In all sincerity, the cryptocurrency sphere has continually waved dramatically with Bitcoin having existed for over a decade.  

Although Bitcoin outclasses other cryptocurrencies in terms of popularity, user base and market capitalization, it’s undeniable that many other cryptocurrencies are waxing strongly. 

Under many circumstances, Bitcoin may be the cryptocurrency that first occupies your mind when thinking of digital currencies. However in reality, there are existing alternative cryptocurrencies to Bitcoin. While these Bitcoin alternatives are otherwise described as altcoins, below is a list of the top 20 altcoins that you need to know.

• Ethereum

This is widely regarded as the most popular alternative to Bitcoin. As a decentralized software platform with a self-developed token (Ether), Ethereum paves the way for developers to build decentralized apps (dApps) and smart contracts that can be run (on the platform) without the fear of any third-party invasion. 

Coming behind only first-placed Bitcoin, Ethereum’s Ether is the second largest cryptocurrency in terms of market cap. 

• Litecoin

Regarded as a brainchild of Charlie Lee, Litecoin works on the basis of a decentralized open-source global payment network. While Litecoin is generously considered one of the earliest digital currencies to have emulated Bitcoin, it is currently the world’s sixth largest cryptocurrency. 

• Ripple

Ripple maintains a high degree of divergence from the other altcoins since it doesn’t necessitate any form of mining. Basically, Ripple is a global network that guarantees banks the ease of settling international payments. Importantly, Ripple provides banks with a cost-effective means of executing transparent cross-border payments in real time. 

GET 30% OFF BINANCE TRADING FEES–OPEN A FREE BINANCE ACCOUNT  AND BUY ALL THE BEST ALT COINS WITH BINANCE WITHOUT STRESS–>CLICK HERE

• Bitcoin Cash

Bitcoin Cash constitutes the first and “most successful” digital assets forked out of the original Bitcoin, hence giving it a vital position among altcoins. Following its split from the original Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash came into inception in 2017 and in January 2020, it was reported as having hit $4.4 billion in market capitalization. 

• Monero

This is an open-source digital currency developed through the donations and commitments of various cryptography enthusiasts. Broadly, Monero is a private, safe and difficult-to-track cryptocurrency launched in 2014. Notably, Monero was developed to serve as a scalable and decentralized crypto platform with the assurance of absolute privacy. 

• Binance Coin

Established in 2017 and serving as the standard token of the Binance crypto exchange platform, Binance Coin is a token that enables traders on the Binance platform to trade in various cryptocurrencies without any hassle. With Binance Coin, traders on the Binance platform can conveniently make expeditious payments for services. 

• Libra

Sometime in 2018, some rumours making waves on social media indicated that Facebook was in the process of creating its own cryptocurrency. This sparked lots of suspense among crypto enthusiasts, considering that Facebook is a globally renowned social media giant. Despite the hype cast around the expected Facebook-developed cryptocurrency (Libra), reports as of January, 2020, claimed that nothing of such had been launched. 

• Bitcoin SV

With its SV symbolizing “Satoshi Vision”, Bitcoin SV is a cryptocurrency forked out of Bitcoin Cash and its creators have contended that it paves the way for scalability, gives room for new developments and redeems the original protocol of Satoshi Nakamoto (the developer of Bitcoin). 

• Tether

With the vision of minimizing the volatility associated with cryptocurrencies, experts began emerging with a lineup of cryptocurrencies called stablecoins. Tether is touted as one of the prominent and earliest players among these cryptocurrencies (stablecoins). 

Notably, these stablecoins (inclusive of Tether) are aimed at winning over the interest of cautious crypto investors by helping to get rid of price fluctuations. 

• EOS

Originated by Dan Larimer who is a crypto expert and proprietor of Steemit (a blockchain-specific social network), EOS constitutes the wave-making digital currencies launched in the recent past. Precisely, EOS came into inception in 2018 and it provides developers with a platform for the development of decentralized apps. 

• Ren (REN)

Ren is notably one of the cryptocurrencies developed with the intent of fostering blockchain interoperability. Riding on the strength of RenVM (the major component of Ren), Ren seeks to facilitate blockchain-to-blockchain operations particularly in the area of decentralized finance. 

Impressively, Ren is so strongly tailored to blockchain interoperability that it paves the way for inter-blockchain transactions through the use of a smart contract or decentralized app. This means Ren creates an avenue for transactions involving various blockchains including BCH, ZEC, BTC, etc. 

• Horizen (ZEN)

Horizen is a vibrant ecosystem well acclaimed for its incentive-based system. Notably, Horizen’s incentive takes the form of sophisticated capabilities which individuals and businesses can tap from the ecosystem. 

Horizen’s cryptocurrency (ZEN) paves the way for both individuals and businesses to access Horizen’s products, services and DApps. Horizen seeks to create an avenue for the entrenchment of utilities which will facilitate the adoption of blockchain technology by many more individuals and businesses. 

• Kyber Network Crystal (KNC)

This is an ERC-20 token officially labeled the traditional cryptocurrency of the Kyber Liquidity Network. Essentially, KNC is usable in all sorts of decentralized apps for swift, seamless and safety-assured exchange of tokens. 

Considered the 54th best cryptocurrency in terms of market capitalization, KNC is a wave-garnering cryptocurrency and is generously useful to crypto merchants. 

• ICON (ICX)

If we’d ever have to discuss the earliest spectrum of crypto projects geared towards blockchain interoperability, failure to mention ICON would seem unforgivable. 

Verily, ICON (ICX) maintains a footing among the pioneer projects aimed at incorporating interoperability into the blockchain technology. By this interoperability, crypto traders on different blockchains find it convenient to transact with one another. 

• Wirex Token (WXT)

Wirex is a vibrant cryptocurrency which further works as a decentralized payment platform. Built on the Stellar platform, Wirex is one of the less popular cryptocurrencies making pretty waves. Currently, it is traded at a price equivalent to $0.009809 and is considered the 126th best cryptocurrency in terms of market capitalization. 

As a payment platform, Wirex allows for P2P exchange, execution of payments as well as the purchase of items. Beyond the latter functions, Wirex is also useful for the storage of coins and other digital assets. 

• Titan Coin (TTN)

You may not have heard about Titan coin (TTN) before but obviously, it is one of the cryptocurrencies that have been lauded for their uniqueness. Besides its basic functionality for swift, secure and hassle-free cross-border payments, Titan coin boasts a good deal of real use cases, giving the coin a clear edge above many other cryptocurrencies. 

Titan is notably an ecosystem and with TTN (or Titan coin) being the ecosystem’s native digital currency, it becomes easy for TTN holders to access the apps found in the ecosystem. 

• Hyperion (HYN)

The driving philosophy behind Hyperion (HYN) is an attempt to decentralize people’s view and adoption of map services. Owing to the said philosophy, this cryptocurrency is compatible with the Hyperion decentralized platform, a project geared towards the creation of a global map system. 

Hyperion is designed to run on the Ethereum blockchain and basically, it is composed of several products namely MAP 3, TITAN and a privacy-oriented map app. 

• NEO

It’s no news that China doesn’t legalize the use of Bitcoin. While this creates the need for a different cryptocurrency to take the place of Bitcoin in China, NEO happens to fill the void as the Chinese variant of Bitcoin.

Despite its comparison with Bitcoin, NEO fairly differs from Bitcoin and is basically an open-source platform largely managed by a pool of developers, investors and users. 

Built on the blockchain technology, NEO’s smart contract supports transaction in multiple languages. Moreover, it’s a cross-platform system which paves the way for seamless management of digital currencies. 

• DASH

Introducing it as a low-fee crypto platform, DASH may not grab the attention of most crypto traders but describing DASH as a digital currency for instant P2P payments, a fairly large number of traders would want to learn more about the cryptocurrency. 

Impressively, instant payment processing makes DASH a well-admired cryptocurrency among enterprises and individuals seeking a dependable medium for secure and swift cross-border payments.

Another enticing perk that should attract crypto traders to DASH is the guaranteed low transaction fee. A few other benefits, coupled with this low transaction fee, may sum up as the selling points of DASH. 

• Status (SNT)

Status, which began as an open-source platform, is currently a project under the administration of developers, designers and crypto lovers. 

Status’ token (SNT) empowers Status users with the capabilities they require for participating on the Status platform. Quite interestingly, Status goes beyond the typical description of a crypto platform plainly because it takes the shape of a social networking and messaging system whereby individuals maintain private interaction with each other.

GET 30% OFF BINANCE TRADING FEES–OPEN A FREE BINANCE ACCOUNT  AND BUY ALL THE BEST ALT COINS WITH BINANCE WITHOUT STRESS–>CLICK HERE

Conclusion

Hopefully, reviewing this article has helped you realize that there are dozens of high-performing Bitcoin alternatives. 

Bitcoin is unarguably the world’s most valuable cryptocurrency but this still doesn’t erase the fact that many other cryptocurrencies are growing immensely in value. 

Advisably, you should consider essential parameters (such as market capitalization, security and user base) in any attempt to select the recent altcoin to invest in.