The 3 Best Cryptocurrency Stocks to Buy in 2018

Over the last month, major cryptocurrencies have rallied an average of 15% thanks to resurging investor enthusiasm. In order to get in on the profits, we're bringing you the best cryptocurrency stocks to buy in 2018.

In fact, we've found a way to reap the profits of cryptocurrency investing without buying a single digital currency.

You see, cryptocurrency "mining" has programmers scrambling to set up processors that can "mine" Bitcoin. However, the process is anything but cheap...

cryptocurrency stocksRecent estimates put the current cost of mining a single bitcoin between $3,000 and $7,000 due to the cost of electricity.

And mining bitcoins consumes an incredible amount of power. In fact, current estimates put the global energy consumption for mining Bitcoin as equal to the entire Middle Eastern nation of Qatar.

This demand won't be slowing down anytime soon, either. Analysts predict the growth of Bitcoin mining could boost its global power consumption by over 300% by the end of 2018.

To cash in on cryptocurrency energy consumption, we're looking at the best energy stocks.

We've identified three energy companies that are primed to take advantage of crypto mining's next boom region: the United States.

In addition to having cheap and ample power, the United States has almost no restrictions on Bitcoin mining.

And these energy companies are set to profit...

Top Cryptocurrency Stocks to Buy, No. 3: Entergy Corp.

Our first cryptocurrency stock is Entergy Corp. (NYSE: ETR), which has operations in Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, and Mississippi.

Crescent Electric Supply Company, in research published early this year, reported that Louisiana had the lowest mining costs for Bitcoin in the United States, at $3,224.

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Not only that, but Arkansas and Mississippi made the top 10 for lowest energy costs, and Texas is right behind, at No. 11.

Entergy is also a player in renewable power. It recently announced an 81-megawatt solar project called the Stuttgart Solar Energy Center as a partnership with NextEra Energy Inc. (NYSE: NEE).

The company currently trades for around $80. However, analysts see the company's stock heading to $94 - a gain of 17.5%.

Top Cryptocurrency Stocks to Buy, No. 2: American Electric Power Co. Inc.

American Electric Power Co. Inc. (NYSE: AEP)provides incredibly low-cost electricity, ranking among the 20 most cost-effective electricity providers in the nation.

For AEP, renewable energy provides just under 13% of the company's current power generation.

However, the company is making significant inroads for industrial wind turbine development.

Its Wind Catcher project is a planned 2,000-megawatt project worth $4.5 billion. It will be the biggest U.S. wind farm when completed and will provide energy to four U.S. states at costs well below the company's closest competitors.

AEP shares trade at $70.41 and offer a nice 3.60% dividend. Plus, thanks to its robust profit potential, analysts see AEP's stock hitting $81 over the next 12 months - a gain of 15%.

However, our favorite energy stock to take advantage of the crypto boom has a growth potential over twice that...

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Top Cryptocurrency Stocks to Buy, No. 1: Xcel Energy Inc.

Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., Xcel Energy Inc. (Nasdaq: XEL) provides power to over 3.3 million customers across the Midwest including Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, the Dakotas, and Colorado.

Because these states have a lower cost of living than the nation's coastal regions, Xcel provides power at regionally competitive rates that are lower than in other parts of the country.

In addition, Xcel is in a key position to reap the benefits of the Bitcoin mining rush because it provides energy to some of the nation's colder regions.

While Bitcoin miners are bound to open up operations across the United States, they are more likely to target areas that have cooler climates in order to keep their equipment cool and save costs on climate control, according to a report from Bloomberg.

XEL currently trades near $46 per share, but Wall Street is bullish on this stock, too. In fact, analysts surveyed currently have an average price target of $61.12. That's a 35% gain from today's price.

As XEL's huge profit potential suggests, the profit hiding in riding the Bitcoin energy wave is going to have huge disruptions for the future of energy investment.

At Money Morning, we've developed an investment strategy based around these disruptions. It's a method that provides us with a never-ending supply of profit opportunities... stocks that are ripe for the taking.

And it's incredibly easy - if you know where to look...

This Is How You Find the Next Big Thing

When looking for the next big winners, most investors turn to the "Google-Search Method" of stock picking.

They'll spend endless hours doing Google search after Google search - compiling a list of potential candidates.

The problem with this method is most of the information comes from journalists reporting the news, not bona fide market analysts giving you expert research.

So you end up with a list of companies getting the most coverage, but not the best investments.

Instead, you should see this.

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