Difference Between Bitcoin and Altcoins

Bitcoin vs. altcoins has become a tough race in the crypto market. There are indeed many bitcoin users, and they still hold half of the dominance in the crypto market, but altcoins are surprisingly going upward in the graph. And many altcoins have been gaining a lot of popularity in the market. Even in just a few years, we have seen how dramatically people are showing interest in altcoins.

Maybe many questions are roaming in your mind, like what is the difference between Bitcoin and Altcoins? Are they really different? Many questions need to be discussed. You can use this guide to explore these questions and gain a better understanding. In this post, we will get to know about the difference between Bitcoin and Altcoins. That will help you gain a broader understanding of it, and you may choose the better coin for mining, trading, or other purposes. So, let’s get started here!

What is bitcoin?

Bitcoin is a form of cryptocurrency that was created by Satoshi Nakamoto in 2008. It is the world's first digital currency, reflecting the advancement in computer science. Bitcoin helps establish secure peer-to-peer transactions on the Internet. That means people can share money with each other without needing a middleman, like a bank or a store.

Bitcoin is decentralized, which means that no single person or organization controls this coin. Instead, it is managed by a network of computers also called nodes. Bitcoin can be used for various purposes, such as:

• Bitcoin can be used in crypto mining to earn new coins.
• It can be used to transfer value around the world.
• It has a similar storage value as gold.
• It is used in trading.
• It is just a way to explore an emerging technology.

Bitcoins are limited in number. A report says that there are only 21 million bitcoins that users can mine. As of now, around 19.5 million bitcoins have already been mined. The remaining bitcoins will continue to be mined using the best Bitcoin miners.

What is Altcoin?

Altcoins is a short name for an alternative digital currency to Bitcoin. It refers to a group of cryptocurrencies, or all cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin. There are mainly over 5000 altcoins in this world. Each altcoin has its advantages and disadvantages. That helps people to use them for various purposes, including mining, trading, transactions, and others.

See also: What are Altcoins? Types, Advantages, and Disadvantages

We need altcoins because these coins help us reduce bitcoin's disadvantages. They offer faster transactions, provide more security, and charge lower fees. Overall, altcoins contribute to improving the crypto industry's overall ecosystem.

Some popular altcoins are described below:

•  Ethereum is the most popular altcoin. It is known for its smart contracts and higher security.
•  Ripple is another altcoin used to make low-cost international payments.
•  Litecoin: Although Litecoin is closer to Bitcoin, it offers faster transactions and lower fees. That makes it useful and efficient to make payments.

BTC vs. Altcoins: Key Differences

As we discussed the basic introduction to Bitcoin and altcoins, talking about their main differences will help you understand how both the coins are unique from each other. Here are the main differences between BTC and altcoins:

Market Dominance

Bitcoin is not only the world's largest but also the oldest cryptocurrency. Since its launch, it has maintained its top position among all cryptocurrencies. It is the world's most popular and widely recognized coin. Individuals and businesses use this coin to mine using the best crypto mining machine. On the other hand, altcoins are more flexible and versatile coins that can be used for a wide range of projects and technologies. Each coin has its own market share and dominates in the crypto network.

• Technology and Functionality

Bitcoin works in peer-to-peer transactions. This makes it one of the safer coins to mine using the advanced and best ASIC miner. On the other hand, altcoins are created to provide various functions and technology. For example, Ethereum is used for its smart contracts and higher security.

• Price Volatility

Both Bitcoin and altcoins can experience significant price volatility, but Bitcoin has the largest capitalization in the world. This is why it has become more predictable than others and also has less volatility than other cryptocurrencies. While altcoins show greater price fluctuations than Bitcoin. Many smaller altcoins may show high price volatility. This means that they can be profitable, but they also have a higher risk.

Last Word

Bitcoin and Altcoins: There is a huge difference between these two. Bitcoin is known for its security because its blockchain network is mined by crypto miners. This is why millions of people mine Bitcoin to verify and secure their transactions, as well as earn new coins and rewards. On the other hand, bitcoins can be used for diverse functions. They serve a variety of functions beyond digital currencies. Some altcoins are improved versions of Bitcoin, and others offer specialized support in healthcare, gaming, and finance.