đ The 2019 cryptocurrency market was a landscape of transitionâpost-2017 exuberance, pre-DeFi summer, and a quiet rebuilding phase. For investors and enthusiasts, identifying genuinely promising projects required more than hype-chasing. This guide breaks down the core evaluation framework, market signals, safety practices, and the most common pitfalls, so you can approach emerging cryptocurrencies with a clear, disciplined lens.
âąď¸ Written for educational purposes. All data and examples reflect the 2019 context; always verify current prices, fees, and platform availability before making any decisions.
In 2019, the cryptocurrency industry was emerging from a prolonged âcrypto winter.â Bitcoin had fallen from its December 2017 peak of nearly $20,000 to around $3,100 by early 2019, before recovering to the $8,000â$12,000 range through the year. The ICO (initial coin offering) mania of 2017â2018 had largely cooled, and regulators around the world were beginning to issue clearerâthough still fragmentedâguidance.
Against this backdrop, âup and comingâ meant something different from the 2017 gold rush. It wasnât about getting rich overnight on a whitepaper and a catchy name. Instead, it referred to projects that were:
Key takeaway: In 2019, the best up-and-coming cryptocurrencies were those that survived the bear market with active development, a clear use case, and a community that wasnât purely driven by price speculation. The evaluation bar had risenâand that was a good thing.
Evaluating a new cryptocurrency in 2019 required looking beyond the headline metrics. A disciplined framework considers four interconnected pillars: technology, team, community, and tokenomics. Below we break each one down with practical questions to ask.
The underlying protocol is the foundation. In 2019, many projects promised âthousands of transactions per secondâ but few delivered. Key questions:
A project is only as strong as the people building it. In 2019, anonymous teams were still common, but the most credible projects had identifiable leaders with relevant experience.
A thriving community is both a signal of genuine interest and a driver of network effects. But beware of inflated metricsâbots and paid engagement were rampant in 2019.
The tokenâs design affects long-term value and utility. In 2019, many projects still had inflationary or unclear token distributions.
Market data in 2019 was more accessible than in earlier years, but still required careful interpretation. Here are the key indicators that informed evaluationâand their limitations.
Look at the 6â12 month price range. Was the project holding up during the crypto winter? Extreme volatility with no recovery might indicate thin liquidity or weak fundamentals.
Consistent volume across multiple reputable exchanges suggests genuine interest. Beware of âwash tradingâ on smaller exchangesâalways cross-reference with major platforms.
In 2019, a top-100 market cap didnât guarantee quality, but it did indicate some level of visibility. Projects outside the top 200 carried higher risk and required deeper due diligence.
Active addresses, transaction count, and hash rate (for PoW) provide a window into real usage. In 2019, tools like CoinMetrics and Glassnode were becoming essential for serious evaluators.
Important: Market data is backward-looking. A coin that performed well in 2019 may have done so for reasons that donât persistâsentiment, exchange listings, or short-term speculation. Always combine quantitative data with qualitative evaluation.
Security in the crypto space goes beyond wallet hygiene. It extends to the protocol itself, the teamâs practices, and the broader ecosystem. In 2019, several high-profile hacks and smart-contract vulnerabilities reminded everyone that âcode is lawâ can be a double-edged sword.
For any project with smart contracts, independent audits by reputable firms (e.g., Trail of Bits, ConsenSys Diligence, CertiK) were a minimum standard. In 2019, many projects published audit reports, but not all audits were equalâcheck the scope and the findings.
A well-run bug bounty program signals that a project takes security seriously. In 2019, platforms like HackerOne and Immunefi were starting to host crypto-specific bounties. Look for active programs with paid-out rewards.
Even the most promising token is vulnerable if held on an insecure exchange. In 2019, exchange hacks (including several major ones) cost investors hundreds of millions. Use hardware wallets or reputable non-custodial solutions for long-term holdings.
Security rule of thumb: If a project hasnât been audited, doesnât have a bug bounty, and the team is anonymous, the risk profile is extremely highâregardless of the hype.
Several projects that were âup and comingâ in 2019 later proved their mettleâwhile others faded. The following examples are illustrative, not endorsements. They highlight the diversity of approaches and the importance of the evaluation framework above.
By 2019, Chainlink had established itself as the leading oracle solution, connecting blockchains to off-chain data. Its strong team, clear use case, and growing list of partnerships made it a standout.
Polkadotâs vision of a multi-chain network captured attention in 2019. With founder Gavin Wood (co-founder of Ethereum) and a detailed whitepaper, it was a textbook example of a technically ambitious project.
Cardano took a research-driven approach, emphasizing peer-reviewed papers and formal methods. In 2019, it was still in the Shelley phase, but its methodical progress attracted a dedicated community.
Cosmos launched its mainnet in 2019, offering an interoperability-focused ecosystem with the Tendermint consensus. Its âInternet of Blockchainsâ narrative was compelling for developers and investors alike.
Imagine you come across a project called âNovaChainâ in mid-2019. It promises 10,000 TPS, a new consensus algorithm, and a low token price. Applying the framework:
Decision: A disciplined evaluator would pass, despite the attractive price. In contrast, a project that passes all four pillars with flying colorsâlike Chainlink or Polkadot at the timeâwould warrant deeper research.
The table below compares five notable 2019 projects across key evaluation criteria. This is a retrospective analysis based on publicly available information at the time.
| Project | Technology Readiness | Team Transparency | Community Activity | Tokenomics | Overall Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chainlink (LINK) | â Mainnet active, audited | â High | â Strong | â Clear utility | Moderate |
| Polkadot (DOT) | â ď¸ Testnet (Kusama) | â High | â Growing | â ď¸ Unclear at launch | Moderate |
| Cardano (ADA) | â ď¸ Partially deployed | â High | â Dedicated | â ď¸ Inflationary | Moderate |
| Cosmos (ATOM) | â Mainnet live | â High | â Active | â Staking utility | Moderate |
| Tezos (XTZ) | â Mainnet live | â High | â ď¸ Niche | â On-chain governance | Moderate |
đ â = Strong / â ď¸ = Mixed / â = Weak. This table is for educational illustration only; current conditions may differ significantly.
Use this checklist as a quick reference when researching a project. Print it out or keep it handyâit will help you stay disciplined and avoid emotional decisions.
đ This checklist is a starting point. For serious evaluation, consider joining independent research communities, reading technical forums, and consulting multiple sources.
Even experienced investors made costly errors in 2019. Here are the most frequent pitfallsâand how to sidestep them.
Mindset shift: Treat every crypto investment as a high-risk venture. If you canât explain the projectâs value proposition in two sentences, you probably havenât done enough research.
Cryptocurrency markets are highly volatile and carry substantial risk. The information in this guide is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice. Past performanceâeven from 2019âdoes not guarantee future results. You should:
đ Data freshness: This article reflects conditions and knowledge from the 2019 period. The cryptocurrency landscape evolves rapidly; always confirm current information through reliable, up-to-date sources.
The 2019 crypto market was a formative period. It taught us that sustainable projects are built on sound technology, transparent teams, and engaged communitiesânot on hype or celebrity endorsements. Whether youâre a newcomer or a seasoned participant, the principles outlined in this guide remain relevant: research rigorously, diversify cautiously, and never stop learning.
In the 2019 context, âup and comingâ referred to projects that were still in early to mid-stage development but showed strong potential based on technology, team, community, and real-world application. They were not yet mainstream or fully established but had credible roadmaps.
Read the whitepaper and compare it to existing projects. Look for peer-reviewed research, independent technical analysis, and community discussions on developer forums like GitHub or Reddit. If the claims sound too good to be true, they probably are.
Start with the projectâs official websiteâmany list team members with LinkedIn profiles. Cross-reference with industry news, crypto research platforms (e.g., Messari), and community feedback. Be cautious of anonymous teams or those with limited public track records.
Common red flags included: anonymous teams, unrealistic roadmaps, lack of code commits, over-reliance on marketing hype, large insider token allocations, and the absence of independent security audits.
Market cap provides a rough measure of size and visibility, but it doesnât reflect technological merit or adoption. A high market cap can be driven by speculation or low circulating supply. Always combine it with other metrics like development activity and transaction volume.
Security audits are critical. They identify vulnerabilities in smart contracts and protocol design. In 2019, many projects skipped this step and paid the price with costly exploits. Always prioritize projects that have undergone independent, reputable audits.
For long-term holdings, a hardware wallet or non-custodial software wallet is strongly recommended. Exchanges are convenient for trading but have been hacked repeatedly. In 2019, exchange failures and hacks resulted in significant losses for users.
Use aggregator platforms like CoinMarketCap or CoinGecko for price and volume data. For development, check GitHub directly. For news, follow official project blogs, reputable crypto news sites, and community forums. Always compare multiple sources to avoid misinformation.