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Altcoin
Blockchain Basics
Moderate
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An altcoin is any cryptocurrency other than Bitcoin. The term comes from ‘alternative coin’ and is used to group together tens of thousands of different crypto assets with different designs, use cases, and risk profiles. Some altcoins are native coins for their own blockchains, while others are tokens built on existing networks. An altcoin may support smart contracts, payments, staking, governance, games, or a specific online community. The label is very broad and does not tell users whether the asset is useful, safe, or valuable. Essentially, it only means the asset is not Bitcoin.
Ethereum (ETH), XRP (XRP), Solana (SOL), Cardano (ADA), and Dogecoin (DOGE) are all examples of altcoins because they are cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin.