altcoin

American

[awlt-koin] / ˈɔltˌkɔɪn /

noun

any cryptocurrency that is not bitcoin.

These five altcoins will be worth watching for the next few months, as they've been steadily rising in value.

Usage

What's the difference between altcoin, bitcoin, and cryptocurrency? See digital currency ( def. ).

Etymology

Origin of altcoin

First recorded in 2010–15; alt- ² ( def. ) or alt(ernative) ( def. ) + coin ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Ethereum, the second largest crypto, was down 2.2%, while popular altcoin XRP fell 3%.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

“If a broad altcoin rally is still in the cards, it will likely take weeks or months or longer to materialize.”

From MarketWatch • Oct. 23, 2025

Crypto watchers are following the path of solana, an altcoin named after a beach town in southern California that is poised to become the next breakout star of the crypto world.

From Salon • Jan. 8, 2025

Traders said liquidity was low on the altcoin moves, but steadily improving in bitcoin and ether.

From Reuters • Jul. 14, 2023

In the end, both the Bitcoin camp and altcoin enthusiasts seemed to be happy to see SBF fall, with one CoinDesk editor opining, “In a real sense, Bankman-Fried never represented crypto.”

From Slate • Dec. 15, 2022

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023