The year 2019 was a rollercoaster for the cryptocurrency market, marked by extreme price swings, breakout performers, and dramatic collapses. While some digital assets surged to astonishing gains, others plummeted despite early promise. This article explores the most volatile cryptocurrencies of 2019, analyzing their price movements, key drivers, and what they reveal about market dynamics during that pivotal year.
Bitcoin (BTC): The Market Leader’s Volatile Ride
Year-to-date gain: +87%
Maximum gain: +282% in six months
Bitcoin, the undisputed leader of the crypto space, dominated price trends in 2019. The year began with BTC trading around $3,400, but by June it had surged to nearly $13,000—the highest level since January 2018. This remarkable six-month rally lifted the entire altcoin market along with it.
However, volatility remained a constant. On July 11, Bitcoin experienced a sudden 10% drop within 24 hours, triggered by growing regulatory concerns following U.S. lawmakers' criticism of Facebook's Libra project. Despite the brief dip, sentiment quickly recovered, reinforcing BTC's role as both a speculative asset and a market bellwether.
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Ethereum (ETH): A Tale of Two Halves
Year-to-date change: -12%
Maximum gain: +139% in six months
Ethereum started strong in 2019, rallying 139% over the first half and peaking on June 26. The surge brought much-needed optimism to a community still recovering from the 2018 bear market. However, the second half told a different story.
In mid-July, ETH plunged 36% over just ten days, dragging down many other altcoins. This sharp reversal highlighted Ethereum’s sensitivity to broader market sentiment and technical bottlenecks ahead of its long-anticipated upgrade roadmap.
Despite the downturn, ETH maintained its position as the foundation for decentralized finance (DeFi) and smart contract innovation—factors that would fuel its resurgence in later years.
Top Gainers of 2019
While the overall market showed mixed results, several cryptocurrencies delivered extraordinary returns, driven by exchange listings, ecosystem developments, or speculative trading surges.
Luna (LUNA): The One-Day Wonder
Year-to-date gain: +25,000%
Single-day peak gain: +48,900%
Luna’s 2019 performance was nothing short of spectacular. After months of dormancy, the price exploded on August 19 with a mind-boggling 48,900% single-day surge—resembling a flatline suddenly jumping back to life. Though the spike quickly reversed, LUNA retained most of its gains and ended the year up 25,000%, rising from $0.001 to $0.25.
This anomaly demonstrated how low-liquidity tokens can experience extreme volatility due to sudden interest or coordinated buying.
Chainlink (LINK): Fundamentals Meet Frenzy
Year-to-date gain: +459%
Maximum gain: +1,186% in six months
Chainlink emerged as one of 2019’s standout success stories. Its price soared after forming partnerships with major tech players like Google and Oracle and securing a listing on Coinbase Pro. On June 29, LINK surged 1,186% in value shortly after the exchange announcement.
Backed by real-world utility—providing secure data feeds between blockchains and external systems—Chainlink combined strong fundamentals with explosive growth.
Matic Network (MATIC): The Binance Launchpad Star
Year-to-date gain: +285%
Maximum gain: +1,233% in one month
Launched via Binance’s IEO platform in April at $0.003 per token, MATIC skyrocketed to $0.042 by December. A key driver was integration into Ethereum’s scaling solutions ecosystem, promising faster and cheaper transactions.
Despite a 70% intraday crash in December—blamed by the team on whale manipulation—MATIC maintained strong investor confidence. Early backers enjoyed nearly fourfold returns despite volatility.
Binance Coin (BNB): Utility Fuels Growth
Year-to-date gain: +122%
Maximum gain: +548% in six months
BNB’s value proposition extends beyond speculation. As a utility token on the Binance exchange, it offers fee discounts and access to IEOs. In 2019, Binance launched its decentralized exchange (DEX) and hosted multiple successful token sales, boosting demand for BNB.
The platform’s growing ecosystem helped BNB sustain momentum even during broader market corrections.
High-Flying Projects With Risky Rides
Not all high-volatility tokens delivered lasting value. Some saw meteoric rises followed by steep declines—raising red flags about sustainability and manipulation.
Ethereum Meta (ETHM)
Year-to-date change: -98%
Maximum gain: +1,100% in two days
ETHM made headlines in December 2019 when its price jumped 1,100% in 48 hours despite minimal trading volume ($87 daily). The rally quickly collapsed with a 97% drawdown. With no official communication from the team and inactive social accounts, ETHM appears to have been a pump-and-dump scheme.
Celer Network (CELR)
Year-to-date change: -85%
Maximum gain: +214% in two weeks
Another Binance Launchpad project, CELR spiked early but failed to maintain momentum. Despite initial excitement around off-chain scaling technology, investor interest faded rapidly. From an IEO price of $0.007, it peaked at $0.03 before falling to $0.0038 by year-end.
Biggest Losers of 2019
Even projects with strong backing suffered steep declines amid shifting sentiment and market saturation.
BitTorrent (BTT)
Year-to-date change: -99%
Single-day drop: -97%
Once hailed as one of Tron’s most successful IEOs, BTT crashed hard after launching at $0.02. On May 1, it lost 97% of its value overnight. While it later stabilized above its initial offering price, the collapse underscored risks in newly issued tokens without immediate utility.
Lumen (XLM) & Ripple (XRP)
- XLM: Down 63% for the year
- XRP: Down 47%, with a 30% drop in November alone
Both assets faced headwinds despite active development. XRP saw record transaction volumes in December—over $1 billion moved in a single day—fueling speculation about price suppression by the Ripple team.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What caused such high volatility in 2019’s crypto market?
A: A mix of exchange listings (like Coinbase adding LINK), regulatory news (Libra scrutiny), and speculative trading on low-cap coins drove extreme price swings.
Q: Was Chainlink’s rise justified by fundamentals?
A: Yes. Chainlink’s real-world adoption by enterprises and DeFi platforms provided strong use-case validation beyond hype.
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Q: Are IEOs like Matic and CELR safer than ICOs?
A: Generally yes—IEOs are vetted by exchanges like Binance—but they still carry risk if underlying projects lack traction or transparency.
Q: Can a coin like LUNA really surge 48,900% in one day?
A: Technically yes—especially if liquidity is low. Such spikes often reflect short-term speculation rather than sustainable growth.
Q: Why did Ethereum drop despite positive developments?
A: Market-wide corrections, lack of scalability progress, and profit-taking after gains contributed to ETH’s mid-year slump.
Final Thoughts
The year 2019 revealed both the promise and perils of cryptocurrency investing. While assets like Chainlink and BNB demonstrated how utility and ecosystem growth can drive lasting value, others like ETHM and BTT served as cautionary tales about speculation and manipulation.
Core Keywords: cryptocurrency volatility, price surge, altcoin performance, Bitcoin 2019, Ethereum crash, Chainlink growth, Binance IEO, market manipulation
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