Altcoin

"Altcoin" means any cryptocurrency other than Bitcoin. Early altcoins such as Litecoin (2011) were close variations of Bitcoin's code. Today the term covers thousands of assets, from large smart-contract platforms like Ethereum and Solana to small speculative tokens.

Altcoins vary enormously in purpose, technology, decentralisation and risk. Some run independent blockchains with their own security, while others are tokens issued on another chain. Many are controlled by small teams or have concentrated token ownership.

Historically, most altcoins have been more volatile than Bitcoin and many have lost almost all their value. Before buying, it is worth checking the coin's market cap and liquidity, who holds the supply, what its upcoming token unlocks are, and whether it solves a real problem.