The digital gold for decentralized transactions. Bitcoin remains the first popular working cryptocurrency which is still in operation.
Type: currency
Launched: 2009
Creator: Satoshi Nakamoto
Website: bitcoin.org
Whitepaper
Consensus protocol: PoW (BFT)
Algorithm: SHA256
Max supply: 21,000,000 BTC
Source code: github.com/bitcoin/
Block explorer: blockchain.com
Ethereum is the biggest platform for smart contracts and distributed apps (dapps).
Type: token
Launched: 2014
Founders: Vitalik Buterin, Gavin Wood, Joseph Lubin
Website: ethereum.org
Whitepaper
Consensus protocol: PoW (BFT), soon PoS
Algorithm: EtHash
Max supply: unlimited, controlled emission
Source code: github.com/ethereum
Block explorer: etherscan.io
Ripple is an alternative interbanking currency accused of not being a true cryptocurrency.
Type: virtual currency
Founded: 2012 (2004 — Rittlepay protocol)
Founders: Arthur Britto, David Schwartz, Ryan Fugger
Website: ripple.com
Whitepaper
Consensus protocol: RPCA (Ripple Protocol consensus algorithm)
Algorithm: ECDSA
Max supply: 99,991,704,087 XRP
Source code: github.com/ripple
Block explorer: xrpcharts.ripple.com
Bitcoin Cash is a fork of Bitcoin, with faster transactions.
Type: currency
Launched: 2017 (Bitcoin fork)
Founder: Roger Ver
Website: bitcoincash.org
Whitepaper
Consensus protocol: PoW
Algorithm: SHA256
Max supply: 21,000,000 BTC
Source code: github.com/bitcoincashorg
Block explorer: blockchain.com
Litecoin is the digital silver, with faster transactions.
Type: currency
Launched: 2011 (Bitcoin fork)
Founder: Charlie Lee
Website: litecoin.org
Whitepaper
Consensus protocol: PoW (BFT)
Algorithm: Scrypt
Max supply: 84,000,000 LTC
Source code: github.com/litecoin-project/litecoin
Block explorer: blockchair.com/litecoin
EOS is a large-scale project with controversial management model and consensus protocol (DPoS).
Type: token
Launched: 2017
Founders: Daniel Larimer, Brendan Blumer
Website: eos.io
Whitepaper
Consensus protocol: DPoS
Algorithm: DPoS
Max Supply: 1,006,245,120 EOS
Source code: github.com/eosio
Block explorer: bloks.io
Tether is a stablecoin backed by US dollar 1:1.
Type: stablecoin
Launched: 2014
Founders: Craig Sellars, Brock Pierce
Website: tether.to
Whitepaper
Consensus protocol: —
Algorithm: Omni
Max Supply: unlimited
Source code: github.com/HubSpot/tether
Block explorer: omniexplorer.info
Cardano is a platform for smart contracts with an emphasis on security through a multi-level architecture.
Type: token
Launched: 2017
Founder: Charles Hoskinson
Website: cardano.org
Whitepaper
Consensus protocol: Ouroboros PoS
Algorithm: Ouroboros
Max Supply: 45,000,000,000 ADA
Source code: github.com/input-output-hk/cardano-sl
Block explorer: cardanoexplorer.com
IOTA is going to support decentralized transactions for the Internet of Things (ІоТ).
Type: token
Launched: 2015
Founder: David Sønstebø
Website: iota.org
Whitepaper
Consensus protocol: DAG
Algorithm: DAG
Max Supply: 2,779,530,283 MIOTA
Source code: github.com/iotaledger
Block explorer: thetangle.org
Neo is the Chinese Ethereum.
Type: token
Launched: 2014
Founders: Da Hongfei, Erik Zhang
Website: neo.org
Whitepaper
Consensus protocol: dBFT (Delegated Byzantine Fault Tolerance)
Algorithm: dBFT
Max Supply: 100,000,000 NEO
Source code: github.com/neo-project
Block explorer: neotracker.io
Monero is anonymous and private cryptocurrency.
Type: currency
Launched: 2014
Founder: Nicolas van Saberhagen
Website: getmonero.org
Whitepaper
Consensus protocol: PoW
Algorithm: CryptoNight
Max Supply: 16,808,514 XMR
Source code: github.com/monero-project/monero
Block explorer: moneroblocks.info