“AI does not cut it anymore,” said Daniel Keller, CEO and co-founder of cloud infrastructure firm Influx Technologies, as the latest trend of investors pivoting from mining to AI emerges.
According to a report covered by Yahoo Finance, Bitcoin miners are now using their immense computing power not to mine crypto, but to serve the booming AI market.
What could be the best crypto to buy now at such a time when even miners are looking elsewhere? The answer is simpler than one might believe.
AI Market Booming, Mining Market Suffering
The surge of ChatGPT and the onslaught of language models trying to one-up each other is reminiscent of the social media frenzy that happened during 2007 to 2008. All are focusing on providing the best benefits. However, since these technologies require resources to maintain their neural architecture, the computing power they need is vast.
Mining, on the other hand, is hanging nearly at the end of the rope. The rapid intrusion of institutional investors, who now hold the biggest chunk of most of the high-cap cryptos, has made mining less profitable. The reward per unit of hashing power has gone from $0.12 per TH/s-day to $0.049. Add to that, halving and mining equipment depreciation have led crypto miners to look for other options.
Their leading choice is to dive into high-performance computing (HPC) spaces, which AI is a part of. Bitcoin miners are now leveraging their equipment and access to large power contracts to help conduct HPC operations. Leading among them are IREN, Riot, TeraWulf, and Cipher Mining.
Speaking about this new trend, Daniel Keller said, “Demand for AI workloads is through the roof right now, and BTC miners have what AI data centers require: affordable and consistent power housed in temperate environments.”
Does a lack of miners harm the cryptocurrency economy? Not really. Proof of Work doesn’t hold much value anymore, and other than Bitcoin, Litecoin, and possibly Ethereum Classic, the entire prospect of mining does not have much reach. In such cases, the best crypto to buy now could be found among the AI niche.
AI Crypto Economy is on the Rise
The current AI crypto ecosystem is nothing to write home about. There has been an array of innovations, yes, but the talk about them is often swept away by the news coverage of institutional investors jumping into other high-cap picks.
However, as the market is currently in a recovery phase, the entire AI crypto segment is going through an uptrend. In the last 24 hours, the AI crypto market cap has risen by over 6.2% and is currently close to $30 billion.
So, the bottom line is that while the mining ecosystem is suffering, there is still a reason to rally behind top cryptos if they belong, even partially, to the AI niche.
Best Crypto to Buy Now
Listed below are the top crypto picks that could provide massive upside potential to investors.
Snorter
With the rise of AI-driven cryptos dominating market discussions, the obvious choice for many investors right now is Snorter. Today marks the final day of its presale, but even with just a few hours remaining, there’s still time for investors to secure tokens at the listing price before it officially goes live.
Snorter is a Solana-based meme coin and trading bot hybrid designed to simplify meme coin trading through automation. It provides features such as fast swaps, limit orders, and social trading via Telegram, allowing users to copy profitable strategies in real time.
One of its biggest strengths lies in its multiple automated use cases. Snorter includes an AI-powered sniper tool that identifies promising meme coin opportunities before they trend, along with a trading bot that executes secure, efficient transactions. Together, these tools make it easier for users to navigate volatile markets while maintaining control and transparency.
The project’s roadmap also includes several forward-looking upgrades, including multi-chain integration and API-based functionality, which could expand Snorter’s reach beyond the Solana ecosystem.
To date, Snorter has raised more than $5.7 million, underlining the strong investor confidence in its ability to combine automation, meme appeal, and real trading utility into one standout crypto project.
Pepenode
Even though traditional crypto mining has declined in profitability, the fascination with it remains strong, especially among gamers who enjoy interactive and reward-based systems. That’s where Pepenode comes in, offering a fresh, gamified approach to mining that blends entertainment with real earning potential.
Pepenode introduces a mining simulation where users can build and upgrade virtual rigs using Meme Nodes purchased with PEPENODE tokens. These rigs then simulate the mining of non-minable meme coins such as Pepe and Fartcoin, creating an engaging ecosystem where users can experience the thrill of mining without the need for expensive hardware or technical expertise.
The project’s imagery reflects its playful spirit, with vibrant, meme-inspired visuals that combine humor and creativity to appeal to a wide audience. Beyond the visuals, Pepenode stands out for its unique airdrop system, rewarding participants with various meme tokens as they progress within the platform’s ecosystem.
For those looking for additional earning opportunities, Pepenode also offers staking options with impressive returns. Investors who stake their tokens during the presale can earn upwards of 650 percent APY, making it an attractive choice for long-term holders.
Experts have already taken note of Pepenode’s distinctive mix of gaming, mining, and DeFi. Many believe it could achieve 50x growth potential once it launches, positioning it as one of the most exciting low-cap prospects in the meme coin space.
Bitcoin Hyper
Even though Bitcoin Hyper isn’t directly an AI crypto, its unique ecosystem could pave the way for AI-driven applications in the future. By expanding Bitcoin’s framework into a more versatile and programmable network, the project positions itself as a bridge between traditional blockchain technology and the next generation of decentralized innovation.
At its core, Bitcoin Hyper is built as a powerful Layer 2 solution designed to enhance Bitcoin’s scalability and utility. Its underlying technology supports faster transactions, lower fees, and interoperability across multiple blockchains. Through its modular architecture and advanced execution layer, it aims to create an ecosystem where developers can build decentralized applications, payment channels, and staking systems, all while maintaining the security and trust of the Bitcoin network.
In terms of use cases, Bitcoin Hyper goes beyond being just a digital asset. It provides an infrastructure for cross-chain transactions, decentralized finance (DeFi) integration, and staking-based passive income systems. This makes it one of the few Bitcoin-inspired projects with practical, long-term functionality rather than simple speculative appeal.
Visually, Bitcoin Hyper blends the traditional identity of Bitcoin with bold, meme-centric imagery that reflects its ambition to modernize the world’s oldest cryptocurrency. It captures the contrast between legacy and innovation, representing Bitcoin’s past while signaling the evolution of its future.
Recent updates from the development team confirm that new infrastructure services are being introduced, laying the groundwork for the ecosystem’s next phase. With close to 25 million dollars raised so far, Bitcoin Hyper stands out as one of the most successful ICOs of the year and a project that could redefine Bitcoin’s role in the decentralized landscape.
Conclusion
With popular miners moving past crypto and into AI, the best crypto to buy now could be among AI-driven assets. However, the niche itself is very wide, which means meme coins with subtle AI mechanics could also be considered good options. That is why this guide focuses on the top three picks that currently have, or may one day have, underlying AI-driven perks.
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