3 Cryptocurrencies to Buy for a Diversified Portfolio

Even with a steep market decline in early 2026, many top cryptocurrencies are still trading at sky-high prices. A single Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC), for example, will set you back about $71,000.

However, there's a quick, simple way to put together a diversified crypto portfolio for the ultra-low cost of just $60. Here's how to do it.

Start with Bitcoin

The building block of any cryptocurrency portfolio needs to be Bitcoin. After all, the world's most popular cryptocurrency still accounts for a whopping 60% of the total market cap of the crypto market. As a general rule of thumb, then, Bitcoin needs to account for at least 60% of your portfolio. Otherwise, you're not getting full exposure to crypto as a unique asset class.

Image source: Getty Images.

Although the cost of Bitcoin in the spot market is currently $71,000, there are cheaper ways to get access to it. For example, you could pick up one share of the iShares Bitcoin Trust (NASDAQ: IBIT), which is currently trading for about $41. This spot crypto ETF gives you 1:1 exposure to the price action of Bitcoin, and can be used as a proxy for direct Bitcoin exposure.

Choose your favorite Layer 1 blockchain network

The next step is to choose your favorite Layer 1 blockchain network. For the majority of investors, this will be Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH). It remains the world's second most-popular cryptocurrency, with a huge $265 billion market cap.

The good news is that it's possible to pick up a very affordably priced Ethereum ETF without paying $2,200 in the spot cryptocurrency market. The iShares Ethereum Trust (NASDAQ: ETHA), for example, trades for about $17 right now, and can be added to your portfolio as easily as any tech stock.

That said, there are other Layer 1 blockchain networks that appear to be growing faster than Ethereum right now, and might have a bigger payoff later down the road. My top pick right now is Solana (CRYPTO: SOL), which is rapidly gaining ground on Ethereum, especially in the key area of decentralized finance (DeFi).

Add in a high-risk, high-upside altcoin

Finally, for maximum diversification benefits, it's best to add at least one high-upside altcoin. One popular option right now is XRP (CRYPTO: XRP), which continues to tantalize crypto investors with the prospect of incredibly high future returns. XRP currently trades for a bargain price less than $1.50, making it an affordable addition to any portfolio.

But you could just as easily add in an artificial intelligence (AI) crypto. Many of these are also bargain-priced and go for less than $1. My current favorite right now is Kite (CRYPTO: KITE), which bills itself as "the world's first AI payment blockchain." Kite launched at the end of 2025, and currently trades for a price of just $0.20.

The $60 crypto portfolio

And there you have it: the basic framework for a diversified crypto portfolio, all for the low, low price of less than $60. That's $41 for the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF, $17 for the Ethereum ETF, and $2 for 10 of the high-risk, high-upside Kite altcoins or about $1.50 for XRP.

Of course, you will need to rebalance this portfolio to get your allocation just right. But it's hard to go wrong with a 70/30 blend of Bitcoin and Ethereum at the outset, which is roughly what you get with $41 allocated to Bitcoin and $17 allocated to Ethereum.

And, if you want, that 70/30 blend can easily be changed to a 60/40 or 80/20 blend, depending on your overall risk-reward profile. You also can rotate into different high-upside altcoins as new trends emerge in the blockchain and crypto space.

Crypto investing doesn't need to cost an arm and a leg. Thankfully, new spot crypto ETFs make it possible to get exposure at a much lower price point, opening up crypto investing to a wider audience.

Dominic Basulto has positions in Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and XRP. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, XRP, and iShares Bitcoin Trust. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.