What is altcoin?

BREAKING DOWN 'Altcoin'. "Altcoin" is a combination of two words: "alt" and "coin"; alt signifying 'alternative' and coin signifying (in essence) 'cryptocurrency.' Thus together they imply a category of cryptocurrency that is alternative to the digital currency Bitcoin.

Will altcoins include only mining-based cryptocurrencies other than bitcoin?

Altcoins might include only mining-based cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin in the future as usage continues to develop with technology. "Altcoin" is a combination of the two words "alt" and "coin" and includes all alternatives to Bitcoin. The basic framework for Bitcoin and altcoins is similar.

Are altcoins peer-to-peer?

Thus most altcoins are peer-to-peer, involve a mining process by which users solve difficult problems to unlock blocks, and offer efficient and cheap ways to carry out transactions on the web. But even with many overlapping features, altcoins vary widely from each other.

Should you invest in altcoins?

"Of course, there are many promising altcoins out there that help facilitate new and exciting advances in blockchain technology like Ether and Chainlink, both of which strive to bridge the gap between blockchain tech and real-world applications." That said, altcoins are incredibly risky investments.

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