Three Best Stocks to Buy Now in 2026: Why These Digital Leaders Deserve Your Attention

As we progress through 2026, investors face a compelling opportunity to build positions in companies reshaping critical sectors of the global economy. The best stocks to buy now share a common trait: they’re solving real problems while trading at valuations that offer meaningful upside potential. I’ve identified three exceptional opportunities under $100 per share that Wall Street believes could deliver substantial returns throughout the year.

Circle Internet Group (NYSE: CRCL), The Trade Desk (NASDAQ: TTD), and Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) represent the type of best stocks available for thoughtful investors ready to commit capital today. Across these three holdings, analyst consensus points toward gains of 37%, 62%, and 40% respectively from current levels—suggesting the market may still be undervaluing their medium-term potential.

Digital Finance Innovation: Circle Internet Group as a Buy Opportunity

Circle Internet Group operates at the intersection of fintech and global financial transformation. The company mints USDC, the second-largest stablecoin by market capitalization, but with a crucial distinction: USDC is the only leading stablecoin that fully complies with stringent regulatory requirements in both the U.S. and Europe.

This regulatory discipline positions Circle as one of the best stocks for investors seeking exposure to the stablecoin revolution. Industry projections suggest stablecoin-related revenues will expand at a 54% compound annual rate through 2030, driven by the technology’s ability to enable faster and cheaper international transactions. JPMorgan Chase analysts specifically credit USDC’s compliance framework as the reason financial institutions prefer Circle’s offering over less-regulated alternatives.

Currently, Circle generates most revenue through interest earned on reserve assets backing its stablecoins. However, the company recently expanded into payments infrastructure with the Circle Payments Network (CPN), which could disrupt traditional systems across employee payroll, supplier settlements, and e-commerce transactions.

Circle’s stock trades at 8.1 times sales—a reasonable valuation for a company projected to grow revenues at 32% annually through 2027. The current price represents a significant discount to recent highs, creating an attractive entry point for investors who believe in stablecoin adoption’s long-term trajectory.

Ad Tech Excellence: The Trade Desk as Your Next Best Stock Buy

The Trade Desk operates the digital advertising industry’s largest independent demand-side platform (DSP), software that enables advertisers to plan, optimize, and measure campaigns across multiple digital channels.

The Trade Desk’s competitive moat stems from its independence. Unlike Google, Meta, and Amazon—all of which own media properties and theoretically benefit from steering advertising spend toward their own inventory—The Trade Desk remains neutral. This independence means publishers willingly share more detailed data with the platform, and advertisers gain greater transparency when purchasing connected TV (CTV) advertising.

This unique positioning explains why Frost & Sullivan recently named The Trade Desk the leading DSP based on growth trajectory and innovation. The platform’s omnichannel capabilities, artificial intelligence features, and identity solutions have created measurement opportunities unavailable elsewhere in the market.

As one of the best stocks for growth-focused investors, The Trade Desk currently appears undervalued. Analysts expect adjusted earnings to grow at 15% annually over the next two years. The current valuation of 21 times earnings looks attractive relative to that growth rate, especially considering the company’s leadership position in high-growth segments like retail media and CTV advertising.

Entertainment Leadership: Netflix Remains a Best Stock for Long-Term Value

Netflix stands as the streaming industry’s dominant player, measured by subscriber count and content impact. Six of the current top 10 streaming programs came from Netflix; the same was true last year. This consistent content excellence reflects the company’s first-mover advantage, continuous innovation, and unmatched investment in original programming.

The streaming platform’s data advantage compounds this moat. With more monthly active users than any competing service, Netflix collects proprietary viewer insights that inform smarter content production decisions. Combined with its brand authority and original content library, this ecosystem makes Netflix the least likely streaming service to lose its leadership position.

Financially, Netflix enjoys a structural advantage over Walt Disney, Paramount, and Comcast: it doesn’t own legacy linear television assets that drain capital and gradually lose value. Every dollar Netflix invests goes toward growing the streaming business, not propping up outdated broadcast infrastructure.

At 39 times earnings, Netflix’s valuation appears reasonable given consensus expectations for 24% annual earnings growth over the next three years. This represents one of the best stocks to buy now because the market’s recent caution about potential strategic moves has compressed valuations to compelling levels.

Why Now? The Case for Acting on These Best Stocks Today

All three companies share a common characteristic: they’ve been battered by market sentiment, creating price-to-value disconnects. Circle has fallen 67% from its post-IPO highs. The Trade Desk is down 71% from its peak. Netflix declined 30% from record levels.

These corrections, in turn, have created the type of entry points where best stocks to buy now become available at discounts to their intrinsic value. Whether you’re seeking exposure to financial innovation, advertising-tech leadership, or entertainment dominance, each of these three businesses operates from defensible competitive positions in expanding markets.

Wall Street’s consensus across 27, 41, and 46 analysts respectively suggests the market will ultimately recognize these opportunities. The question isn’t whether these are good companies—it’s whether you’ll act while valuations remain forgiving.