A Comparative Study of Machine Learning Models on Cryptocurrency Prices

The volatility of cryptocurrencies poses challenges for accurate price forecasting. This study compares traditional machine learning models (Linear Regression, Support Vector Regression), ensemble methods (Random Forest, Gradient Boosting), and deep learning architectures (LSTM, GRU) in predicting the daily prices of Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Cardano (ADA), Ripple (XRP), and Polkadot (DOT). Using historical data from CoinGecko, a sliding window, and normalisation, we assess models by Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and relative percentage error. Results show that LSTM and GRU achieve the best overall accuracy, while Linear Regression remains competitive for stable assets such as BTC, ADA, and DOT. Ensemble methods performed moderately, whereas SVR consistently underperformed. The findings underline the importance of matching prediction models to the characteristics of specific cryptocurrencies.