What Are Altcoins? Understanding Crypto Alternatives
Altcoins are cryptocurrencies that aren’t Bitcoin. Period. They emerged after 2011 when developers realized Bitcoin had limitations. Now there’s over 10,000 of them, representing about 55% of crypto market cap. Some solve actual problems – Ethereum brought smart contracts, Monero offers privacy, Ripple handles cross-border payments. Others? Just tweaked copies hoping to cash in. They’re…