Let's talk straight. You've seen the headlines, right? "7 Cryptos Under $1 Ready to Moon!" "Get Rich Quick with These Altcoins!" The temptation is real, especially when Bitcoin and Ethereum are looking like… just lovely right now. So before you start throwing your hard-earned dollars at the next shiny thing that can deliver a moonshot return, hold on a second. Hard.

The crypto market certainly isn’t new to a kind of volatility. We all know it. It's plastered everywhere. But do we understand the complexity of that volatility? Are we really balancing the downside risks of pursuing these sub-$1 dreams? The positive market context of Bitcoin and Ethereum stability must not be taken as an open door to speculate on risky and untested altcoins. This should be a time for sober reflection and long-term vision, not wishful thinking.

Again, I’m not saying all sub-dollar projects are scams. What I’m getting at with all this is that the “explode in 2025” narrative is way too often a dog-and-pony show illusion. It preys on the desire for easy wealth, and frankly, it often benefits the promoters more than the investors.

Like most techies, I’ve seen too many projects that promised the moon, but instead only delivered a cloud of dust. Remember the ICO craze of 2017? And of those projects, how many are still in existence today? How many delivered on their promises? The graveyard of crypto projects that have gone bust is extensive. Most of these projects started out with the Under $1, great potential.

Instead of pursuing short-term profits at all costs, what if we did something different? How about we start focusing on the real issues these technologies are meant to address, for example? In short, now is the time to start joining the dots between crypto and the ability to make real-world impacts.

Consider Lindiwe, a mentor of mine in South Africa. She’s on a mission to leverage blockchain to level the digital entrepreneurship playing field for young people. She’s not interested in getting rich overnight—she’s interested in doing the hard work to develop a long-term, sustainable, prosperous future for her community. Now, that’s the type of positive, forward-looking thinking we need more of.

Let’s use the tokenization of real-world assets as an example, an area that Qubetics ($TICS) has been working to tackle. Sounds fancy, right? What does that actually mean? That can include allowing small businesses in traditionally underserved communities access to much needed capital that is difficult to attain through traditional financing avenues. It would result in more transparent and efficient supply chains, less corruption and better prices for farmers. Now that’s a pretty impactful use of blockchain technology, not at all ending up in one person getting wealthy in three days or less.

Monero (XMR) emphasizes privacy. Important? Absolutely. But privacy can be a double-edged sword. Would you be willing to pour money into a technology that might be misused to do bad things? These are the difficult questions you have to start asking yourself.

AAVE facilitates decentralised lending and borrowing. That all sounds awesome, but have you actually scratched the surface to examine the security risks posed by DeFi protocols? The potential for hacks, exploits and rug pulls is extremely high. Do you understand how these platforms work? Can you afford to lose your investment?

Immutable X is THE Layer 2 that scales NFTs to zero gas fees. Great for gamers and digital artists. Is the NFT market sustainable? Are you investing in something that will have long-lasting value, or are you simply chasing the shiny object?

Celestia is another project looking to bring more flexibility and scalability to blockchains. SEI focuses on transaction speed and security. SUI is specifically built for DeFi and Web3 applications. These are all cool technologies, but they’re competing in a very, very crowded space. What makes them stand out? What are their unique advantages? What are their weaknesses?

Before you commit a single dollar, think harder. Read the whitepapers. Understand the technology. Research the team. Assess the risks. And most importantly, ask yourself: "Does this project align with my values?"

I'm not saying these projects are bad. What I’m arguing is that the “under $1, guaranteed riches” narrative is a highly irresponsible and potentially harmful one. It invites the participation of relatively naive investors, who tend to be the ones left holding the bag. Beyond creating havoc within the federal government, it distracts from the true potential of blockchain technology to drive positive change across the world.

Don’t let your company be the pawns in someone else’s get-rich-quick scheme. Educate yourself. Make informed decisions. Invest in projects that you believe in. Help the communities that are already working to build a stronger future.

Don’t follow all of the hype, create the infrastructure that will allow us to build the future. Don’t use your dollars to tokenize, use them to uplift. Invest in solutions, not just promises. Wealth creation may be a result, but the future of crypto lies in helping us live in a more equitable, interconnected and sustainable world. That's a future worth investing in.

I'm not saying these projects are bad. I'm saying that the "under $1, guaranteed riches" narrative is irresponsible and potentially harmful. It lures in inexperienced investors who are often the ones who get burned. It distracts from the real potential of blockchain technology to create positive change in the world.

Don't be a pawn in someone else's get-rich-quick scheme. Educate yourself. Make informed decisions. Invest in projects that you believe in. Support communities that are building a better future.

Don't just chase the hype, build the future. Use your money to empower, not to exploit. Invest in solutions, not just promises. The future of crypto is not about getting rich quick; it's about building a more equitable and sustainable world. That's a future worth investing in.