How many altcoins are there?

Thousands of altcoins exist, and all use blockchain technology similar to Bitcoin. An altcoin may have a unique use case that drives currency adoption and price appreciation. The strictest definition of an altcoin, short for “alternative coin,” is any cryptocurrency other than market leader Bitcoin.

What are some examples of altcoins?

For example, some of the biggest altcoins you may have heard of include Ether, Ripple, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, and Monero. Ether: Ether is the cryptocurrency generated by the Ethereum platform, so this cryptocurrency is often also called Ethereum. The Ethereum platform is a ledger technology other companies can build on.

What are altcoins & why should you invest in them?

Altcoin, short for “alternative coin,” is any cryptocurrency other than market leader Bitcoin. Altcoins are alternative cryptocurrencies other than market leaders like Bitcoin. Altcoin prices can be very volatile and risky, making altcoins not suitable for all investors.

Are altcoins a speculative investment?

Still, for lack of a better designation, the basic definition of an altcoin is any crypto asset other than Bitcoin. Here’s a look at the top 10 altcoins by market capitalization, excluding stablecoins. We’ve excluded stablecoins since they are designed to maintain a stable price and are not typically considered to be a speculative investment.