Polkadot's (CRYPTO: DOT) price hit an all-time high of $54.98 on Nov. 4, 2021. That marked a whopping 18,859% gain from the token's initial coin offering price of $0.29 in October 2017. But today, it trades at about $6. Like many other altcoins, Polkadot lost its luster as rising interest rates drove investors toward more conservative investments.

Nevertheless, some top analysts remain bullish on Polkadot's growth potential. Michaël van de Poppe, the CIO and founder of MN Trading, recently told his 723,000 followers on X that the altcoin's price could more than triple to $17 to $22 in the short term. Should investors follow that advice and buy this oft-overlooked altcoin today?

What sets Polkadot apart from other altcoins?

Polkadot's blockchain was created by Gavin Wood, one of the co-founders of Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH). Like Ethereum, Polkadot currently uses the energy-efficient proof of stake (PoS) method, which stakes tokens instead of mining them, not the energy-intensive proof of work (PoW) method used to mine Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC).

PoS blockchains are often used to develop decentralized apps (dApps) and other tokens, while the PoW method is simply used to mine native tokens. As a result, PoS tokens are usually valued by the speed of their transactions and the expansion of their underlying developer ecosystems, while PoW tokens are valued by their scarcity and acceptance as mainstream assets.

Polkadot processes transactions faster than Ethereum and many other PoS blockchains. It accomplishes that through "parachains" -- a novel feature that allows multiple blockchains to work together on the same platform. These parachains make Polkadot cross-compatible with a wide range of incompatible blockchain networks, so it's an attractive starting point for developers to create cross-chain dApps, tokens, and other crypto assets.

Polkadot's flexibility is driving the expansion of its ecosystem by locking in new blockchain partners, including the open source games launcher Heroic and the community-driven funding platform Polimec Protocol. Its own community also plans to allocate three million Polkadot tokens (worth $18 million) to fund the development of more decentralized finance (DeFi) applications. Some developers also consider it to be a fertile foundation for developing new AI applications.

But can Polkadot break out of its niche?

Polkadot's technology sounds promising, but investors should be aware of its three major weaknesses. First, Polkadot still processes transactions at a much slower rate than Solana (CRYPTO: SOL), the world's fastest PoS blockchain. Therefore, developers who value raw speed over cross-chain compatibility will likely stick with Solana.

Second, Polkadot's parachain is a double-edged sword. It opens the doors to smart contracts on other blockchains, but that cross-compatibility also exposes it to a wider range of security breaches. There are also a limited number of parachains on its blockchain, and those slots are auctioned off to the highest bidder. If those prices rise too quickly, its potential developers could flock to cheaper blockchains.

Lastly, Polkadot's supply is inflationary and increasing at a rate of 10% per year. Ethereum, which temporarily became deflationary after The Merge (its transition from the PoW to the PoS mechanism) in 2022, currently has an annual inflation rate of just 0.3% to 0.5%. That rising supply could cap Polkadot's near-term gains.

Should investors buy Polkadot right now?

Michaël van de Poppe's analysis of Polkadot seems to be a technical one instead of a fundamental one. He says that if it breaks through its major resistance point of $9.295, it can soar toward $17 to $22.

We should take that estimate with a grain of salt, since the broader crypto market is still being weighed down by Bitcoin's recent problems and a dimming outlook for quick interest rate cuts. However, the potential approvals of the first spot price Ether ETFs could light a fire under Polkadot and other PoS tokens in the second half of the year.

Polkadot is an interesting cryptocurrency that seems a lot more useful than other meme coins. Speculative investors can nibble on the token at these prices, but it could easily be cut in half before it doubles or triples again.

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Leo Sun has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

1 Top Cryptocurrency to Buy Before It Soars 260%, According to This Popular Analyst was originally published by The Motley Fool