4 Altcoins to Watch Closely in April

As crypto prices show signs of recovery, put these cryptos on your radar.

After a sluggish start to 2022, cryptocurrency prices finally started to rise at the end of March. But if there's one thing the last few months have taught us, it's that crypto prices are unpredictable. The recent price growth is a great sign, but it's too early to start talking about a recovery -- and Bitcoin (BTC) has a long way to go before it regains its highs of last year.

Nonetheless, market sentiment has finally become more optimistic. The crypto fear and greed index has shown "fear" or "extreme fear" for some time, but as I write this, it has tipped into "greed" -- meaning people are hopeful the crypto slump has passed. Only time will tell if those hopes are well founded.

Here are four coins to put on your watchlist for April.

1. Tezos (XTZ)

Tezos is a relatively well-established smart contract crypto. However, it failed to post the same gains as coins like Solana (SOL) or Avalanche (AVAX) last year. This could be because the project had management difficulties and faced lawsuits after its ICO back in 2017/2018 that put a significant dent in investor confidence. However, the tide may be changing.

Not only is Tezos about to launch a big upgrade, but it's also beginning to gain traction in the non-fungible token (NFT) space. Several NFT marketplaces, such as Rarible, offer NFTs on the Tezos blockchain. A recent Coinbase poll showed many users would like to see it add the Tezos network, which sells itself as an eco-friendly alternative to Ethereum, to its NFT platform.

Cryptocurrency exchanges: Coinbase, Binance, Binance.US, Kraken, Gemini, and others.

2. COTI (COTI)

COTI wants to establish itself as the "ultimate power grid of payments." COTI is a smart contract crypto that aims to make it easy for people to create stablecoins and digital payment networks. It is not alone -- both Terra (LUNA) and Stellar Lumens (XLM) are operating in similar spaces. But both of these are in the top 50 cryptos by market cap where COTI ranked at No. 186 at time of writing.

COTI is already partnering with Cardano (ADA) on its Djed stablecoin. Indeed, its close relationship with Cardano, which jumped over 30% last week, is one reason to put this coin on your radar. Another is the recent launch of COTI Ventures, an investment fund designed to focus on opportunities in the COTI ecosystem. It has an initial budget of $10 million and has already made its first investment in a Cardano-based decentralized exchange called WingRiders.

Cryptocurrency exchanges: Coinbase, Binance, KuCoin, Gate.io, and others.

3. Audius (AUDIO)

Audius is one of several Web 3 music streaming platforms that aims to allow anybody to distribute, monetize, and stream audio. It wants to empower artists by letting them connect directly with their audience, without the need for a record label. The crypto is currently trading over 70% down from its all-time high of last March, and may be a good Web 3 project to have on your radar for the long term.

Founded in 2018, Audius already has over 1 million monthly listeners. Its partnership deal with TikTok cemented its position as a key player in the blockchain music space. Audius also recently completed its migration to the Solana blockchain. This means users and creators can benefit from speedy, low-cost transactions.

Cryptocurrency exchanges: Binance, Binance.US, Gemini, Kraken, Crypto.com, and others.

4. Ethereum (ETH)

I left Ethereum for last because it is so big that many don't even consider it an altcoin. However, it is close to its all-important switch from the gas-guzzling proof-of-work validation model to the more eco-friendly proof-of-stake system. This long-awaited step is also known as "The Merge," and Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin has said it will take place this summer.

It is only part of a bigger staged upgrade, but will still be a significant milestone. As anticipation about the upgrade builds, Ethereum will be top of mind for almost every crypto investor. A successful switch could build confidence industry wide; conversely, technical problems could put the brakes on any kind of price recovery.

Available from most top cryptocurrency exchanges.

These cryptos aren't only for April

Each month we bring you a selection of altcoins to watch, but here at The Ascent, we advocate long-term investing. The coins above are worth your attention not only in the next month, but in the longer term. And, as you do your research, it's good to try to maintain a long-term lens. Look for projects you think might perform well in the coming five to 10 years, rather than one that might jump in the next couple of months.

The recent jump in crypto prices could be the beginning of a price recovery. However, there are still many uncertainties. These include, regulatory developments, wider economic conditions, and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Make sure you only invest money you can afford to lose, and don't put crypto investing ahead of other financial goals. That way you won't face financial disaster if crypto prices fall again.