits, and expanding ecosystem contributed to long-term confidence among holders.

Tezos (XTZ): On-Chain Governance Gains Traction

Tezos stood out in 2019 with its unique self-amending blockchain design that enables on-chain governance. This allows stakeholders to vote on protocol upgrades without hard forks — a compelling solution for sustainable network evolution.

XTZ began the year at $0.47. By the end of Q1, it had doubled to $1.06. The rally continued into Q2, peaking at $1.88 on May 19. After settling between $1.00 and $1.20 during summer, XTZ regained strength in December, trading at $1.51 by year-end.

Overall, Tezos delivered over 190% annual growth, driven by increased staking participation, developer activity, and institutional interest in its governance model.

Synthetix (SNX): Powering Synthetic Assets

Synthetix became a cornerstone of the emerging decentralized derivatives market in 2019. As an Ethereum-based protocol, it allows users to issue and trade synthetic assets (Synths) that track real-world values — from fiat currencies to commodities and cryptocurrencies.

SNX started 2019 at around $0.07 but began gaining momentum in May. Despite a sharp market-wide correction on November 26, SNX maintained upward pressure and closed the year near $1.33 — representing over 200% growth.

Its success stemmed from growing liquidity, innovative incentive mechanisms, and integration with other DeFi protocols like Curve Finance and Kyber Network.

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Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Litecoin (LTC): Scaling the Original Vision

Bitcoin Cash (BCH), a hard fork of Bitcoin focused on larger block sizes for faster transactions, started 2019 at $135. It climbed steadily, surpassing $300 in April and peaking at $479.96 on June 26. Though it retreated to around $195 by December, BCH still achieved over 30% growth for the year.

Litecoin (LTC), often viewed as "digital silver" to Bitcoin’s "gold," began at $32 and soared to $141.73 on June 22 — fueled by speculation around its upcoming halving event. By year-end, LTC stabilized near $43, delivering about 40% annual gains.

Both coins benefited from strong brand recognition and network effects within the crypto community.

Cosmos (ATOM): Interoperability Takes Center Stage

Cosmos introduced a bold vision: an internet of blockchains where independent chains communicate seamlessly. With its Tendermint consensus and Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol, Cosmos aimed to solve scalability and interoperability issues plaguing earlier platforms.

ATOM launched in early 2019 at less than $0.001 per token during its initial exchange offering. By December, it traded above $4.20 — an astronomical rise reflecting strong developer engagement and ecosystem expansion.

Though exact percentage returns depend on acquisition timing, ATOM’s emergence marked a pivotal moment for cross-chain innovation.

Basic Attention Token (BAT) and Ethereum (ETH)

Basic Attention Token (BAT), used within the privacy-focused Brave browser, began 2019 at $0.13 and briefly hit $0.44 in April. After a dip, it rebounded to $0.27 in November and stabilized near $1.70 — though this final figure may reflect reporting anomalies or futures pricing; spot prices generally remained below $0.25.

Still, BAT achieved roughly 35% growth, supported by increasing user adoption of Brave and its ad-reward system.

Ethereum (ETH), the foundation of most DeFi projects, started at $116 and rose to a high of $334.66 in June before pulling back. It ended the year between $130 and $150 — up about 20%, underperforming many altcoins but maintaining its role as the leading smart contract platform.

EOS rounded out the list with ~10% growth, rising from $2.23 to $2.55 despite heightened competition in the dApp ecosystem.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why did some altcoins outperform Bitcoin in 2019?
A: Many altcoins launched new features, gained institutional backing, or benefited from speculative interest tied to specific events like mainnet launches or exchange listings — factors that amplified short-term price movements beyond Bitcoin’s more stable trajectory.

Q: Was Chainlink’s price surge sustainable?
A: Chainlink’s growth was supported by real-world adoption across DeFi platforms and enterprise use cases. While short-term volatility occurred, its core utility helped maintain long-term relevance.

Q: How did market capitalization trends shift in 2019?
A: Total crypto market cap rose from ~$130 billion in January to $373 billion in July before settling below $200 billion by year-end — reflecting intense speculation followed by consolidation.

Q: What role did staking play in 2019’s top performers?
A: Projects like Tezos and Cosmos offered staking rewards, incentivizing holding behavior and reducing sell pressure — contributing to price stability and investor retention.

Q: Did Bitcoin still deliver strong returns in 2019?
A: Yes — Bitcoin rose from ~$3,500 to over $7,000 by year-end, nearly doubling in value. Combined with its unmatched liquidity and security, it remained one of the best-performing assets of the year.

Q: What can investors learn from 2019’s crypto performance?
A: Diversification across high-utility projects can yield outsized returns. However, volatility demands careful risk management and focus on fundamental value rather than hype alone.

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Core Keywords

As we reflect on 2019, it’s clear that innovation drove returns. While Bitcoin laid the foundation, next-generation protocols redefined what blockchains could achieve — making this a landmark year for decentralized finance and scalable ecosystems alike.