Here's the 1 Crypto I'd Buy If I Could Pick Only One

Even after a 50% correction, Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) remains the largest and most important cryptocurrency in the world, and it's not even close. With a market cap of $1.3 trillion, Bitcoin accounts for a staggering 60% of the entire crypto market's value.

For investors wanting exposure to the crypto market, Bitcoin remains the obvious choice. If I could pick only one cryptocurrency to buy right now, it would be Bitcoin.

Bitcoin's unique risk-reward profile

Bitcoin offers much more than just the potential for stratospheric gains. It is, as BlackRock (NYSE: BLK) suggested last year, a unique portfolio diversifier.

For much of its history, Bitcoin has been completely uncorrelated with any other asset class. That has made it a potential hedge against both macroeconomic and geopolitical risk. For good reason, some investors now refer to Bitcoin as "digital gold."

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During times of crisis, money typically flows into Bitcoin, and it has held up remarkably well. As BlackRock detailed in its research, Bitcoin tends to underperform gold during the early days of a crisis. But over a longer period (60 days or longer), Bitcoin eventually outperforms gold.

That's why I'm particularly interested in Bitcoin right now. Amid escalating tensions in both Europe and the Middle East and growing concerns about the macroeconomic outlook in the United States, Bitcoin appears to be the safest bet among major cryptocurrencies.

It's not "safe" by any means, of course, but Bitcoin tends to outperform riskier altcoins during down markets. That's what we are seeing right now in 2026. Yes, Bitcoin is down 28% for the year. But riskier altcoins are down anywhere from 40% to 50% for the year.

Bitcoin's upside potential

Of course, what makes Bitcoin really stand out is its unparalleled upside potential. For much of the past decade, it has been the top-performing asset class in the world. As a result, its price has grown exponentially over the past 10 years. A decade ago, a single Bitcoin sold for just $578. Today, a single Bitcoin is worth nearly $64,000.

Admittedly, past performance is no guarantee of future performance. However, Bitcoin has a proven track record of success and an expanding set of potential use cases as financial institutions increasingly embrace it.

For good reason, high-profile investors such as Cathie Wood of Ark Invest now expect Bitcoin to hit a price of $1 million within the next few years. That might be an aggressive future price target, but few (if any) cryptocurrencies have the staying power and resilience to match Bitcoin over that time period. I'm buying Bitcoin, and I'm not looking back.

Dominic Basulto has positions in Bitcoin. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin and BlackRock. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.