A leaked proposal to Russian finance minister, Anton Siluanov on the creation of a bitcoin strategic reserve in Russia, is adding to speculation about an imminent Bitcoin Space Race between the two global superpowers. 

This, after President-elect Donald Trump pledged to establish his own Strategic Bitcoin Reserve in the US, even suggesting part of the US debt “could be “paid off” with Bitcoin.

The leaked proposal hints Russia has its own reasons for getting into crypto: 

“In conditions of limited access to traditional international payment systems for countries under sanctions, cryptocurrencies are becoming virtually the only instrument for international trade.”

The Central Bank of Russia is already preparing to launch an experiment in cross-border settlements in cryptocurrency.

Putin himself recently described bitcoin as an “unstoppable technology” and praised its potential as an alternative to foreign currency reserves. Indeed, financial sanctions may have driven Russia to adopt bitcoin and crypto at a faster rate than in other countries. 

Meanwhile, the price of Bitcoin has soared in 2024, reaching the monumental $100,000 mark earlier this month. And as major global superpowers race to board the crypto train, the prognosis for 2025 looks bright. 

As we have seen, when BTC goes up, altcoins and meme coins surge as well. And, while Bitcoin is a safe bet for nation states, altcoins may hold the greatest life-changing odds for individuals willing to bet on the crypto craze continuing well into 2025.

If that’s you, we’ve rounded up four of the best altcoins to get into right now.

$XRP – Stable Option Geared for Cross-Border Payments

XRP, the native cryptocurrency of the Ripple network, has seen huge growth in the past two months, gaining approximately 319.77%. Recently, it reached a six-year high of $2.46.

XRP stands out for how it facilitates fast and low-cost international money transfers, with an average settlement time of just 4 seconds, and very low fees (0.00001 XRP per transaction).

Recent regulatory gains, such as the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) approval for Ripple’s stablecoin, have also added to investor confidence. As have its recent partnerships with over 300 financial companies, including American Express, Bank of America, and Banco Santander.

It’s easy to purchase XRP, you simply need a reputable wallet like the Best Wallet App. You can safely buy a range of cryptocurrency with Best Wallet, from popular meme coins like Dogecoin (DOGE) and Pepe (PEPE), to new meme coins like Pepe Unchained.

Crypto All-Stars – Multi-Token, Multi-Chain Meme Coin Vault

You probably don’t want to miss out on Crypto All-Stars, the next big presale slated to break all the records. $STARS is also the first and only token that’s also a meme vault. That means it brings together many of the top meme coins, from Dogecoin to Pepe, under one roof, greatly simplifying the entire process for first time buyers who’d like to diversify across a number of meme coins.

Also, buying and holding the native token, $STARS boosts your meme coin rewards even more.

Crypto All-Stars is still in presale, and at today’s numbers, 1 $STARS = to $0.0016782, staking rewards are at a decent 191% and over $13M has already been raised. With just a week left to go before listing, this could very well be the presale to watch.

Dogecoin – The First Doge in Space

What began as little more than a joke back in 2013 has become one of the top meme coins in the world, thanks in no small part to endorsements by heavyweights like Elon Musk and Snoop Dogg. 

In recent news, Dogecoin shot up 60%, from approximately $0.1807 to $0.2897 – as fast as overnight on November 6, election morning – in anticipation of a crypto-friendly Trump administration. At the time of writing, (12 December 2024), DOGE shows no sign of slowing down, with analysts predicting it could reach $3 any time now. 

ETH – Second Only to Bitcoin

Beaten only by bitcoin in terms of market capitalization, ETH is the native cryptocurrency of the Ethereum decentralized, open-source blockchain platform. Founded in 2015, today ETH accounts for as much as 20% of the $1.1 trillion global crypto market.

Far more than just another crypto token, the Ethereum blockchain is really a global, decentralized platform running thousands of games, financial apps, and even many other crypto coins on its network.

The best part is, just like bitcoin, ETH can often be used like fiat to buy and sell goods and services, fulfilling the original dream of crypto for financial freedom, not just quick riches.

It’s Go Time for Crypto!

Trump and Putin have both pushed the button on crypto and for the rest of us, well, it’s a good time to be alive. Who knew it was this easy to take away power from the banks? Who knew a meme could potentially change your life?!

The race is on at every level, and as the world moves away from traditional payment methods to newer, crazier, decentralized alternatives, the winners will be those who seize the opportunity and can navigate the noise with patience and poise.

Disclaimer: This is not financial advice. Remember to always DYOR (do you own research) before buying any crypto and to never use funds you can’t afford to lose.