The 2025 crypto cycle is seeing increased institutional interest in lesser-known Layer-1 protocols like Algorand (ALGO), Hedera (HBAR), and Qubetics (TICS). These projects are gaining attention due to robust adoption metrics and strategic partnerships. Algorand, capable of 10,000 transactions per second with 12 billion ALGO staked, is appealing to enterprises for tokenized assets and cross-border payments. Hedera, utilizing its hashgraph consensus, has secured partnerships with major firms and reported a $27 million total value locked in DeFi by Q2 2025. Meanwhile, Qubetics, which focuses on real-world asset tokenization, raised $18 million in pre-sales and is planning a mainnet launch in Q4 2025. Analysts believe these protocols are undervalued and may offer substantial returns for investors willing to take risks.