altcoin

American  

[awlt-koin] / ˈɔltˌkɔɪn /

noun

1. 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.

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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

Ethereum, the second largest crypto, fell 3.4% to $3,202, while popular altcoin XRP, used to facilitate and settle transactions on the Ripple payment platform, slipped 2.6% to $2.02.

From Barron's

Smaller cryptos were enjoying a stronger rebound, with popular altcoin XRP rising 6.5% to $2.22, Ethereum climbing 2.3% to $2,906, and Solana jumping 4.6%.

From Barron's

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

From MarketWatch

“We’ve always suspected that the altcoin market is driven by just a few market makers, versus in bitcoin, there are so many participants that are market making and providing liquidity in different ways,” Shubh Varma, co-founder and chief executive at Hyblock Capital, said in an interview.

From MarketWatch

Nate Geraci, president of The ETF Store, sees spot solana ETFs gaining regulatory approval in 2025, solidifying the altcoin's position as a significant player in the digital asset space.

From Salon