- Fear & Greed Index at 12 boosts crypto stocks; COIN surges 2.5%.
- MicroStrategy owns 252,220 BTC worth $17.9B USD.
- Marathon Digital mines 950 BTC monthly; MARA up 4.2%.
MarketBeat names the 5 best cryptocurrency stocks to watch on April 12, 2026. Extreme fear grips crypto markets as Alternative.me's Fear & Greed Index hits 12.
Bitcoin trades at $70,872 USD, down 1.0% today per CoinMarketCap. Ethereum stands at $2,189.57 USD, off 1.1%. Crypto stocks often outperform BTC during such fear phases. Investors turn to these equities for indirect exposure to cryptocurrency prices without the risks of direct custody.
Historical data from Alternative.me shows 25% average rebounds when the index dips below 20, as in March 2025.
Performance Highlights Defy Extreme Fear
- Fear & Greed Index at 12 boosts crypto stocks; COIN surges 2.5% to $248.70 USD.
- MicroStrategy holds 252,220 BTC valued at $17.9B USD.
- Marathon Digital mines 950 BTC monthly; MARA shares rise 4.2% to $22.40 USD.
Coinbase Global Tops the List
Coinbase Global (COIN) leads MarketBeat's picks. Shares climb 2.5% to $248.70 USD in pre-market on April 13.
The exchange handles $2.1B USD daily volume. Coinbase rolls out AI tools for trading signals, reports CoinDesk.
"Regulatory clarity benefits Coinbase," states Brian Armstrong, Coinbase CEO. Spot ETF approvals fuel 15% Q1 2026 revenue growth over Q4 2025 guidance.
Coinbase's Base layer-2 network processes 10M transactions daily. It matches Ethereum speeds at lower costs. Traders eye $250 USD resistance for breakout potential.
MicroStrategy Amasses Vast Bitcoin Holdings
MicroStrategy (MSTR) takes second place. Shares advance 3.1% to $1,450 USD.
The company owns 252,220 BTC worth $17.9B USD, per CoinMarketCap. Michael Saylor's strategy delivers 180% returns since 2020.
"Bitcoin serves as digital gold," declares Michael Saylor, MicroStrategy Executive Chairman in a recent filing. MicroStrategy raises $800M USD via convertible notes to buy more BTC.
MSTR offers indirect exposure to BTC price movements without custody risks. Shares jumped 12% last week amid volatility. Analysts target $1,500 USD despite rising debt costs.
Marathon Digital Boosts Mining Output
Marathon Digital (MARA) claims third. Shares gain 4.2% to $22.40 USD.
MARA produced 950 BTC in March 2026, per company reports. Hashrate reaches 28 EH/s after Texas expansions.
Renewables cut energy costs 18%, lifting margins to 45%. MARA deploys software for rig efficiency, per Glassnode.
Garrett Berg, MarketBeat analyst, praises MARA's post-halving edge. Marathon builds institutional custody wallets. $25 USD tests upside potential.
Riot Platforms Scales Operations
Riot Platforms (RIOT) ranks fourth. Shares increase 2.8% to $12.10 USD.
Riot deploys 100,000 ASIC miners in 2026. Monthly output hits 850 BTC.
Partnerships with Bitfarms enable hydro-power. Mining costs fall to $28,000 USD per BTC.
"Scale ensures profitability," states Jason Les, Riot CEO in Q1 earnings. Riot's software cuts power use 22%. Kentucky sites add 10 EH/s by Q2 2026.
CleanSpark Gains on Sustainability
CleanSpark (CLSK) completes the top five. Shares leap 5.1% to $18.90 USD.
CleanSpark uses 95% renewables. Output reaches 650 BTC last month.
AI fleet management reduces downtime 30%. Shares trade at 4x forward earnings, per Bloomberg data.
JPMorgan analysts issue overweight rating. ESG funds favor carbon-neutral operations. CleanSpark eyes 20 EH/s hashrate by year-end.
Volatility Creates Buy Opportunities in Best Cryptocurrency Stocks
Crypto dips today, but these best cryptocurrency stocks beat BTC's 1.0% decline.
Fear & Greed at 12 triggers dip-buying. CoinGecko data reveals 25% average rebounds post-extreme fear.
Spot ETFs see $1.2B USD inflows this week. BlackRock's IBIT manages $45B USD AUM.
AI upgrades promise 15% miner efficiency gains across the sector.
Regulations Fuel Momentum
SEC approves three ETH ETFs on April 10; trading begins April 20.
Exchanges like Coinbase benefit directly. EU MiCA advances BNB Chain adoption. XRP tops $1.32 USD on Ripple court victories.
Risks and Upside for Best Cryptocurrency Stocks
High funding rates hint at short squeezes. BTC faces $72,000 USD resistance.
Miners confront halving effects and 8% energy hikes. Yet $70,000 USD holds as support. Expect rallies if fear eases to 30 by next week.
