What are altcoins?

Characteristics of Altcoins

Classification of Altcoins

Understanding Altcoins: what are altcoins?

Bitcoin (BTC) is a decentralized cryptocurrency that operates without banks or central authorities. It enables peer-to-peer transactions on a global scale, which is secured by encrpytion tachniques. And all transactions are recorded on a transparent and immutable ledger—the blockchain.

Bitcoin

Ethereum is a decentralized blockchain and development platform. It allows developers to build and deploy applications and smart contracts. As its native token, Ethereum (ETH) serves to power the applications and transactions.

Ethereum

XRP is the native token of XRP Ledger (XRPL), an open-source, public blockchain. It is created for fast and cost-effective transactions through Ripple's digital payment network.

Tether (USDT) is a popular stablecoin, which is designed to maintain a stable value and is pegged to the U.S. dollar at a 1:1 ratio.

Tether

Solana is a blockchain platform which uses proof of stake (PoS) to support running smart contracts. Its native token is SOL.

Solana

Binance Coin (BNB) is a cryptocurrency that can be used to trade and pay fees on the Binance cryptocurrency exchange.

Dogecoin (Doge) is an open-source peer-to-peer digital currency, favoured by Shiba Inus worldwide. At its heart, Dogecoin is the accidental crypto movement that makes people smile!

Doge

Cardano is designed to be a flexible, sustainable, and scalable blockchain platform for running smart contracts. As its native token, ADA is one of the biggest cryptocurrencies by market cap.

USD Coin (USDC) is a cryptocurrency stablecoin which is issued by Circle. Unlike other tokens with price volatility, USDC is a fully-reserved digital dollar backed 100% by highly liquid cash and cash-equivalent assets and is redeemable 1:1 for US dollars.

USDC

Tron is a public blockchain which supports smart contracts, enabling developers to build decentralized applications (DApps).

TRON

Shiba Inu (SHIB) focuses on community participation in decentralized finance (DeFi) and has become one of the most talked-about memecoins in the cryptocurrency market.

Shiba Inu

Toncoin is the main cryptocurrency of the TON ecosystem and the native token of The Open Network (TON). It is used for network operations, transactions, games or collectibles built on TON.

Toncoin

Meme coins are altcoins named after trends, humorous or fun topics, or anything else someone can think of. For example, Dogecoin (DOGE) and Shiba Inu (SHIB) have led the market, sparking a surge in meme coin trading.

Memecoins

AI is technology that enables computers and machines to simulate human learning, comprehension, problem solving, decision making, creativity and autonomy.

Real-World Assets (RWAs) are tangible assets that exist outside the digital spectrum, which can be tokenized and brought into the blockchain ecosystem.

"Game cryptocurrencies" or "crypto gaming" refers to video games that utilize blockchain technology, allowing players to own and trade in-game assets such as NFTs. By integrating blockchain technology, game tokens provide transparency and security while enabling players to participate in a decentralized ecosystem.

Gaming

DePIN crypto refers to Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks, where blockchain technologies are used to power real-world services like wireless networks and energy solutions.

DePIN

An Altcoin is an alternative digital currency to Bitcoin. The word Altcoin is a portmanteau of "alternative" and "coin", to form "altcoin". It actually refers to a group of cryptocurrencies, ultimately all the cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin.

Altcoins

A blockchain is a distributed database or ledger shared across a computer network's nodes, which ensures immutability and transparency that facilitates the process of recording transactions and tracking assets in a business network.

Blockchain

DeFi emerged as a peer-to-peer financial platform which leverages blockchain technology, enabling two individuals to interact directly with each other, without intermediation by a third party.

DeFi

GameFi, short for "Game Finance," is a sector that combines gaming with decentralized finance (DeFi). It enables players to earn cryptocurrencies and NFTs through gameplay, essentially creating a "play-to-earn" model.

GameFi

Metaverse crypto refers to cryptocurrencies and tokens that facilitate transactions and ownership within blockchain-powered virtual worlds, enabling users to buy, sell, and trade digital assets like virtual land, items, and NFTs.

Metaverse Crypto

NFTs are unique digital assets, meaning each one is distinct and cannot be exchanged on a one-to-one basis, which is different from other cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.

NFTs

Trading fees apply when you want to buy or sell shares of a specific investment. 
Learn about the discounted fees for trading, deposits, and withdrawals on the leading cryptocurrency exchange, Gate.io.

Trading Fee

In cryptocurrency, peer-to-peer (P2P) trading allows users to buy and sell digital assets directly with each other, rather than relying on a centralized exchange.

P2P Trading

Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies whose value is pegged, or tied, to that of another currency, commodity, or financial instrument, which contrasts sharply with other tokens like Bitcoin that are known for their price volatility.

Stablecoin

Crypto Insights provides the latest market trends, general insights, and analysis related to the cryptocurrency industry.

Crypto Insights

Investing in crypto, or cryptocurrency, means buying digital assets like Bitcoin or Ethereum with the hope that their value will increase over time, allowing you to profit from the investment.

Investing In Crypto

Crypto staking allows holders of specific cryptocurrencies to earn rewards by validating transactions on a blockchain network, without selling their assets. Staking rewards are typically denominated in the same cryptocurrency deposited for staking.

Crypto staking

Spot trading refers to buying and selling assets (such as currencies, commodities, or cryptocurrencies) at the current market price, known as the spot price.

Spot Trading

Web3 is a term that refers to a set of technologies and protocols that enable the development of decentralized applications (dApps) on the blockchain.

Web 3.0

Crypto trading involves buying and selling cryptocurrencies (like Bitcoin or Ethereum) on exchanges with the goal of profiting from price fluctuations, either by speculating on price movements or holding the base tokens.

Crypto Trading

Check out our latest news list of newly added and tracked cryptocurrencies. We feature brand-new mineable coins, ERC-20 tokens, DeFi tokens, and more.

New Cryptocurrencies

Cryptocurrency Tutorial is designed to help people gain knowledge in cryptocurrencies, blockchain technology, and related topics such as trading, investing, and security.

Crypto Tutorial

Crypto trading bots are automated tools that allow traders to buy and sell cryptocurrency at optimal times, based on pre-set algorithms and strategies.

Trading Bots

BRC-20 is a token standard that defines the rules for creating fungible tokens on the Bitcoin blockchain.

BRC-20

A decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) is a blockchain governance system developed to distribute decision-making, management, and entity ownership.

Macro trends in crypto are large-scale, long-term shifts that impact the entire cryptocurrency market.

Macro Trends

SocialFi is an emerging concept that combines social media with decentralised finance (DeFi) to create a new ecosystem where users can earn and exchange value.

SocialFi

Liquid staking is a game-changing approach in the crypto ecosystem, allowing users to stake their assets while maintaining liquidity.

Liquid Staking

A zero-knowledge proof is a protocol in which one party (the prover) can convince another party (the verifier) that some given statement is true, without revealing any information beyond the validity of the statement itself.

Zero-Knowledge Proof

Cryptocurrency airdrop is a marketing stunt that involves sending free coins or tokens to wallet addresses to promote awareness of a new currency.

Airdrop

The crypto ecosystem consists of key elements like cryptocurrencies, digital securities, blockchain networks, exchanges, decentralised finance (DeFi), custody and wallet solutions.

Crypto Ecosystem

Layer 2 is a secondary framework or protocol that is built on top of an existing blockchain system to provide ﬂexible levels of scalability.

Layer 2

Crypto payments refer to using cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Ethereum as a means of payment for goods and services, utilizing blockchain technology for peer-to-peer transactions.

Payments

Crypto mining is the process used by blockchain networks (such as Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies) to complete transactions.

Mining

Gate.io offers a fast and simple way to buy and sell cryptocurrencies. Buy crypto with credit card, bank transfers, Apple Pay, PayPal and more.

How to buy crypto

A Web3 wallet is a decentralized application built on blockchain technology, essential for accessing blockchain networks and conducting transactions.

Web3 wallet

Here, we share all the most important blockchain and cryptocurrency terms and jargon.

Crypto glossary

A cryptocurrency ETF is an exchange-traded fund that provides investment opportunities in cryptocurrencies and digital assets, allowing investors to buy and sell ETF shares on traditional securities exchanges.

Contract trading requires the buyer to purchase or the seller to sell the underlying asset at a set price, regardless of the market price. A cryptocurrency contract is an agreement between two investors to bet on the future price of a cryptocurrency.

Futures Trading

Crypto loans allow users to borrow funds (in fiat currency or other cryptocurrencies) using their existing cryptocurrency holdings as collateral, without the need to sell them.

Crypto Loans

It is a transaction that occurs when your wallet receives cryptocurrency. This can be done through: fiat deposits (bank transfers, credit/debit cards, PayPal, or P2P) or cryptocurrency deposits (sending funds from another exchange or wallet).

Crypto Deposit

Cryptocurrency withdrawal is the process of transferring your digital assets (cryptocurrencies) from one wallet or exchange to another, typically to a personal wallet or converting them into fiat currency.

Crypto Withdrawal

A Bitcoin halving happens every four years, when the amount of bitcoin awarded to miners is reduced by half. The fifth Bitcoin halving will take place on March 26, 2028.

Bitcoin Halving

Cryptocurrency market: To know the last prices, market cap, and market information of bitcoin and other altcoins.

Cryptocurrency market

A grid trading bot is an automated trading tool that  buying and selling cryptocurrencies. It operates based on a strategy known as grid trading.

Grid Bot

An inscription is metadata added to a unit of cryptocurrency. The Bitcoin Ordinals protocol introduced ordinals, which are the products of blockchain inscriptions.

Inscriptions

In cryptocurrency trading, a "K-line" (candlestick chart) is a visual representation of an asset's price fluctuations over a specific period, showing the opening price, closing price, highest price, and lowest price.

K-line

Bringing you the latest Telegram bot information. Telegram bots are web-based applications that run directly within the Telegram messaging app.

Telegram Mini App

Bringing you the latest P2E (Play-to-Earn) news. P2E games combine the entertainment of gaming with the economic incentives of blockchain technology.

Cosmos is a blockchain ecosystem designed to enable secure communication and interoperability between different blockchains, with its native token being ATOM.

Cosmos

PoW (Proof of Work) is a consensus mechanism used in many cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, to validate transactions and create new blocks on the blockchain.

CTA (Cryptocurrency Trading Advisor) analyzes market trends, monitors price movements, and uses technical analysis to identify potential trading opportunities in the cryptocurrency market.

Stay updated with the most popular cryptocurrency news. Gate.io Crypto WIKI provides you with the latest information and updates on digital currencies.

Top crypto

Sharing pre-market trading information with you. Pre-listing trading allows users to obtain tokens that are not yet available for spot trading by staking and minting.

Pre-Market

Cryptocurrency price prediction is extremely challenging because the market is volatile and is affected by factors such as regulation, technology, and investor sentiment. Some predict that Bitcoin may exceed $100,000 in 2025, and the prices of Ethereum and other currencies may also have different trends. However, the prediction is for reference only, and investors still need to carefully assess the risks.

Price Prediction

xstocks converts traditional stocks (e.g., Tesla, Apple, NVIDIA) into digital tokens (SPL tokens, typically on Solana), each token 1:1 pegged to the real stock’s value, with assets held by regulated custodians (e.g., Backed Finance). Users can buy these tokens with cryptocurrencies (e.g., USDT, BTC) or stablecoins, gaining exposure to stock prices without traditional brokerage accounts or KYC (depending on the region).

xstocks

Pi Network is an innovative mobile-first blockchain project with the vision of creating a widely accessible cryptocurrency network. Users can participate in "mining" (contributing to security) via a smartphone app during its current pre-mainnet phase. Pi emphasizes community engagement and user-friendliness, attracting a massive global user base. The value of Pi coin will ultimately depend on ecosystem development and market acceptance post-mainnet launch, positioning it as an "early-stage explorer" in crypto mass adoption.

Altcoins

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Understanding Altcoins: what are altcoins?