Top Crypto Tokens Under $1 Traders Are Buying Today

Crypto Tokens Under $1 Showing Volume and Price Momentum

Today’s crypto markets are moving sideways  as Bitcoin steadies, traders rotate into altcoins, and interest grows in low-priced crypto tokens under $1 showing volume spikes, real utility, and short-term momentum across global exchanges.

These Crypto Tokens Under $1 Could Surprise the Market

These are cheap trending crypto to buy that traders are watching — Merlin Chain (MERL), Canton (CC), Curve DAO (CRV), Sky (SKY), JUST (JST), Kaspa (KAS) and TRON (TRX). 

These crypto tokens under $1 combine Layer-1/Layer-2 tech, DeFi utility, NFT and staking mechanics, and active listings — all reasons they show up when people search for the best crypto under $1 or cheap altcoins to watch. 

Merlin Chain (MERL)

Merlin Chain is a Bitcoin-layer-2 project focused on bringing smart contracts, faster transactions and lower fees to the Bitcoin ecosystem using ZK-rollup techniques and decentralized oracles. 

The project has leaned into NFT and Ordinal tooling to attract Bitcoin-native activity and some reward programs for early ecosystem contributors. This makes MERL one of the best low cost crypto projects that combines BTC credibility with L2 developer momentum.

Token Utility : $MERL is used for staking, collator delegation, paying transaction fees and acting as native liquidity or collateral inside Merlin’s L2 products.  

Why it could grow: Bitcoin L2 narratives (demand for cheaper BTC-native dApps), institutional listings and ecosystem token utility (staking + fees) can drive adoption if volume stays strong; watch token unlock schedules as short-term risk.
Price & market cap : $0.4219 — Market cap $459.33M — 24h: +1.28% . 7-day: ≈-6% .

Canton (CC)

Canton is a privacy-aware Layer-1 protocol built to support tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) and compliant institutional workflows. The network emphasizes configurable privacy and compliance controls, and some partners/announcements have driven visibility and NFT/asset tokenization pilots.

Token Utility : CC’s utility centers on private settlement rails, validator roles for institutions, and tooling for tokenized treasuries — a use case that positions Canton among the low cost crypto projects attractive to institutional RWA pilots. 

Why it could grow: Institutional interest in RWA tokenization, regulatory pilots and validator partnerships are the key growth levers; success depends on real RWA flows and continued regulatory clarity.
Price & market cap : $0.087465 — Market cap $3.19B — 24h: -4.40%

Curve DAO Token (CRV)

Curve DEX is a decentralized exchange best suited for stablecoins and pegged assets that uses an automated market maker (AMM) to manage liquidity. Curve’s crvUSD and stablecoin-focused AMMs keep CRV central to DeFi stable-swap flows and yield strategies. 

Curve’s model also gives holders on-chain governance and fee income if they lock (veCRV).  Curve remains a top cheap crypto pick for DeFi allocators looking for protocol governance exposure without paying large token prices. 

Token Utility : CRV is Curve’s governance and incentive token used for voting, fee sharing (via veCRV locking) and rewarding liquidity providers.

Why it could grow: Ongoing DeFi activity, improvements to DAO UX, and continued use of CRV as an incentive for liquidity and crvUSD support its upside; regulatory and DeFi volume trends remain material.
Price & market cap : $0.3764 — Market cap $537.01M — 24h: +5.03%. 7-day: +5.6% . 

Sky (SKY)

Sky is a DeFi protocol focused on yield, savings and a modular governance design (often compared to upgraded Maker-style mechanics). For readers hunting cheap crypto to buy, Sky blends DeFi utility and token incentives which can be attractive at lower price points.

Token Utility : SKY tokens power governance and resource allocation; the protocol has been active with buybacks, treasury strategies and yield features that aim to support a yield-bearing stablecoin and user rewards (including occasional NFT incentive drops).  

Why it could grow: Buybacks, technical breakouts, and increased protocol revenue/yield can attract capital — especially from yield-seeking retail and DeFi users. Monitor on-chain TVL and buyback cadence.
Price & market cap : $0.06424 — Market cap $1.47B — 24h: -1.98% . 7-day: ~+7.8% 

JUST (JST)

JUST is a TRON-based DeFi ecosystem centered on lending, the USDJ stablecoin, and governance via JST. The project sometimes runs rewards and token incentives for TRON community participants — making $JST a commonly searched cheap altcoin to watch for TRON-native DeFi exposure.

Token Utility : JST’s utility includes voting, stability-fee setting, and protocol revenue burns/buybacks; the wider JUST stack (JustLend, JustSwap, oracle integrations) gives JST on-chain use and liquidity.

Why it could grow: Continued TRON DeFi flows, protocol revenue that funds buybacks, and any renewed adoption of USDJ or lending features could support demand; risks include TRON ecosystem outflows or regulatory headlines.
Price & market cap : $0.040228 — Market cap $398.25M — 24h: -1.00% .

Kaspa (KAS)

Kaspa is a high-throughput proof-of-work Layer-1 built on a blockDAG architecture that targets near-instant confirmations and low fees. Kaspa’s low per-token price and high circulating supply make it a classic “cheap crypto to buy” candidate for traders looking for layer-one adoption stories that scale.

Token Utility : KAS is used for secure settlement and network incentives; the ecosystem is community-driven with hackathons, dev activity, and Layer-2 experiments to expand dApp support. 

Why it could grow: Technical merits (blockDAG speed), developer momentum, upcoming exchange listings and developer events can boost interest; miners and on-chain usage will determine durability.
Price & market cap : $0.045445 — Market cap $1.23B — 24h: -2.66%. 7-day: ≈+6.3%. 

TRON (TRX)

TRON is a large Layer-1 blockchain focused on high-throughput dApps, content distribution and low-cost transactions; TRON’s massive liquidity, broad exchange listings and active dApp/DeFi users make TRX one of the most-searched buy crypto coins under $1 choices for traders seeking cheap entry to a major chain. TRON also powers stablecoin and lending on-chain, which supports JST and other TRON tokens.

Token Utility : TRX is the native utility and staking token used for bandwidth, governance and DeFi activity inside the TRON ecosystem.

Why it could grow: Cross-chain integrations, dApp adoption and corporate partnerships can sustain demand; macro risk and sector rotation will influence short-term moves.
Price & market cap : $0.283688 — Market cap $26.86B — 24h: -1.38% 

Conclusion

These crypto tokens under $1 are the best buys.Each represents a different sectors like Bitcoin L2 (MERL), institutional RWA/privacy rails (CC), DeFi governance (CRV, JST, SKY), high-throughput L1 (KAS) and large-cap utility (TRX). To invest in the best low cost crypto project — always DYOR, check live CoinMarketCap pages above for the most recent price and market cap, and watch 7-day trends closely.

Disclaimer: This is not financial advice. Please DYOR before investing. CoinGabbar is not responsible for any financial losses. Crypto assets are highly volatile, and you can lose your entire investment. Some services or assets discussed may not be available in all regions. All live prices are taken fron Coinmarketcap.