The 10 Best Penny Stocks to Buy in 2026

Penny stocks offer a chance to take an ownership stake in young companies with massive growth potential which can lead to significant gains. While they can be riskier and more volatile than blue chip stocks, there’s nothing better than finding an under-the-radar company before it rockets higher in value.

However, finding the best penny stocks to buy can be tricky, especially for investors new to this sector, as outlined in this article. To help you get started, we’ll highlight 10 top penny stocks to invest in today and explain how to choose the best penny stocks.

Reviewing the Best Penny Stocks to Invest in

Trying to decide which of these penny stocks is right for your portfolio? Keep in mind that these stocks are often considered high-risk investments. We’ll take a closer look at each stock and explain why we think it’s one of the best penny companies to invest in today.

1. HYLQ Strategy Corp. ($HYLQ) – Emerging Crypto Holding Company with Major Stake in Hyperliquid Blockchain

HYLQ Strategy Corp. ($HYLQ) is a penny stock listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange that holds the cryptocurrency $HYPE, the native token of the Hyperliquid blockchain. It’s one of a growing number of crypto holding companies that enable stock investors to gain access to the crypto market without navigating blockchain-specific tech like crypto wallets.

HYLQ Strategy Corp. is especially exciting because of its focus on Hyperliquid, an ultra-fast Layer-1 blockchain built specifically to support decentralized finance (DeFi). Hyperliquid already offers its own decentralized exchange and is facilitating the development of a large DeFi ecosystem for lending, trading, digital banking, and more. $HYPE has a market cap over $12 billion and it’s well-positioned to take on Ethereum and other major legacy networks.

$HYLQ looks like an especially promising buy right now because of how crypto regulations are changing in the US. Congress is on the verge of passing crypto legislation and the Trump administration has signaled a much more supportive approach to emerging projects like Hyperliquid. That could help fuel demand for $HYPE and push up the price of $HYLQ—potentially helping the stock achieve an explosive IPO on US markets like the NASDAQ or NYSE.

For more details on HYLQ and how to buy it, see our HYLQ guide.

2. Sol Strategy Inc. ($HODL) – Solana Crypto Holding Company with Massive $SOL Stockpile

Sol Strategy Inc. ($HODL) is another crypto holding penny stock to watch. It’s focussed on $SOL, the native token of the Solana blockchain and the 6th-largest token in the cryptocurrency market. $HODL currently owns more than 420,000 $SOL tokens, a stockpile that’s worth more than $60 million at the current Solana price.

$HODL is an especially exciting crypto stock because its holdings make it a major validator within the Solana ecosystem. The company earns additional $SOL through staking rewards, effectively creating a steady stream of valuation growth and generating returns for investors. Sol Strategy Inc. also has plans to fundraise up to $1 billion to purchase additional $SOL, which will further increase the returns the company can generate with its validator node.

$HODL stock is risky because volatility in Solana’s price creates ups and downs in the $HODL stock price, which can lead to significant losses or gains. However, a new Solana ETF just launched with impressive investor inflows, which could signal the start of a prolonged bull run for $SOL. The new ETF is also expected to dramatically increase demand for $SOL over the long-term since it makes it more accessible to blue-chip investors and investment firms. $HODL offers the same upside plus yield from staking, making it a higher-return investment for penny stock investors.

If you think $HODL is worth investing in, learn how to do it safely in 5 minutes with our HODL investing guide.

3. Worksport Ltd. ($WKSP) – Truck Cover Manufacturer with 550+ North American Dealers

Worksport Ltd. ($WKSP) manufactures tonneau covers for pickup truck beds. While that may not sound like the most exciting business in the world, it’s a niche market with potential for strong growth as demand for pickup trucks continues to rise in the US and Canada.

Crucially, Worksport has relatively little competition in this field and has established a network of more than 550 dealers, making it the company of choice for a majority of pickup owners. It just announced a partnership with a second nationwide dealer in the US, making its tonneau covers more widely available. Since these covers are visible on the road, every pickup truck that uses one serves as free marketing to other drivers.

$WKSP isn’t yet profitable, but it’s seen revenue and gross profits expand at a rapid rate in the past several years. Operating expenses have grown as well, but at a much slower rate. This signals that the company is on a sustainable path to profitability, and it’s achieved that without raising its prices, even in the face of US tariffs. $WKSP has a market cap under $20 million and a stock price under $4, so it doesn’t take much movement for the stock to deliver big gains for investors.

4. Inno Holdings ($INHD) – Steel-focused Construction Company with Tariff Recovery Potential

Inno Holdings ($INHD) is an innovative construction company that aims to use steel instead of lumber in a wide variety of buildings, and especially pre-fabricated housing. The company sees an opportunity to make stronger buildings at a cheaper price, while increasing recyclability of used materials to reduce costs.

What’s exciting about $INHD stock right now is that it was hit hard by President Trump’s tariffs on foreign steel. The stock plummeted nearly 90% in May after Trump announced 50% tariffs on European steel. However, the market doesn’t seem to have priced in the fact that Trump has reversed many of his tariff policies, and the steel tariff could be lowered significantly.

If the US and EU reach a trade agreement, $INHD could rebound sharply. The company is also likely to benefit in the long-term from increased steel production in the US in response to Trump’s trade policies. So, while $INHD is weak right now, the bottom appears to have been found and the company has a lot of potential upside ahead.

5. NovaGold Resources Inc. ($NG) – Gold Mining Penny Stock Benefiting from Trump Administration Policies

NovaGold Resources Inc. ($NG) is one of the best penny mining stocks to watch now. The company owns a significant stake in the Donlin Gold Mining Project, a proposed open-pit gold mine located in Alaska. The mine is estimated to hold 39 million ounces of gold, worth approximately $80 billion.

Despite long-standing difficulties in breaking ground due to challenges from Indigenous communities and environmentalists, the Donlin mine project received a major boost from the Trump administration. The administration has signaled strong support for resource extraction and indicated it is prepared to bypass environmental regulations for projects it deems important. Consequently, the probability of the Donlin project commencing operations has risen sharply, contributing to the jump in the $NG stock price.

At the same time, the price of gold has rocketed higher because of Trump’s trade policies and the growing US budget deficit. That means the value of NovaGold Resources’ stake in the Donlin project is increasing by the day. This confluence of factors has $NG stock pushing towards a new 52-week high and racking up bullish predictions from stock analysts.

6. CURRENC Group Inc. ($CURR) – Digital Payments and AI Company with Fast Volume Growth

CURRENC Group Inc. ($CURR) is a Singapore-based company that owns several businesses at the intersection of digital payments and AI. The family of companies within CURRENC Group includes Seamless AI, a startup for AI-powered customer service software for financial institutions, WalletKu, a digital wallet and payments service for Indonesia, and Currenc Capital, an investing group focused on new data centers.

$CURR has a market cap of less than $150 million, but it’s at the heart of an incredibly high-growth market. The company has been compared to PayPal, which has a valuation of $74 billion. Notably, CURRENC Group has also achieved very fast results, with payments volume across its family of companies jumping from $1.5 billion in 2018 to more than $5 billion in 2024.

One thing that’s especially noteworthy about $CURR stock is that, although it’s a penny stock, it’s listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange. This is important for investors worried about financial disclosure or regulatory compliance, which can be a problem with many over-the-counter (OTC) stocks.

7. Mill City Ventures III, LTD ($MCVT) – VC-like Lending Company with Positive Cash Flow and Low P/E

Mill City Ventures III, LTD ($MCVT) is a non-bank lending and specialty finance company based in Wayzata, Minnesota. It offers a wide range of financial services to private businesses, including capital equipment loans, bridge loans, operating funds, and more. Everything the company does is with an eye towards producing returns for $MCVT shareholders, which makes this stock very attractive.

Crucially, $MCVT is cash-flow positive and has a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of less than 10. That means investors are getting a significant discount because it’s a penny stock—regional banks typically trade at a P/E of 13.5. There’s more risk of loan default at Mill City Ventures, but zero risk of a bank run like what happened to Silicon Valley Bank.

$MCVT has also put its positive cash flow to work for investors, announcing a stock repurchase program at the end of 2024. The stock has traded flat since then, suggesting that it may be undervalued at the current price.

8. Microvast Holdings Inc. ($MVST) – Battery Technology Startup with Ultra-fast Charging Solutions

Microvast Holdings Inc. ($MVST) is a Texas-based battery technology company that trades on the NASDAQ stock exchange. It’s noteworthy for its new series of fast-charging batteries called the HpTO, MpCO, and HpCO. These batteries are able to charge 80% in as little as 15 minutes, which could be game-changing for electric vehicle charging and on-grid battery storage.

Microvast Holdings also has a global reach. It has installed more than 31,000 battery systems in 34 countries, and has partnerships with battery manufacturers around the world. That’s important since it means the company isn’t overly exposed to China, which recently limited rare earth exports to the US to hamper battery production.

In fact, $MVST stock has been climbing since Trump took office and disrupted global trade with tariffs. The stock also proved resilient to the passage of the Big Beautiful Bill Act, which cuts electric vehicle subsidies in the US. All of this suggests that Microvast Holdings could emerge as a lasting global leader in Li-ion technology and drive returns for shareholders.

9. Ardagh Metal Packaging S.A. ($AMBP) – Global Metal Can Manufacturer with Record of Earnings Beats

Ardagh Metal Packaging S.A. ($AMBP) is a Luxembourg-based manufacturer of metal beverage cans. It’s a lucrative business, pulling in more than $650,000 in annual gross profit, although the company is still mildly unprofitable because of rapid global expansion expenses. Ardagh Metal Packaging currently has 23 facilities across 9 countries, including the US and Brazil.

The fact that Ardagh Metal Packaging has such a global footprint is key to its financial strength. The company is relatively insulated from US tariffs since it can manufacture locally for the US market. Its metal cans are also fully recyclable and can be made from recycled materials, reducing the cost of production and shielding Ardagh Metal Packaging from steel and aluminum tariffs.

Importantly, Ardagh Metal Packaging has a long and impressive history of beating analysts’ earnings estimates. That signals the company leadership knows what it’s doing and is able to consistently deliver returns for shareholders. The company has a valuation of over $2 billion, but shares are priced at less than $5 apiece.

10. Wolfspeed ($WOLF) – Semiconductor Supplier Emerging from Bankruptcy with New CFO

Wolfspeed ($WOLF) is the world’s only vertically integrated supplier of silicon carbide, a next-generation material used to create wafers for semiconductors. It plays a vital role in the global semiconductor supply chain, although it lacks the name recognition or scale of companies like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. or NVIDIA.

Looking ahead, Wolfspeed could be poised for significant growth as demand for high-powered semiconductors increases to fuel the AI boom. The company is also US-based, which gives it a significant advantage over companies like TSMC that are proximal to China and reliant on global supply chains.

Wolfspeed is emerging from bankruptcy after running out of funds to operate, which is a major challenge in the capital-intensive semiconductor industry. However, that could be an opportunity for investors to grab this penny stock at a rock-bottom price. The company just announced the hiring of a new CFO, which indicates that it’s taking significant steps towards building back with more sustainable finances.

What Are Penny Stocks?

Penny stocks are defined as any stocks trading for less than $5 per share. These are typically issued by startups or medium-sized businesses, not large companies, and they usually have small valuations. Most penny stocks are traded on over-the-counter (OTC) markets, meaning they are bought and sold directly between individuals, bypassing traditional exchanges.

However, the only requirement to be considered a “penny stock” is to have a share price under $5. That means it can include a much wider range of companies, including established businesses with billion-dollar market caps, but so many shares that each share is worth less than $5. While many penny stocks trade on OTC markets, they can also trade on major exchanges like the NASDAQ or NYSE.

How to Pick Which Best Penny Stocks to Buy Now

There’s a lot that goes into picking the best penny companies to invest in. We’ll walk through some of the key steps you can take to find opportunities and decide which stocks to buy.

Set Minimum Price and Volume Criteria

Before researching penny stocks, it’s a good idea to set minimum criteria around what stocks you’re willing to consider buying. Penny stocks can be very thinly traded, so it’s best to focus on stocks that have at least a minimum volume and price to ensure you can get in and out of positions smoothly.

An example of minimum criteria could involve only trading penny stocks with a share price of at least $1 and at least $1 million in average daily trading volume. You could also apply a market cap filter to focus on penny stocks with valuations of at least $50 million.

Stocks that meet these criteria are more likely to be legitimate companies with at least a small base of investors. However, keep in mind they can still be very volatile, and you could face liquidity challenges if there’s news around the stock.

Deeply Research Companies

Once you have a watchlist of penny and penny-related stocks to consider, it’s time to do your research. The more you know about each company, the better you can decide whether its stock has the potential to go up in price and whether it’s a good fit for your portfolio.

Some of the things to research when looking into penny stocks include:

It’s especially important to conduct a detailed financial analysis of penny stock companies. Some penny companies can be deeply in debt or show little revenue growth, which suggests they may have a difficult time reaching profitability. The top penny stocks to invest in will have a track record of growing profit margins on their products and services.

Always steer clear of penny companies that don’t report detailed financial statements. It’s very difficult to know what’s going on inside these companies, and they could be on the verge of financial collapse.

Consider Industry Trends

When researching penny companies, it’s important to consider the company in the context of its broader industry. Is the company a disruptive startup, an established industry player, or an old-guard company that’s lost its edge and could be on the way out? All three of these types of penny companies offer opportunities, but they are very different in how they’ll perform and react to industry changes.

Researching industry trends can also help you identify whether a company has a strong product with room to grow its margins or customers. Avoid companies that face stiff competition from peers, and instead focus on companies that have a really unique product. In many industries, penny companies have one-of-a-kind products or play critical roles in supply chains and cannot easily be replaced.

Watch for News

News can be a major catalyst for cheap penny stocks, driving share prices up or down by 50% or more. If you can anticipate that news is coming—because you’ve been following the development of a new product, monitor the company on social media, or hear rumors from industry insiders—then you can potentially get into a stock before its price jumps.

You can also trade penny stocks after news is released. However, you have to be very fast to respond to news releases. It’s also important to know when to sell a stock after a news-related catalyst, since these bounces may be short-lived and penny stocks can have low liquidity around news events.

Conduct Technical Analysis

Technical penny stock analysis involves studying a stock’s price chart to determine whether the trend is bullish or bearish and whether there are opportunities for entry. This is key to finding the best moment to buy a penny stock and determining when to sell.

You can look for breakout setups using technical indicators like relative strength index (RSI) and moving average convergence-divergence (MACD). It’s also a good idea to monitor trading volume and price gaps at market open to identify penny stocks that could have above-average liquidity.

When trading penny stocks, it’s always a good idea to place take-profit and stop-loss orders. Technical analysis can also help you identify areas of price support, which are good areas to place your stop loss orders. Some technical patterns also set expectations around a penny stock’s performance, which can help you determine where to place a take-profit order.

Should You Invest in Penny Stocks?

Investing in penny stocks has several benefits that make this part of the stock market very attractive. Here are some of the main reasons to consider investing in penny stocks.

Potential for Large Price Gains

The top reason why many investors choose to buy penny stocks is that they can generate huge price gains in a short period of time. It’s not uncommon to see popular penny stocks double in value in a single day of trading if they report good news, or even if they just attract hype on social media.

For investors, this is a huge benefit not just because of the absolute gain involved, but also because of the short timeframe required to realize that gain. It’s possible to double your money in a penny stock in a single day, then exit that company and use your capital to pursue another opportunity the next day.

In contrast, it’s very uncommon to see even small-cap stocks that trade on major exchanges deliver this kind of return in such a short period. Penny stocks offer the kind of explosive gains that investors often associate with top cryptocurrencies.

Low Capital Requirements

Since penny stocks are priced under $5, investors don’t need a lot of capital to buy a lot of shares. For example, you could buy 1,000 shares of a $1 stock with just $1,000. Alternatively, that same $1,000 would buy you just one or two shares of many blue-chip stocks.

This means it’s easy for newer investors or capital-limited investors to take a significant stake in a penny company. With a larger stake, you have more exposure to gains in the company and stand to earn a larger payout from any dividend-paying penny stocks.

Access to Aggressive Growth Companies

Many penny companies are startups and early-stage businesses with aggressive plans for growth. They have the potential to be the tech giants or blue-chip manufacturers of the future, and penny stock investors can get in on the ground floor right now. It’s the kind of opportunity that isn’t found on major stock exchanges, where most companies are already well-established in their industries.

In addition to being explosive growth opportunities, these stocks can also help diversify your portfolio. For example, you can invest in penny stocks to get exposure to micro-cap companies within a specific industry alongside mega-caps or to add growth stocks to a mostly value-driven portfolio.

Flexible Trading and Investing Strategies

Another benefit to investing in penny stocks is that they allow for very flexible trading and investing strategies. You can day or swing trade penny stocks, actively invest in companies for the medium-term, or buy and hold penny stocks for the long-term. That makes them suitable for a wide variety of portfolios and investing goals.

The Risks of Penny Stocks

While penny stocks can be lucrative if you pick the right ones, they can also be highly risky. Many investors have lost a lot of money in penny stocks by not doing their due diligence or trusting companies that turned out to be scams.

Here are some of the key risks to watch when trading penny stocks:

All of these risks mean that penny stock investors are at high risk of losing money if they choose the wrong stock or have poor market timing. Always do your own due diligence into a company before investing and only invest money you can lose.

Pros & Cons of Buying Penny Stocks

Let’s recap the pros and cons of buying penny stocks.

Conclusion

Investing in top penny stocks offers an opportunity to get in early on aggressive growth companies and potentially earn larger investment gains than what’s possible with investing in blue-chip stocks. However, penny stocks are risky, so it’s important to do your due diligence before investing and only invest money you’re able to lose.

Based on our analysis, HYLQ Strategy Corp. ($HYLQ), Sol Strategy Inc. ($HODL), and Worksport Ltd. ($WKSP) are the three top penny stocks to buy now. Open a brokerage account to add these penny stocks to your portfolio today.

References

1. Senate Passes Cryptocurrency Bill, Handing Industry a Victory (New York Times)
2. First Solana staking ETF hits $12M in ‘healthy’ first trading day (Cointelegraph)
3. EU ‘prepared to impose countermeasures’ after Trump doubles steel tariffs to 50% (CNBC)
4. Alaska’s $80 Billion Gold Secret: How Donlin Could Transform America’s Wealth (Streetwise Reports)
5. SVB collapse was driven by ‘the first Twitter-fueled bank run’ (CNN)
6. What to Know About China’s Halt of Rare Earth Exports (New York Times)

FAQs

Where can I buy penny stocks?

You must have a brokerage account in order to buy penny stocks. Look for brokers that support trading on OTC markets, which is where most penny stocks trade. In the US, top penny stock brokers include Interactive Brokers, E*Trade, Charles Schwab, and TradeStation.

How many penny stocks should I own?

It’s important to diversify your portfolio when buying penny stocks so that a single bad company doesn’t sink your entire portfolio. Consider investing in at least 5 penny stocks and as many as 20-30 across a wide range of industries.

Are penny stocks or crypto a better investment?

Penny stocks and crypto are both high-risk, high-reward investments. Penny stocks represent shares in small companies, so they are a good option for investors who want to dig into financial data and analyze trends in real-world industries. Cryptocurrencies support blockchain-based digital projects and may or may not have fundamental value. They can appeal to investors who believe blockchain technology is the future or who want access to specific on-chain utility features.

Can I make money investing in penny stocks?

Yes, it is possible to make money investing in penny stocks. Many penny stock investors have been successful and have made a living trading these stocks. To be profitable, it’s important to find strong penny companies to invest in and practice good risk management to minimize your losses from bad investments.

What are the best penny stocks to watch today?

The best penny stocks to watch now are HYLQ Strategy Corp. ($HYLQ), Sol Strategy Inc. ($HODL), and Worksport Ltd. ($WKSP). 

How do I find top penny stocks to buy?

You can find top penny stocks using stock screening tools, researching emerging companies in hot industries, or monitoring chatter about penny stocks on social media. There are also online communities for penny stock investors, such as Reddit’s r/pennystocks, where you can find discussions about exciting companies to research.

Are penny stocks safe?

Penny stocks are risky and you can lose money. However, you can also make money investing in penny stocks if you pick the right company. It’s very important to conduct your own research to ensure the company behind a penny stock is legitimate, has strong financials, and has the potential for price appreciation.

What are the Best Penny Stocks 2026

Our picks for the top penny stocks to buy in 2026 are HYLQ Strategy Corp ($HYLQ) and Sol Strategy Inc. ($HODL)

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