In the world of digital currencies, there is no difference; ‘crypto’ is simply a shortened version of the word ‘cryptocurrency’. Cryptocurrencies are digital or virtual currencies that use cryptography to ensure transactions are anonymous and secure.
As of 2024, there are reports of over 20,000 cryptocurrencies in existence – though not all are actively traded or in use. Many of these are ‘dead’ cryptocurrencies, which have failed and been abandoned. The number of active cryptocurrencies varies, with estimates suggesting that tens of thousands of cryptocurrencies are actively traded today.
Bitcoin (BTC) is the most popular and widely recognised cryptocurrency in the world. It was the first cryptocurrency created and remains the most valuable by market capitalisation. Bitcoin’s pioneering role and established reputation have made it a benchmark for the entire crypto market.
Bitcoin (BTC) is the most-traded cryptocurrency, with the highest trading volumes across global exchanges. Its market dominance and liquidity make it a favourite among crypto traders around the world. Ethereum (ETH) is the most-traded cryptocurrency aside from Bitcoin.
Often, the term ‘Ethereum’ is used to refer to both the network and the cryptocurrency. Ethereum is a blockchain and distributed platform that enables anyone to create blockchain-based applications. Ether (ETH) is the native cryptocurrency of the Ethereum platform. Ether is extremely popular and is the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalisation, widely used for transactions and application development on the Ethereum network.
