Litecoin (LTC) is a popular cryptocurrency known for its fast and low-cost transactions enabled by blockchain technology. It originated as a hard fork from the Bitcoin protocol, offering improved block times and transaction fee efficiency. Litecoin is often referred to as the "lite" version of Bitcoin, consuming fewer resources for mining and operations.
One of the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market cap, Litecoin has been in existence for a considerable amount of time, operating alongside Bitcoin and Ethereum. While Ethereum focuses on smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps), Litecoin's primary focus is to promote the adoption of cryptocurrencies for fast, affordable, and secure digital payments.
Litecoin users benefit from a decentralized, open-source, public, and transparent blockchain infrastructure, allowing businesses and consumers to send and receive payments instantly worldwide. Litecoin is often compared to silver in the crypto industry, while Bitcoin is considered the equivalent of gold.
This analogy stems from the belief that Litecoin serves as a store of value, similar to Bitcoin, but with a lower price in the crypto market. One reason for the price difference between LTC and BTC is Litecoin's larger total supply of 84 million, four times the maximum supply of Bitcoin, making its circulating supply relatively less scarce than Bitcoin.
