What is Alternative Cryptocurrency?
Let's explain with examples.
Cryptocurrency can be defined as a digital currency. Cryptocurrencies allow cryptocurrencies to transact and store value without being tied to a central authority. The most known of cryptocurrencies is Bitcoin. Bitcoin emerged in 2009 and has become the leader of the cryptocurrency market. However, besides Bitcoin, there are many alternative cryptocurrencies with different features. These alternative cryptocurrencies are called "altcoins".
Altcoins, unlike Bitcoin, may offer faster transaction times, lower transaction fees, greater privacy, greater scalability, or a different consensus mechanism. Some of the altcoins were developed based on Bitcoin's code, while others were created by writing a completely new code. The number of altcoins is increasing day by day, increasing the diversity of the cryptocurrency market.
Examples of Altcoins
The most popular among altcoins are:
- Ethereum: Ethereum is a platform designed to run smart contracts and decentralized applications (DApp). Ethereum's own cryptocurrency is Ether (ETH). Unlike Bitcoin, Ethereum uses a Turing-complete programming language and has a wider usage area.
- Litecoin: Litecoin is called the silver of Bitcoin. Litecoin works similarly to Bitcoin but offers faster transaction times and lower transaction fees. The maximum supply of Litecoin is 84 million units.
- Ripple: Ripple is a network designed to facilitate international payments. Ripple's own cryptocurrency is XRP. Ripple offers an alternative to traditional payment systems by collaborating with banks and financial institutions.
- Cardano: Cardano is a platform based on academic research and has a layered architecture. Cardano's own cryptocurrency is Ada. Cardano provides a secure and scalable environment for smart contracts and DApps.
- Dogecoin: Dogecoin originally started as a joke but has since become a popular cryptocurrency. Dogecoin's logo is the internet phenomenon Shiba Inu dog. The maximum supply of Dogecoin is unlimited and transaction times are quite fast.
Besides these altcoins, there are many alternative cryptocurrencies such as Binance Coin, Polkadot, Solana, Uniswap. Alternative cryptocurrencies have advantages and disadvantages. It is important to do a good research and evaluate the risks before investing.