Apa itu Altcoin dan mengapa membuat investor lebih tertarik untuk berinvestasi daripada Bitcoin?

Must Know About Altcoin Clearly

Altcoin (Alternative Coin) refers to all types of digital coins that are not Bitcoin. The term comes from combining “Alternative” (pilihan) and “Coin” (koin) together. Currently, the crypto industry has more than 20,000 Altcoins, all built using blockchain technology similar to Bitcoin but with different objectives and features.

Altcoin emerged because Bitcoin was the first digital currency and had some limitations. This led to efforts to create new coins that are better, faster, or have different features. As a result, Altcoins developed until they became significant players in the market. Some have value and importance comparable to Bitcoin.

How are Bitcoin and Altcoin different?

Bitcoin mainly functions as a decentralized medium of exchange, widely accepted, with the highest market value, often called the “big brother” of the crypto market.

Altcoin is developed from newer blockchain technologies, learning from Bitcoin’s issues, allowing for new methods. Some are faster, more energy-efficient, or more private. Due to this, Altcoins have notable growth rates but are also more volatile than Bitcoin.

How many types of Altcoin are there?

Four main types

1. Proof-of-Work (PoW) Altcoins

Use the same mechanism as Bitcoin, requiring mining (Mining) to obtain coins. Miners (Miners) are rewarded with coins. Examples: Monero (XMR), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), ZCash (ZEC), Litecoin (LTC)

2. Proof-of-Stake (PoS) Altcoins

No mining needed, but you must stake your coins as collateral to have the right to verify transactions. This saves energy and is faster. Examples: Tezos (XTZ), Tron (TRX), Zilliqa (ZIL), Cosmos (ATOM), Cardano (ADA)

3. DeFi Altcoins

Decentralized finance systems that do not rely on banks. They can lend, borrow, create assets, collateralize, and perform transactions like traditional banks. Examples: Compound (COMP), Uniswap (UNI), PancakeSwap (CAKE), Aave (LEND), Synthetix (SNX)

4. Stablecoins

Value anchored to other currencies, such as USD, gold, or other assets. Examples: Tether (USDT), USDC, PAX Gold (PAXG), Gemini USD (GUSD)

( Six subcategories

1. Stablecoin Altcoins - Linked to other assets like fiat, commodities, or crypto.

2. Payment Tokens - Used for payments and goods/services instead of cash.

3. Security Tokens - Asset tokens representing investments.

4. Utility Tokens - Used to access services or rights within a project.

5. Meme Tokens - Created from jokes in the online world. Example: Dogecoin )DOGE###, created with the Shiba Inu dog meme.

6. Governance Tokens - Give holders voting rights and decision-making power over project development.

Is it true that Altcoin makes profits faster than Bitcoin?

( Advantages of Altcoin that investors love

1. High returns

Altcoins are much more volatile than Bitcoin, allowing for strong upward movements when the market is bullish. Sometimes, they can yield 100% profit or more in a short time, while Bitcoin may rise but not as much.

2. Many options

With over 20,000 Altcoins, there are many projects to choose from, each with its own use case and goals.

3. Innovation

Altcoins introduce new methods not found in Bitcoin, such as Ethereum’s programmable functions or Litecoin’s speed.

4. Low fees

Most Altcoins have much lower transaction fees than Bitcoin, making them suitable for quick transfers.

) Disadvantages of Altcoin to watch out for

1. High risk

Altcoins are highly volatile and can drop sharply. Many have fallen to half or a few percent of their original value.

2. Small market cap

Most Altcoins have much smaller market caps than Bitcoin, increasing the risk of pump-and-dump schemes.

3. Less security

Some Altcoins are less secure than Bitcoin, which has been tested and proven over a long period.

Notable Altcoins in 2024

Ethereum ###ETH### - Blockchain platform supporting smart contracts and DApps, created by Vitalik Buterin. Always ranked second by market cap.

Litecoin (LTC) - The oldest coin in the industry, faster than Bitcoin, with a new LTC20 Token Standard launched in 2023 similar to Ethereum’s ERC-20.

Bitcoin Cash (BCH) - Forked from Bitcoin in 2017, with larger block size and lower fees.

Dogecoin (DOGE) - The first meme token, still popular with a strong supporter base.

Ripple (XRP) - Blockchain platform for international money transfers, designed to be fast, secure, and low-cost.

Cardano (ADA) - Energy-efficient Proof-of-Stake system supporting Smart Contracts and DApps.

Polygon (MATIC) - Layer 2 solution for Ethereum, enabling faster transactions and lower fees.

The uncertain future of Altcoin

Experts have differing opinions. Some believe Altcoins will continue to grow because humans are increasingly interested in blockchain technology, and Altcoins have features Bitcoin lacks, such as speed, privacy, or efficiency.

Others believe Bitcoin will dominate the market, and Altcoins may depreciate or merge into other projects.

Personally, major Altcoins like Ethereum, Cardano, and Polygon have already reached high market caps and are widely used, indicating that the future of Altcoin depends on whether each project can solve real problems and have valuable use cases.

Simple summary

Altcoin is all digital coins except Bitcoin, created with blockchain technology, with different objectives. Although Altcoins came after Bitcoin, they have become an essential part of the crypto market in terms of technology, innovation, and real-world application.

Altcoins offer high returns and diversity but also come with high volatility and risks. Investors interested in Altcoins should study each project carefully, assess risks and rewards, and then decide to invest.

Common questions

Why do Altcoins rise faster than Bitcoin?

Altcoins are more volatile, so their prices can surge rapidly when the market is good. Investors like this because they can make quick profits.

What is Alt Season?

A period when most Altcoins outperform Bitcoin, caused by old coins rallying, new coins launching, or positive news about Altcoins.

How many Altcoins are there now?

More than 5,000. Previously, there were over 20,000, but some have disappeared.