
Plus, Bitcoin is the base currency that you need to purchase if you want to end up getting some of the other currencies on this list. You can't simply buy many of these others with USD - you need BTC.īitcoin is one of the easiest cryptocurrencies to invest in. Just open a Coinbase account and get started > 2. EthereumĮthereum was initially seen as the cryptocurrency that could shove bitcoin off of its thrown as the dominant currency. It didn’t work out that way but Ethereum holds a solid #2 by market cap.Įthereum did provide a few enhancements over bitcoin. Namely smart contracts and 5X higher transactions per second (TPS) than bitcoin. If you're curious about Ethereum, check out our guide on How To Invest In Ethereum. Ethereum is also easily available to invest in on Coinbase. Litecoin has similarities in its infrastructure to bitcoin. Litecoin’s transaction fees are far less, at around $0.35 per transaction. Just like Ethereum, Litecoin also has higher TPS than bitcoin. Litecoin has an $81 million cap on coins that can be mined. This means Litecoin could potentially see steady increases in price, depending on future demand. Litecoin is currently ranked at #5 by marketcap so it isn’t a slouch by any means. Ripple is more than just an exchange of value. It helps make cross border financial transactions more efficient. By working with financial institutions, Ripple lowers currency exchange rates and provides for real-time exchange rates.īefore Ripple, banks often had to use intermediaries for cross border transactions. These were expensive and could takes days to complete. Ripple has greatly improved efficiencies in how cross border transactions operate.įor an investor, this shows that Ripple is providing real value in the world beyond the basic store or exchange of value premise. It is a derivative of the bitcoin codebase. It’s main difference is anonymity of transactions.
