Altcoin
In short
Altcoin ("alternative coin") means any cryptocurrency other than Bitcoin — from Ethereum down to the smallest niche project. The umbrella term says nothing about quality.
Altcoins usually swing harder than Bitcoin: they often rise faster in booms and fall deeper in busts. The smaller the project, the bigger both chance and risk.
Are altcoins "better Bitcoins"?
Some solve real problems; many disappear. The multi-cycle survival rate of small coins is low.
Related terms
Information, not investment advice. More of this? The newsletter.