Bitcoin is known as the first cryptocurrency created, and all other coins and tokens are called "altcoins" (a combo word derived from "alternative coin"). There are also "stablecoins" where the price is designed to be pegged to a cryptocurrency, fiat money, or exchange-traded commodities
Coins are cryptocurrencies built on their own independent blockchain network, while tokens are built on another blockchain. Users can create digital tokens using one of the many platforms in the DeFi (Decentralized Finance) ecosystem.
Digital coins may be used for processing payments, while tokens have a specific purpose and are designed to perform specific tasks.
Bitcoin operates on its native blockchain network. In a similar way, Litecoin (LTC) and Ethereum (ETH) function on their own blockchains. They may differ in size, rules, miners, performance, and other factors.
Some coins, i.e. Tether, might run on different networks.
Coin name | Symbol | Network | Address format |
Bitcoin | BTC | Bitcoin | starts with bc, 1 or 3 |
Ether | ETH | Ethereum | starts with 0x |
Tether | USDT | ERC-20 | starts with 0x |
Tether | USDT | TRC-20 | starts with T |
Litecoin | LTC | Litecoin | starts with L |
Binance Coin Smart Contract | BSC | BEP20 | starts with 0x |
Dogecoin | DOGE | Dogecoin | starts with D |
Ripple | XRP | Ripple | starts with r |
Stellar | XLM | Stellar | starts with G |
Tron | TRON | TRC-20 | starts with T |
Bitcoin Cash | BCH | Bitcoin | starts with bitcoincash:q or q |
Cardano | ADA | Cardano | starts with addr1, Ae2tdPwUPE DdzFFzCqrhs |
| Polygon | MATIC | Matic | starts with 0x |
| PancakeSwap | CAKE | BEP20 | starts with 0x |
| Avalanche | AVAX | C-Chain | starts with 0x |
| Toncoin | TON | TON | 48-character string |
| Fantom | FTM | Fantom | starts with 0x |
| Ethereum Classic | ETC | ETC | 42-hexadecimal string |
| Optimism | OP | OP | starts with 0x |
| Astar - Parachain | ASTR | ASTR | SS58 address format |
| Moonbeam | GLMR | ERC-20 / POL | SS58 address format |