Always been a fan of Chainlink, invested in it for the first time last November, and it's finally beginning to pay off. Up 500% against ETH and around 150% in dollar terms. Holding for the moment, just wish I'd had enough money back then to put in a decent amount and see some real returns. Not complaining though, especially considering how the rest of my portfolio has performed.

It's no secret that the bottom has fallen out of the altcoins market since the beginning of the year, but it does mean that there is an opportunity to pick up some great coins that looked to have risen out of reach back in the 'heyday'. No doubt there is risk with any crypto investment, but these are my picks for coins which have the potential to bounce back up and give an over average return over the next 6-12 months (in no particular order).

1. Ethereum - $214.50

An open source decentralized platform that developers can build decentralized apps on, creating smart contracts that will run exactly as programmed with no risk of third-party interference. Number two in terms of marketcap, and probably the best known cryptocurrency apart from Bitcoin. Back down at around the $200 mark after hitting an ATH of over $1400 back in January.


www.ethereum.org

2. Neo - $17.19

Known as the Chinese alternative to Ethereum, it has the advantage of a lower barrier to entry as it doesn't require developers to learn an additional programming language to use it (Ethereum uses Solidity). It also pays out Gas to anyone that holds Neo to incentivise staking.


www.neo.org

3. Lisk - $3.55

Another decentralized network, but with the distinction that developers create their own fully customisable sidechain. It uses Delegated Proof of Stake whereby only a maximum of 101 active delegates (voted in by all the other delegates - generally by offering the highest/consistent rewards) earn block generation rewards. They also have a free Blockchain Academy on their website for those who are looking to learn about various aspects of the technology.


www.lisk.io

4. Qtum - $3.23

Singapore based decentralized open source smart contract platform, attempting to combine the benefits of both the Ethereum and Bitcoin ecosystems. It uses a Proof of Stake model whereby node operators are rewarded for validating transactions, and their mainnet has only just celebrated it's 1st anniversary (launched on September 13th 2017). It is one of the newer players in an increasingly competitive market, but with a bit of luck and lots of work behind the scenes, they have every chance of sticking around.


www.qtum.org

5. OmiseGo - $3.22

Created by Omise, a leading online payment gateway service provider in South East Asia, OmiseGo is a decentralized exchange built on the Ethereum blockchain. Using Ethereum as the currency pairing, they aim to simplify and lower the cost of global payments. The blockchain enables swift, transparent, peer to peer transactions, meaning that any digital wallet provider can use the SDK (Software Development Kit) to connect to the OMG network and facilitate their transactions.


https://omisego.network/

6. Stratis - $1.35

A similar project to Lisk, it is a BaaS (Blockchain as a Service) platform, enabling the development of blockchain based applications. Creating the customizable private side chain means they can make changes without affecting the other chains on the network. Another bonus feature is the ability to deploy a sidechain to other major platforms, enabling access to features that may not be available on the native platform. It is another Proof of Stake coin, but you will only receive 'dividends' if you hold your STRAT in the staking wallet.


https://stratisplatform.com/

7. Golem - $0.132557

Tapping into the growing influence of the 'sharing economy', Golem are to computing power what AirbnB is to the vacation rental market. The idea being that businesses (or individuals) pay as and when they need increased computing power, avoiding the sometimes unnecessary expense of purchasing the expensive equipment required, and those who provide the spare power get paid 'lottery style' via the Ethereum blockchain for providing it. The potential 'super power' resources created by this worldwide network are a welcome alternative to the cloud base options that are often expensive.


https://golem.network/

8. Wanchain - $0.9091

Distributed ledger that connects different blockchain networks together enabling the exchange of digital assets. It utilizes ring signatures which provide anonymity to the sender and let the receiver verify the sender signed the transaction at the same time. Optional OTA (One Time Addresses) are also on offer for an additional level of privacy.


https://wanchain.org/

9. Icon - $0.597445

Decentralized network that enables independent blockchains to make transfers of assets and information, without the need for intermediaries; meaning that real world institutions can interact through the ecosystem. Already hosting many communities such as banks, hospitals, universities and more. They have literally just launched their Mainnet Version 3 yesterday, with improvements to the fee structure, the SMART (Smart Contract on Reliable Environment) development environment is now fully operational, and TestNet is open - allowing developers to test aspects of their blockchain projects before launching on the ICON MainNet.


https://icon.foundation/?lang=en

10. Divi - $0.694203

Divi is a blockchain and smart wallet, attempting to facilitate the adoption of crypto for the uninitiated with the introduction of personalised (easier to remember) addresses. These should seem less intimidating to newcomers than the traditional jumble of numbers and letters. They operate a tiered masternode system, offering increasingly incentivised rewards to those hosting one. The lowest is copper, which requires a minimum of 100,000 DIVI, and the highest is Diamond which needs 10,000,000 or more. They also have a lottery block system that takes place approximately once a week, through which 11 node operators or stakers (holding 10,000 or more) can win a huge batch of Divi (50 added every minute until the lottery block is found). 


https://www.diviproject.org/

Picking out winners from the thousands on offer is a tough game, but if even one of them can put in a run like we saw last year, it could be very lucrative. There are a number of others that I am keeping an eye on too, such as Monetha, Chainlink and Cappasity. These are just my personal opinions, not investment advice, and so far I have invested (on a small scale) in seven of the ten listed - some since last year, some at their peak, and a couple I have picked up recently-ish.

Feel free to add other suggestions to the thread, always looking to get more insight on coins that have not appeared on my radar. If possible, put the name, a brief description and the current price, and I'll update it later in the year to see how they're all performing.

There's so much misinformation out there that it's good to get a cross spectrum when choosing who to follow. Ideally you want a balance of crypto evangelists and (almost) naysayers, just to temper your own opinions and keep FOMO/FUD in check. I generally avoid accounts that shill coins; it's almost always paid, so you don't get the full picture - although some can be worth it.

Here's some Twitter accounts that I reckon are worth following - either for up to date information, interesting discussion, humour, insight or more.

1. https://twitter.com/APompliano

A good one to follow for discussions and follower interaction.



2. https://twitter.com/CryptoCobain

I like the general sarcasm and insight. Funny guy.



3. https://twitter.com/Nicholas_Merten

Crypto enthusiast with a decent YouTube channel too, not for everyone, but I like his style.



4. https://twitter.com/VentureCoinist

Well researched market analysis.



5. https://twitter.com/aantonop

Written several books on crypto, well respected in the community.



6. https://twitter.com/VitalikButerin

Creator of Ethereum.



7. https://twitter.com/lopp

Keeps the discussion going on any subject throughout the cryptosphere.



8. https://twitter.com/PhilakoneCrypto

Canadian shot caller, trader that has a series of educational training videos and more.



9. https://twitter.com/WhalePanda

Not shy of voicing his opinion on anything crypto.



10. https://twitter.com/CryptoHustle

Crypto trader with a sense of  humour.



I know there are many more accounts worth following out there, so feel free to suggest any below.

I generally try to avoid trading while the market is consolidating, it is a risky time to move as the market can either break out above the resistance points, or drop below the support. Keep an eye out for a pair experiencing a series of higher lows, it could be the sign of a potential break out, especially as the previous resistance turns into support.

Just started mining some Raven coin, heard it could be the new and improved Polymath. A proof of work coin that will launch securities on it's blockchain, only 500 to launch your own security. There's never been an ICO, only mined, and it's currently at just under $0.02. Trying to get in early before the potential jump. Anyone else have any experience mining it?

Which currencies offer the best returns through staking? Neo is probably the most popular I guess, distributing Gas on a regular basis to holders, and popular exchanges supporting the distribution which makes it easy for investors to manage.  I'm a big fan of Divi, and trying to get enough for a masternode, but still a long way off. Are there any more out there that offer a good passive income? Looking for lower value coins with potential to build up a decent supply before the price jumps too high.

Fingers crossed we are nearing the end of the bear run and we'll see a steady rise from next month through to the end of the year. Although we can't rely 100% on historical movements, especially because there's virtually no history to refer to, it can be a useful indicator on yearly patterns. I'm expecting a 40-50% rise in the overall market by the end of the year, and with the right investment, could see much bigger rises. 2018 has started rough, but I'm ready to ride the bull.