Delving into the world of cryptocurrencies can be a bit intimidating if you’ve never done so before. Until late 2016, Bitcoin was the most popular cryptocurrency, making it a very attractive choice when it comes to investing. But now, you may find yourself wanting to buy Ethereum in Los Angeles or another cryptocurrency like Litecoin or Bitcoin Cash. If you’re not sure which cryptocurrency is best for you, this blog post may help.
Factors to Consider
When selecting which cryptocurrency to purchase, there are several factors that users should consider to make an informed decision.
Here are some of the key factors to keep in mind:
- Purpose and Use: Different cryptocurrencies have different purposes and uses. Some cryptocurrencies are designed for peer-to-peer transactions, while others focus on privacy or smart contract functionality. It’s important to understand the purpose and use case of each cryptocurrency to determine whether it aligns with your needs and goals.
- Market Capitalization and Price History: Market capitalization and price history can provide insights into the long-term viability and growth potential of a cryptocurrency. However, it’s important to keep in mind that past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results.
- Security and Stability: The security and stability of a cryptocurrency’s network are critical factors to consider. It’s important to research the technology and development team behind each cryptocurrency, as well as its history of security vulnerabilities or successful attacks.
- Community and Development Support: The strength of a cryptocurrency’s community and development support can be an important indicator of its long-term success. A strong and active community can help drive adoption and innovation, while a lack of community support can lead to stagnation for the given coin or network.
- Liquidity and Accessibility: Liquidity and accessibility refer to how easy it is to buy, sell, and trade a cryptocurrency. It’s important to consider factors such as exchange availability, trading volume, transactions, and ease of use when evaluating a cryptocurrency’s liquidity and accessibility.
- Evolving Technologies: The landscape surrounding cryptocurrencies is constantly evolving, and it’s important to stay up-to-date on any legal or regulatory developments that may impact the adoption and use of a particular cryptocurrency.
Now that you know some of the factors that may dictate which cryptocurrency you decide to buy, you should know what your options are. There are a ton of options out there. Here is a breakdown of the most common cryptocurrencies out there, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Bitcoin Cash.
Bitcoin (BTC)
Bitcoin is the most well-known and widely used cryptocurrency in the world, with a market capitalization of over 450 billion dollars. While there are thousands of other cryptocurrencies in existence, Bitcoin’s dominance is due to several key factors. One factor that has contributed to Bitcoin’s popularity is its scarcity. There are only 21 million Bitcoins that will ever exist, and the rate of new Bitcoins being created is slowing down over time. This limited supply has made Bitcoin a valuable asset, and its price has skyrocketed over the past decade as more people have come to realize its potential as a store of value. In addition, Bitcoin has a large and active community of developers, entrepreneurs, and enthusiasts who are constantly working to improve the technology and infrastructure of the cryptocurrency ecosystem. This has led to the creation of new applications, platforms, and services that make it easier for people to use and invest in Bitcoin.
The most popular cryptocurrency on the market, Bitcoin is the closest currency to state-minted currencies. Because it’s the most common cryptocurrency, it’s also the most versatile and widely accepted in various industries. You may use Bitcoin to trade internationally, and the transaction fees are generally lower compared to other transaction fees. It can be traded for other currencies, both virtual and traditional. If you’re looking for a widely used cryptocurrency, consider Bitcoin.
Bitcoin’s open-source nature has allowed for the creation of many other cryptocurrencies that are based on the same underlying technology. While Bitcoin remains the most popular cryptocurrency, it has inspired a wave of innovation in the cryptocurrency space, with new projects and technologies emerging all the time. While there are many other cryptocurrencies in existence, Bitcoin’s first-mover advantage, network effects, and market dominance have helped it to remain the most popular cryptocurrency in the world.
Ethereum (ETH)
If you’re looking for something beyond a digital currency, consider Ethereum. The platform itself is blockchain-based and it features smart contracts such as the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). Its currency is called Ether and the system is for peer-to-peer contracts. This means there’s a decentralized way to verify and enforce Ethereum’s facilitation. While Bitcoin is more stable, Ethereum aims to encompass more due to its smart contract applications.
Smart contracts are self-executing contracts that are coded onto the Ethereum blockchain. They can be used to automate complex transactions and agreements, and they can also be used to enforce the terms of these agreements without the need for a third party.
Ethereum’s support for smart contracts has opened up a wide range of new use cases for blockchain technology. For example, smart contracts can be used to automate supply chain management, to create decentralized marketplaces, and to facilitate peer-to-peer lending and borrowing. Ethereum has a strong track record of innovation and development. The platform has undergone several major upgrades over the years, including the transition from Proof of Work to Proof of Stake consensus mechanism, which is designed to be more energy-efficient and secure. These upgrades have helped to maintain Ethereum’s position as a leading blockchain platform and have contributed to its growing popularity.
Litecoin (LTC)
Litecoin is sometimes referred to as “Bitcoin-Lite” because there are similar qualities. Litecoin is also a peer-to-peer payment system but differs from Bitcoin in multiple ways. Litecoin has a faster block-processing rate than Bitcoin and generally has lower transaction fees.
One of the main advantages of Litecoin is its faster transaction times. Litecoin transactions are processed four times faster than Bitcoin transactions, with a block time of just 2.5 minutes compared to Bitcoin’s 10 minutes. This faster transaction time makes Litecoin more suitable for use in everyday transactions, such as buying goods and services.
Another advantage of Litecoin is its lower transaction fees. Litecoin transactions typically have lower fees than Bitcoin transactions, making it a more cost-effective option for users who want to send smaller amounts of money.
In addition, Litecoin has a larger supply than Bitcoin, with a maximum supply of 84 million compared to Bitcoin’s 21 million. This higher supply has made Litecoin more accessible to a wider range of users, as the lower price per coin has made it more affordable for smaller investors.
Bitcoin Cash (BCH)
Bitcoin miners and developers started Bitcoin Cash, which has an increased block size of 8MB. Because of this, the verification process has greatly increased in speed. It allows miners on the BCH chain to process more payments per second, so the user experience is improved.
Another advantage of BCH is its lower transaction fees. Bitcoin fees can be quite high during times of high blockchain congestion, but BCH fees are generally lower due to its larger block size limit. This makes BCH a more cost-effective option for users who want to send smaller amounts of money.
Choosing Between Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash
In terms of adoption and community support, Bitcoin has a larger user base and more widespread adoption than Bitcoin Cash. However, BCH has a strong and active community of developers who are working to improve the platform and promote its adoption. BTC and BCH have different price histories and market capitalizations. Bitcoin has a higher market capitalization and price per coin, while BCH has a lower market capitalization and price per coin.
BTC and BCH share many similarities, but there are also some important differences between the two cryptocurrencies. While Bitcoin has a larger user base and more widespread adoption, Bitcoin Cash has a larger block size limit, lower transaction fees, and a strong community of developers and supporters. Ultimately, the choice between BTC and BCH will depend on the specific needs and priorities of each user or investor.
Before investing in the cryptocurrency of your choice, do the necessary research to see which one best fits your needs. While it’s difficult to directly compare different cryptocurrencies, each has its own strengths. If you’d like to purchase Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, or Bitcoin Cash at a RockItCoin ATM, don’t hesitate to contact us today!
