Bitcoin vs. Other Cryptocurrencies

There are thousands of cryptocurrencies. Understanding the difference matters — especially for managing risk.

Bitcoin (BTC) — The Original

• Created 2009 | Market cap: Largest
• Purpose: Digital gold, store of value, peer-to-peer cash
• Supply: Fixed at 21 million
• Track record: 15+ years

Ethereum (ETH)

• Created 2015 by Vitalik Buterin
• Purpose: Smart contract platform — powers DeFi, NFTs, Web3 apps
• Supply: No hard cap

Altcoins (everything else)

• Thousands of alternatives: BNB, SOL, ADA, MATIC, etc.
• Higher risk, higher potential volatility
• Many are speculative — do extensive research
• Many have failed or gone to zero

Stablecoins (USDT, USDC, DAI)

• Designed to maintain $1 value
• Useful for: storing value without volatility, trading
• USDT (Tether): Most used — but carries counterparty risk
• USDC (Circle): More regulated, considered safer

⚠️ This is not financial advice. Not every cryptocurrency listed here is endorsed or recommended. Many crypto projects are high risk or outright scams. DYOR always.