Are altcoins the king of crypto?

Bitcoin, the king of crypto, holds its status as the first established cryptocurrency and highest priced currency of its kind in the market. It’s become synonymous with the term cryptocurrency, however alternative cryptocurrencies, known as altcoins - of which there are currently over 5000 - also bring something interesting to the table.

What is an altcoin?

An altcoin is an alternative cryptocurrency to Bitcoin, which itself was the only crypto coin at one point in time. During its early years Bitcoin dominated the field so much that other rivals were defined in relation to the original cryptocurrency. It was Bitcoin – and everything else.

What percentage of the crypto market is made up by altcoins?

Since Bitcoin currently makes up around 40% of the total crypto market cap, that means more than half of the crypto market’s value is made up by altcoins. Because there are so many altcoins, they vary wildly in price, function and potential investment value.

How are altcoins different from bitcoin?

Most altcoins are designed and released by developers who have a different vision or use for their tokens or cryptocurrency. Learn more about altcoins and what makes them different from Bitcoin. The term altcoin refers to all cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin (and for some people, Ethereum). There are tens of thousands of altcoins on the market.