The world of cryptocurrencies is notoriously volatile and unpredictable, with prices and the overall market valuation changing at the blink of an eye. While a monumental surge in value can make investors incredibly wealthy, the downturn can leave them scrambling to make up for the losses. From among thousands of altcoins, there are always a handful whose performance is less-than-stellar. Here, we discuss five underperforming cryptocurrencies from this week that are making investors question their portfolio’s strength.
1. Lisk (LSK)
Lisk, a blockchain platform for building decentralized apps (dApps), has been experiencing a considerable decline in value in recent days. With its software development kit (SDK) written in JavaScript, the platform aims to make it easy for developers to create their own dApps. Lisk has garnered a dedicated community and has been regarded as one of the most promising altcoins in recent years. However, this week tells a different story.
This downturn can be attributed to multiple factors. A recent postponement of the anticipated Lisk 3.0 update is causing concern among investors who expected significant price boost with the launch. Additionally, given the general market sentiment, many investors are fleeing from altcoins perceived as high-risk investments. As LSK has yet to establish itself in the market fully, this move has compounded its performance woes.
2. SiaCoin (SC)
SiaCoin, a decentralized cloud storage service built on its own blockchain, has been struggling to maintain its footing in the current crypto market. By employing a decentralized model, Siacoin aims to undercut industry giants like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google by offering a more secure and cost-efficient cloud storage alternative.
In recent days, the price of Siacoin has been trending in the wrong direction, leaving investors and enthusiasts questioning its potential for success. One reason for its poor performance could be attributed to the launch of Filecoin, a similar decentralized storage project, earlier this year. Despite its status as the more established project between the two, Siacoin is now facing major competition that could have an adverse effect on its future development and growth.
3. DigiByte (DGB)
DigiByte is a blockchain platform that focuses on transaction speed, decentralization, and cybersecurity. Often referred to as a ‘sleeping giant,’ DGB has been praised for its advanced blockchain technology and commitment to improving the digital payments industry. However, the recent market conditions have not been kind to this so-called giant.
Its lackluster performance this week can be attributed to a few causes. A general lack of marketing has caused DigiByte to fall by the wayside when compared to other cryptocurrencies garnering attention. Moreover, its focus on security and decentralization has no doubt attracted a niche market. However, the current market trends indicate that investors prioritize getting returns on their investments rather than supporting idealistic projects.
4. Zilliqa (ZIL)
Zilliqa is a scalable blockchain platform designed for hosting high-throughput dApps. It aims to tackle the issue of scalability in existing cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum by using a sharding technique. ZIL has garnered much positive attention for its proposed solution to the most significant challenge hindering the mainstream adoption of blockchain technology.
However, despite its innovative features and impressive team credentials, Zilliqa has not been spared from the downturn in the crypto market this week. Often, when public sentiment changes, investors look toward established projects, fearing that newer cryptos may ultimately fail. Zilliqa is among the victims of this change in sentiment, as the Ethereum upgrade to Ethereum 2.0 with its scalability solution is diminishing the potential for competing platforms like Zilliqa.
5. Elastos (ELA)
Elastos is an ambitious project aimed at creating a secure, decentralized internet infrastructure powered by blockchain technology. Its main goal is to decentralize the digital asset industry by combining blockchain solutions with traditional internet functionality. While the idea behind the project is innovative, it has faced challenges in gaining investor interest in recent times.
This week, Elastos has fallen short of living up to its potential. The broader market sentiment has forced many investors to shy away from newer, less-established cryptocurrencies like Elastos. Additionally, the ambitious nature of the project and the multiple challenges involved in bringing such an endeavor to fruition may discourage some investors from considering it a viable investment opportunity.
In conclusion, despite the potential these five altcoins hold, their recent underperformance highlights the unpredictability of the crypto market. Investors should evaluate the developments within these projects and their overall market position before deciding whether or not to retain their investments or explore other potentially lucrative opportunities.
