Billy Markus, the creator of Dogecoin better known online as Shibetoshi Nakamoto, recently shared his top five favorite cryptocurrencies. As things stand, his top picks are Dogecoin (DOGE), Bitcoin (BTC), Avalanche (AVAX), Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL), with each one having its own special reason for making the list.

Starting with Dogecoin, which he created himself, Markus said that he chose it because he has a personal connection to the cryptocurrency. DOGE, which started out as a bit of a joke on a BitcoinTalk forum, has really taken off and is now a well-known digital asset with a large community of users, and even Elon Musk is among its endorsers.

Next up was Bitcoin, the first cryptocurrency and basically the foundation of the entire crypto industry. Markus saw Bitcoin's historical significance and knew it would continue to be a top digital currency. However, he rejects being a BTC maximalist. 

Interestingly, when asked about the absence of XRP from his list, Markus explained that he does not own any. At the same time, he joked that his opinion might change if he were to receive some. 

Next up, in third place was Avalanche, an Ethereum-based blockchain platform known for its focus on speed and scalability. Markus also gave a nod to Avalanche's growing popularity and its practical uses that he believes are pretty impressive nowadays.

Ethereum earned its spot because it is great for smart contracts and decentralized apps. Markus said he has had success with Ethereum through NFTs and other projects, despite the high gas fees, which is a common sentiment in the crypto community.

The Dogecoin creator also mentioned Solana, which has been used for a number of successful projects. Its growing ecosystem and reputation for efficiency in investments returning this cycle makes it a standout choice for almost everyone. Earlier this year, Markus even launched a competition asking Solana and Ethereum enthusiasts to send him their favorite meme coins.

Financial analyst, trader and crypto enthusiast.

Gamza graduated with a degree in finance and credit with a specialization in securities and financial derivatives. He then also completed a master's program in banking and asset management.

He wants to have a hand in covering economic and fintech topics, as well as educate more people about cryptocurrencies and blockchain.