Top 3 Best Cryptos to Consider as Cardano (ADA) Struggles to Hit $1

Cardano (ADA) was once considered the best smart contract platform with ambitious plans. Despite this, it has largely struggled to gain the momentum necessary to surpass $1 in 2025. Meanwhile, capital is quietly shifting toward projects with stronger momentum. Among these, Little Pepe, Hedera, and Sui are rising as top alternatives.

Cardano’s Struggles to Reclaim $1

At press time, ADA trades between $0.80 and $0.84. ADA has attempted multiple times to break above the resistance level between $0.83 and $0.85. However, it has yet to succeed. This indicates buyer fatigue. Until it breaks decisively, the price will remain stuck under $1. Its total value locked (TVL) in DeFi remains modest relative to competing Layer-1s. Additionally, narrative momentum is weaker compared to the rise of new chains. Many investors are now reallocating capital toward newer, higher-beta plays rather than waiting for ADA to spark a resurgence.

Little Pepe (LILPEPE): Meme Chain Set to Explode

Little Pepe (LILPEPE) stands out as a meme infrastructure project backed by both viral hype and serious technical ambition. Currently, the presale is deep into Stage 13, with tokens priced at $0.0022. So far, the team has raised over $26.6 million, with more than 16 billion tokens sold across stages. This level of funding demonstrates growing investor conviction well before any exchange listing. Unlike run-of-the-mill meme coins, Little Pepe is building a dedicated Layer 2 blockchain, “Pepe Chain.” It’s optimized for meme token use cases. Its core features include:

Zero-tax trading: no transaction fees on buys or sells
Sniper-bot resistance: Protection during token launches
Ultra-low gas costs and fast settlement speeds
Pepe’s Pump Pad: A meme launchpad for new token projects

These components work together to create a self-reinforcing ecosystem. Meme projects launched on Pepe Chain ensure liquidity flows remain within the system. The project has already secured two top-tier CEX listings at launch, and the team has publicly declared ambitions to pursue listing on the largest global exchange next. This listing roadmap is a crucial catalyst. Exchange visibility often unlocks speculative capital and volume. To amplify community momentum, Little Pepe is hosting a $777,000 giveaway, where 10 winners will each receive $77,000 in tokens. There’s also a giveaway to reward the biggest investors from stages 12 to 17. This marketing push is driving participation metrics and social engagement. In an environment where many meme tokens rely solely on hype, LILPEPE’s infrastructure and community combo offer a rare asymmetric risk-reward profile. Early participants are already sitting on gains, and the path is laid for a 50× to 100× rally should promised listings, utility adoption, and meme launchpad traction materialize.

Hedera (HBAR): Enterprise Backbone with Technical Resilience

Currently, Hedera is spotlighted for its enterprise focus, not speculative hype. One of the strongest institutional signals is Hedera’s launch of the HEAT team (Hedera Enterprise Adoption Team). This is a new initiative explicitly designed to help council members and enterprise clients transition from proof-of-concept projects to full-scale deployments. This suggests the ecosystem is trying to convert potential into real usage, a shift that many enterprise-focused coins struggle to execute. On the price chart, Hedera is trading near important support levels. It faces resistance between $0.23 and $0.30. Its ability to sustain that support could determine whether it breaks into new ranges. Analysts argue that 2025 may be a pivotal year for HBAR replication of earlier bullish cycles, as institutional and enterprise trial deployments ramp up.

Sei (SEI): Performance-Focused L1 with Growing Adoption

Sei is increasingly gaining attention as a Layer-1 chain optimized for trading and DeFi workloads. Currently, the SEI token is trading between $0.29 and $0.31 on major exchanges. Market commentators note that the price is bumping against resistance in that range. Its on-chain metrics tell a stronger story. The Sei blockchain recently recorded $9.88 billion in DEX volume, signaling robust activity even as token prices consolidate. Developer adoption is also trending upward. GitHub commits have accelerated in 2025, and new tooling, such as @sei-js/evm, is expanding cross-chain integration capabilities. Technical analysts view the token as having breakout potential. SEI recently recovered from a compression range, triggering buy signals that suggest upside toward $0.33+ may be next. With Cardano stuck, SEI offers a performance-oriented alternative that combines adoption momentum and technical setups.

Conclusion: ADA Stagnates, But New Leaders Are Emerging

Cardano’s inability to reclaim $1 reflects its fading dominance in the Layer-1 race. While ADA continues to consolidate, investor capital is chasing projects with clearer momentum and stronger narratives. Little Pepe is fusing meme virality with real infrastructure, Hedera is positioning itself as the enterprise backbone of Web3, and Sei is carving out a role as a high-performance chain for DeFi and trading. Together, they represent sharper plays. For opportunistic investors, Little Pepe’s presale and mega giveaway may be the most time-sensitive entry point before top-tier exchange listings ignite its next leg higher.