The third quarter has barely begun, and the crypto market is already debating what digital assets are going to climb in the coming months. As part of the discussion, Finbold has highlighted 2 cryptocurrencies likely to reach a $10 billion market cap in the second half of 2026.
Stellar
Stellar (XLM) is up 13% at press time, July 1, trading at nearly $0.2 and significantly outperforming Bitcoin (BTC) on the back of a major stablecoin integration announcement.
Notably, Stellar has been selected as a launch partner for Open USD, a new stablecoin initiative reportedly backed by major institutions including Visa and BlackRock. The development is being interpreted as a direct boost to Stellar’s utility as a settlement layer for large-scale digital payments.
Moreover, new rumors are now circulating that the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC) may have selected XLM for settlement purposes. While nothing has been confirmed, the claims have contributed to a surge in speculative demand. The key question going forward is whether real utility-driven demand can convert narrative momentum into a sustained breakout.
The last time XLM enjoyed a market cap above $10 billion was in late October 2025, when the asset was trading at around $0.31. With a current market cap of $6.74 billion, the new bullish developments would need to send the cryptocurrency to $0.29 if it is to be among the cryptocurrencies to reach $10 billion market cap in the second half of 2026.
Zcash
Zcash (ZEC) is up 1.8% over the past 24 hours, changing hands at $395.83 and boasting a market cap of $6.69 billion at the time of writing as capital rotation selectively flows into altcoins amid institutional Bitcoin outflows.
In the near term, one of the most important catalysts could be the Ironwood network upgrade in late July, which is expected to improve shielded transaction performance and which could act as a volatility trigger, depending on market conditions at the time.
The decisive factor in the short term will be whether ZEC can maintain its position above $378 while the market waits for the Ironwood upgrade to provide a clearer directional catalyst. A rally toward $590 would send the asset past the $10 billion mark again, a level it last reached in early June.
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