How many altcoins are there?

Since its introduction in 2008, bitcoin has inspired an explosion of other cryptocurrencies. These ‘alternative’ cryptocurrency coins – altcoins – now number more than 5,000. If you want to invest in cryptocurrency, one option is to diversify by holding a selection of coins beyond bitcoin, taking into account the functionalities they offer.

What is the biggest altcoin in the world?

Deposit $100 and get a $10 bonus! (US Only) 1. Ethereum (ETH) Of the $1 trillion that represents the total market capitalization of the more than 22,000 crypto assets available today, almost $200 billion is held in Ethereum, the biggest altcoin on the market.

Is bitcoin an altcoin?

Back then, anything but Bitcoin (BTC) was considered an altcoin. Today the world of crypto assets is much broader. There is a wide variety of coins and tokens with use cases that go well beyond a medium of exchange, meaning they aren’t necessarily Bitcoin competitors.

Why are altcoins so popular?

Altcoins attract investors in the crypto space for a variety of reasons. They are the “better mousetrap” to Bitcoin, meaning that they exist on upgraded versions of their former blockchain networks. Altcoins are a result of ingenuity that answer software bugs, inefficiencies and vulnerabilities previously unresolved.