4 Underrated U.S. Altcoins with Strong Fundamentals to Watch in 2025

• Avalanche is still growing fast even though the price is down.
• Sky could grow quickly as stablecoin rules become more clear.
• Render helps power AI with GPUs and has strong demand.

The crypto market is often dominated by big names like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and XRP. With the altcoin market adding $126 billion in Q2 and important market indicators hinting at an upcoming rally, many believe altcoin season is around the corner. 

While the spotlight usually sticks to familiar names, several underrated U.S.-based projects are quietly making big moves — and now might be the perfect time to pay attention. Altcoin Buzz broke down four US-based altcoins that are currently underrated but have strong fundamentals

Avalanche (AVAX): Triple-Chain Project with Strong Metrics Despite Price Dip 

First on the Altcoin Buzz list is Avalanche (AVAX), a New York-based project that stands out because it operates on three separate chains — not just one. Even though Avalanche is down about 30% over the past year and currently trades under $22, the project’s growth metrics like active users and transactions have remained strong. 

Source: CoinMarketCap

With an all-time high of $144, the analyst said that there’s plenty of room for a major rebound. 

Related: Altcoin Market Holds Support as Bitcoin Recovers and DeFi Manipulation Drives Caution

Sky (MakerDAO) & USDS

MakerDAO and its decentralized stablecoin DAI is now rebranded to Sky, with its stablecoin known as USDS. While the stablecoin space is often dominated by names like USDC and USDT, Sky remains one of the largest and most established issuers.

Source: CoinMarketCap

With new US regulations for stablecoins on the horizon (like the Genius Act), well-established players like Sky are positioned to grow fast. At a $1.2 billion market cap, MKR is still flying under the radar despite offering investors a chance to share in stablecoin profits — a rare opportunity in crypto.

Related: Bitcoin Breaks $107,000 — Examining What That Means for Altcoins

Render (RNDR): Decentralized GPU Power for AI Offers Strong Long-Term Potential

Render is a project focused on providing decentralized GPU computing power, which is crucial for AI models like ChatGPT and other large language models (LLMs). 

Source: CoinMarketCap

While Render’s price has dropped from an all-time high of $13.53 to around $4, the fundamentals remain rock-solid. The only concern is its unlimited max token supply. Still, with AI and GPU demand booming, this might be one of the smartest long-term plays in the market today.

Optimism (OP): Key Ethereum L2 with Solid Fundamentals Despite Price Drop

Last but not least is Optimism (OP), one of the top Ethereum Layer-2 scaling solutions. It’s the foundation behind projects like Coinbase’s BASE chain and is helping to drive the broader Superchain ecosystem forward.

Source: CoinMarketCap

Despite its important role, Optimism has had a tough year, with its price dropping over 70% from its peak of $4.84 to below $0.74 today. Still, the analyst argues that the project’s fundamentals remain strong, and with Coinbase now a member of the S&P 500, regulatory clarity could bring more attention to OP in the future.