4 Stocks to Buy for 2026 That Are Better Bets Than Crypto

Core Insights - Cryptocurrencies, particularly Bitcoin, are experiencing significant volatility in 2025, with Bitcoin down approximately 30% from its October high of over $126,000, reaching a low of $76,270.13 in April before hovering below $90,000 [1][2] Price Performance - The iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) has declined 6.9% over the year and 26% in the past three months, reflecting the overall volatility in the cryptocurrency market [2] Company Analysis Robinhood Markets (HOOD) - Robinhood is benefiting from increased transaction revenues due to higher retail market participation, with trading volumes in Q3 2025 up significantly across equities, options, and crypto [7] - The company has seen a 75% year-over-year increase in Robinhood Gold subscribers, reaching 3.9 million [10] - Strategic acquisitions, including a majority stake in MIAX Derivatives Exchange, are expected to enhance Robinhood's prospects in 2026 [9] Micron Technology (MU) - Micron is a leading memory chip manufacturer poised to benefit from the expanding AI-driven memory and storage markets, with strong demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and a recovery in DRAM pricing [11][12] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2026 earnings is $31.36 per share, reflecting a significant increase from $8.29 per share reported in fiscal 2025 [13] Ciena (CIEN) - Ciena is experiencing growth due to increased customer spending driven by AI applications, with a focus on network investments to support AI-driven traffic growth [14][15] - The company has raised its fiscal 2026 revenue outlook to $5.7-$6.1 billion, indicating nearly 24% growth at the midpoint [15] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2026 earnings is $5.15 per share, suggesting a 95.1% increase from fiscal 2025 [16] Credo Technology (CRDO) - Credo is capitalizing on the growth of active electrical cables (AEC), which are becoming the standard for inter-rack connectivity, with significant reliability and power consumption advantages [17][18] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2026 earnings is $2.66 per share, up 30.4% from the previous estimate [19]