The biggest differences between Bitcoin and altcoins?

[nullama]

Bitcoin is a digital gold standard and a store of value while Altcoin is to provide cases upon Bitcoin design

Bitcoin is actually superior to digital gold, which actually is a different thing. There are companies that offer literally digital gold, as in, you can buy a certain amount of gold, and they take care of it for you. That way you don't have to deal with the physical problems of gold.

Of course, you have to trust that they actually hold that amount of gold for you.

But Bitcoin is different. You don't have to trust anyone, you can verify if the amount of Bitcoin you bought is under your control.

Bitcoin provides proof, whereas any other system like digital gold doesn't, or require trust in a third party. Big difference.

[headingnorth]

Another great advantage of bitcoin - you can buy and sell it directly, peer-to-peer without the need for any centralized exchange or KYC. To me that is true decentralization.

You can't do that with any altcoin. All these poopcoins love to boast and advertise themselves as being decentralized while possessing none of the qualities of decentralization. That is called fraud.

[_BlackStar]

Another huge advantage of bitcoin - you can buy and sell bitcoin directly, peer-to-peer without the need for any centralized exchange or KYC. That is true decentralization.

You can't do that with any altcoin. All these poopcoins love to boast about being decentralized while possessing none of the qualities of decentralization. That is called fraud.

Why not - I've done it before, even directly without involving any exchanges. I guess it just depends on how you trade and how you work around it - but I still agree bitcoin is the single best decentralization. Bitcoin has something that other altcoins may not have - one of which is the trust of its users and ease of use cases. But the average developer considers bitcoin incomplete with all its advantages - that's why they create altcoins to complement bitcoin's shortcomings so that users can have an alternative.

[headingnorth]

Another huge advantage of bitcoin - you can buy and sell bitcoin directly, peer-to-peer without the need for any centralized exchange or KYC. That is true decentralization.

You can't do that with any altcoin. All these poopcoins love to boast about being decentralized while possessing none of the qualities of decentralization. That is called fraud.

Why not - I've done it before, even directly without involving any exchanges. I guess it just depends on how you trade and how you work around it - but I still agree bitcoin is the single best decentralization. Bitcoin has something that other altcoins may not have - one of which is the trust of its users and ease of use cases. But the average developer considers bitcoin incomplete with all its advantages - that's why they create altcoins to complement bitcoin's shortcomings so that users can have an alternative.

How did you do that? Without any exchanges? I find that hard to believe.

In theory you could trade altcoins peer to peer, but in practice does it happen on any significant scale? No.
Without well-known and established P2P platforms like you have for bitcoin, peer to peer non-kyc trading is not a feasible option.

That is why websites like ebay exists, to match buyers and sellers with whatever you are buying or selling.
Otherwise your only other option is go around knocking on people's doors asking if anyone is interested in trading your Pokemon cards, Rolex watch, or what have you.








 

[JiiBs]

Bitcoin is unique by having many following things: PoW, no premine, decentralized network, no censorship, and decentralized developments so no issue if one Bitcoin developer left like how Satoshi Nakamoto left the community and no longer developed Bitcoin Core years ago.

satoshi NEVER worked on bitcoin core. .. core is a brand that came about by colluding devs in 2014 creating the brand in 2014, long after satoshis disappearance
also one dev of core can leave without causing big effect. but if all the colluding devs messed up or left, then there would be issues as its the sole 'reference client' for upgrades and protocol changes..  thus would affect 99% of everyone should an issue arise.

You spit facts each time you lay it down and the rest of us are picking up on it.

I don’t really grasp the concept of colluding devs though. Could that mean some kind of an integrated system that works to the security and integrity of the network?
If that be the case; just how secure was Bitcoin or what was the case with it when it was initially created by Satoshi Nakamoto, through the years it endured before 2014?

[X-ray]

other difference that always makes me concerned is that, altcoin can't thrive without VC backing and VC backing always get big chunk of the altcoin, basically ready to dump on the retailer while BTC is free to acquire as long as you have the mining power.
that's pretty stark difference and these centralized holding is a threat on its own because there's one single point of failure for us the holders where the VC can just dump and our coin become worthless coin due to increase in circulating supply, but with BTC, it's pretty static, with circulating supply rise on a pretty obvious basis.

[retreat]

Bitcoin is a digital gold standard and a store of value while Altcoin is to provide cases upon Bitcoin design

What do you mean by digital gold standard? Does Bitcoin look like gold to you? This is the result of learning from Google, you fail to understand what Bitcoin is. Bitcoin is bitcoin, gold is gold. Both are different. Bitcoin is decentralized, secure, limited supply, and gives freedom to its users. That is different compared to gold.

You better learn again about what Bitcoin is, because you fail to understand the most basic thing like this.

[betswift]

Bitcoin is a digital gold standard and a store of value while Altcoin is to provide cases upon Bitcoin design

What do you mean by digital gold standard? Does Bitcoin look like gold to you? This is the result of learning from Google, you fail to understand what Bitcoin is. Bitcoin is bitcoin, gold is gold. Both are different. Bitcoin is decentralized, secure, limited supply, and gives freedom to its users. That is different compared to gold.

You better learn again about what Bitcoin is, because you fail to understand the most basic thing like this.

It's just how it is, many out there call BTC a digital gold and the discussions about it are going on and on, we've had enough threads to do it here, but - they do have some similarities, and people do like analogies, especially when they are not too knowledgable on the matter and they need something to compare this unknown concept for themselves.

[fikrett]

other difference that always makes me concerned is that, altcoin can't thrive without VC backing and VC backing always get big chunk of the altcoin, basically ready to dump on the retailer while BTC is free to acquire as long as you have the mining power.
that's pretty stark difference and these centralized holding is a threat on its own because there's one single point of failure for us the holders where the VC can just dump and our coin become worthless coin due to increase in circulating supply, but with BTC, it's pretty static, with circulating supply rise on a pretty obvious basis.

Any coin nowadays can't be propelled without being in trend => getting much of the funds rolling to get forward and push to maintain the precedent rolling.
Alas, that's how it is nowadays, while BTC remains as stable as it was.

[Baki202]

Another great advantage of bitcoin - you can buy and sell it directly, peer-to-peer without the need for any centralized exchange or KYC. To me that is true decentralization.

And if it is about selling you can even sell your coins anywhere but when it comes to advantage in price there is no price that can compete with bitcoin because bitcoin is currently on fire and there is no way that any coin can compete and even in price there is no way and decentralized is better than anything centralized so there is profit in all but quantity matters.

You can't do that with any altcoin. All these poopcoins love to boast and advertise themselves as being decentralized while possessing none of the qualities of decentralization. That is called fraud.

And some you will still see them in most of the exchanges but the one you will see them the more is in centralized exchanges because it's mostly bitcoin that focused on decentralized exchanges so there is no need for what ever either centralized or decentralized this no much difference.

[john_egbert]

Another great advantage of bitcoin - you can buy and sell it directly, peer-to-peer without the need for any centralized exchange or KYC. To me that is true decentralization.

And if it is about selling you can even sell your coins anywhere but when it comes to advantage in price there is no price that can compete with bitcoin because bitcoin is currently on fire and there is no way that any coin can compete and even in price there is no way and decentralized is better than anything centralized so there is profit in all but quantity matters.

The value of BTC will only grow from there, it's obvious.
That's why our liquidity should pour into it mainly because there is much potential still regarding the possible price that we would see in the decade to come.

[Webetcoins]

Different between bitcoin and altcoin are many but few to mention.
Now let me start by saying that, bitcoin is the first and the largest cryptocurrency.
Secondly bitcoin has a wide adoption,high liquidity,high security and has a limited supply.
On the other hand altcoin,is an alternative cryptocurrency,with a variable supply,smaller user base,low liquidity and different features and use case.

It makes sense on why alts are alternative because BTC is already there, the first crypto to be created but only lack on some features, so alts supplies it. Alts are on a different category and then I'd say that their user base is still high, same goes to individual alts. This makes their liquidity high as well.

You are right when you say that alts has variable supply because they can have a burning feature and others like a change in mechanism. Some alts still has a limited supply like Bitcoin. Like we said earlier, BTC is the first, so I wouldn't wonder anymore on why its adoption is much wider and it is the largest crypto up to date. Security and supply has nothing to do with that though.

[betswift]

It makes sense on why alts are alternative because BTC is already there, the first crypto to be created but only lack on some features, so alts supplies it. Alts are on a different category and then I'd say that their user base is still high, same goes to individual alts. This makes their liquidity high as well.

You are right when you say that alts has variable supply because they can have a burning feature and others like a change in mechanism. Some alts still has a limited supply like Bitcoin. Like we said earlier, BTC is the first, so I wouldn't wonder anymore on why its adoption is much wider and it is the largest crypto up to date. Security and supply has nothing to do with that though.

Generally speaking, people need alternatives no matter what.
BTC can't exist on the market solely leading the way, people need to have alternatives in that regard too, no matter how great BTC is and how it dominates the market.
Liquidity should go from one place to another, and alts provide that. As well as some features that you mentioned.

[YUriy1991]

Generally speaking, people need alternatives no matter what.
BTC can't exist on the market solely leading the way, people need to have alternatives in that regard too, no matter how great BTC is and how it dominates the market.
Liquidity should go from one place to another, and alts provide that. As well as some features that you mentioned.

All things related to investment decisions whether in Bitcoin or others as far as I understand all of that must be based on understanding even though it is not too deep about it and I admit that it is also everyone's right to choose and of course it is right. But, I have my general view that along with the journey of someone's investment, sooner or later they will also know for themselves which is actually the best that works for them, not the one that eats away at their own finances for various reasons.

[betswift]

Generally speaking, people need alternatives no matter what.
BTC can't exist on the market solely leading the way, people need to have alternatives in that regard too, no matter how great BTC is and how it dominates the market.
Liquidity should go from one place to another, and alts provide that. As well as some features that you mentioned.

All things related to investment decisions whether in Bitcoin or others as far as I understand all of that must be based on understanding even though it is not too deep about it and I admit that it is also everyone's right to choose and of course it is right. But, I have my general view that along with the journey of someone's investment, sooner or later they will also know for themselves which is actually the best that works for them, not the one that eats away at their own finances for various reasons.

Yep. Everybody chooses what suits them best, and it's great to find such a coin / project.
BTC can be that and even more, but it's not the only one.
 

[headingnorth]

Keep in mind 80% or more of the tokens of the average poopcoin are held by whales and insiders. So whenever you see an altcoin pumping by a large amount it is almost always caused by whales and insiders injecting large amounts of liquidity to pump up the price to get retail excited to buy in just before dumping on them. The suckers fall for it every time. This kind of insider manipulation is common in the stock market but is much worse in the poopcoin casino.

Over 600K new altcoin tokens launched in January, sparking liquidity fears
Feb 15, 2025

“Too many tokens, each spreading the limited attention and liquidity of traders even thinner. That’s why we don’t see the great alt pumps of previous cycles,” Ong said in a subsequent X post.

Another thing about altcoins is that they are not seen as a long-term store of value (like bitcoin is) but as a means to make a quick buck.
The average shitcoiner has the attention span of a bipolar 9 year old child and will cycle in and out of different altcoins like changing their dirty underwear.

Whenever a shiny new altcoin attracts their attention, they will dump whatever they are in and go to the next shiny new shitcoin.
So you cannot rely on altcoins as a long-term store of value. Which is why some predictions of ethereum going to $10,000 are not realistic,
because that would require large numbers of people holding onto ethereum for many years, which they generally do not do. The unlimited supply of tokens doesn't help either..

99% of shitcoiners are day traders and casino gamblers not long-term investors.

[EFS]

Most of the coin tries to reach the Bitcoin place.But it's not easy to reach the Bitcoin place. Bitcoin is the price is not stepping. Bitcoin price has Slowly gone down and price will be increasing it will be going fast. But some altcoin trying to reach the Bitcoin market place. The Bitcoin is king for every coin. So altcoin. Process is up and down. But not easy to reach the Bitcoin market place price.

I don't understand what you're saying. Are you talking about altcoins becoming number 1 and replacing Bitcoin? Or are you talking about the altcoin price surpassing the Bitcoin price (+$100k)? In any case, altcoins can't come close to Bitcoin. Everyone sees what's happening even with Ethereum and Solana, the altcoins that people consider the safest. Centralized coins can't be trusted. Bitcoin is not valuable just because it's produced in limited numbers. What makes it valuable is that it's different from simple copies, it's more secure, it has a real store of value.

[mirakal]

Both are considered cryptocurrencies, but bitcoin is built more on perfection as it always satisfies the long of a person when it comes to financial security, altcoins are only an alternative to bitcoin. However, though they have some common uses, but bitcoin offers more legitimacy and security, while altcoins are more seen as scams and unreliable, most especially those altcoins that are newly launched and developed in the market.

[nullama]

Both are considered cryptocurrencies, but bitcoin is built more on perfection as it always satisfies the long of a person when it comes to financial security, altcoins are only an alternative to bitcoin. However, though they have some common uses, but bitcoin offers more legitimacy and security, while altcoins are more seen as scams and unreliable, most especially those altcoins that are newly launched and developed in the market.

Most altcoins, if not all, are basically a company running a project, but without any of the constraints, checks and balances of a real company.

Basically it is the riskiest form of investment. Most altcoins are created just for the founders to get money off people that want to be rich.

It's almost like a casino but without the rules.

[Oluwa-btc]

Yeah, there's actually a huge difference in their creation process,both are still cryptocurrencies but in their technological and design creation lies so much difference in application and functioning.Since Bitcoin is the king to all cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin is aimed at prioritizing in some of it's features like that of decentralization and security while some altcoins may compromise on these and become vulnerable to cyber attack and inconveniences.