Bitcoin (BTC-USD) has been on an absolute tear lately, surging past $73,000 as I write this. And in my view, it still has room to run even higher. As I predicted last year, three key catalysts were lining up in 2024 that could ignite a new crypto bull run. That bull run is now underway as the first catalyst – spot Bitcoin ETFs – unleashes huge demand.

But the Bitcoin halving event and expected rate cuts still lie ahead. If the stars align, these two catalysts could potentially propel Bitcoin above $100,000. That means this altcoin season could be even more lucrative. I believe loading up on some quality altcoin projects alongside Bitcoin is a smart move before they really take off during the altseason. Most altcoins have already started recovering strongly, but the big gains will come when the altseason kicks into high gear.

With that backdrop, let’s dive into the three altcoin cryptos I think are primed for out-of-this-world returns.

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Orion (ORN-USD)

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I’m very bullish on Orion (ORN-USD) and other decentralized finance (DeFi) projects in general, as they often surge sharply once crypto trading volumes take off. We’re still in the early innings of a crypto bull market. Peak euphoria is when altcoins ignite and portfolios churn out multibagger gains – that’s when DeFi projects like Orion shine brightest. Their fee-driven models thrive when trading volumes are elevated.

Orion has rocketed higher from its floor of 50 cents to more than $2.50 now. However, I believe it can easily eclipse its previous high of $26 if the stars align. It still sports a small market capitalization of just $83 million, leaving substantial room for upside if it grabs more mindshare among crypto investors.

We’ve seen how well DeFi darlings like Injective Protocol (INJ-USD) have performed, and Orion could follow their trajectory. By providing access to decentralized and centralized liquidity pools, Orion empowers users to optimize trading execution. I’m banking on this suite of DeFi products catching fire as the market capitalization of the entire crypto sector balloons.

DevvE (DEVVE-USD)

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DevvE (DEVVE-USD) is a layer-1 blockchain tailored towards institutions. Its technical whitepaper is impressive, claiming the network can handle 8 million transactions per second with sub-second finality. Validating these bold throughput assertions will be crucial.

The launch of a public testnet in March will be a moment of truth that could propel DEVVE higher if it lives up to its billing. I believe DevvE has serious multibagger potential if it wins over more institutional investment. Its focus on ESG principles is another plus.

One risk factor to note is the token dilution from pre-launch and early investors. With only 18.7 million tokens circulating out of a total supply of 300 million, DEVVE has significant selling pressure overhead. This overhang has rejected rallies above $2 multiple times.

I’d caution waiting for an entry below $1.20 due to this dilution overhang. While this stockpile of tokens won’t get released instantly, gradual selling pressure could mute the token’s upside in the near term. Tread carefully here, but keep DEVVE on your radar.

Golem (GLM-USD)

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I’ve tracked Render Token (RNDR-USD) and Golem (GLM-USD) for over a year now. When I first highlighted these projects, Render was trading around $1.80 and Golem traded near 20 cents. They’ve both surged substantially since then, capitalizing on the AI and cloud computing zeitgeist spilling over from the tech sector into crypto.

But I don’t believe the best days are behind us. I think Golem can climb much higher alongside similar GPU-focused projects like iExec RLC (RLC-USD). Golem’s more decentralized structure gives it an edge over Render and its corporate backing. With a smaller market cap, Golem also has way more headroom to run.

Golem’s negligible inflation rate is another big plus compared to Render’s eye-popping 45%+ annual dilution. If you’ve been in crypto long enough, you’d know very well that decentralized projects are substantially more drama-free. Overall, there are enough catalysts with this small-cap crypto for me to render it a buy.

Small, low-volume cryptos

On Low-Capitalization and Low-Volume Cryptocurrencies: InvestorPlace does not regularly publish commentary about cryptocurrencies that have a market capitalization less than $100 million or trade with volume less than $100,000 each day. That’s because these “penny cryptos” are frequently the playground for scam artists and market manipulators. When we do publish commentary on a low-volume crypto that may be affected by our commentary, we ask that InvestorPlace.com’s writers disclose this fact and warn readers of the risks.
 Read More: How to Avoid Popular Cryptocurrency Scams

On the date of publication, Omor Ibne Ehsan did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

Omor Ibne Ehsan is a writer at InvestorPlace. He is a self-taught investor with a focus on growth and cyclical stocks that have strong fundamentals, value, and long-term potential. He also has an interest in high-risk, high-reward investments such as cryptocurrencies and penny stocks. You can follow him on LinkedIn.

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