Learn
Coins and tokens
Altcoins, stablecoins, meme coins and the other things people mean by "crypto".
14 guides, in reading order
- Coin vs token: what is the difference?A coin is the built-in currency of its own blockchain. A token is an asset created on top of someone else's blockchain by a smart contract.2 min read
- What is an altcoin?An altcoin is any cryptocurrency other than bitcoin. The word covers thousands of coins and tokens, from ether to stablecoins and meme coins.2 min read
- What is a stablecoin and how does it work?A stablecoin is a crypto token built to hold a steady value, usually one US dollar, most often by keeping cash and government debt in reserve.2 min read
- USDT vs USDC: what are Tether and USD Coin?USDT (Tether) and USDC (USD Coin) are the two largest dollar stablecoins. They differ in who issues them, what backs them and how they are overseen.2 min read
- What is a meme coin?A meme coin is a cryptocurrency built around a joke, image or online trend. Its price depends on attention and community, not on any product.2 min read
- What is Dogecoin?Dogecoin is a cryptocurrency created in December 2013 as a joke. It runs on its own blockchain, has no supply cap and became the first meme coin.2 min read
- What is XRP and what is it used for?XRP is the coin of the XRP Ledger, a payments blockchain launched in 2012. It is closely tied to the company Ripple, which fought a long SEC lawsuit.2 min read
- What is a CBDC?A CBDC, or central bank digital currency, is a digital form of a country's official money issued by its central bank, not by a private company.2 min read
- What is tokenization?Tokenization means recording ownership of an asset such as a stock, fund, bond or building as a token on a blockchain, so it can move like crypto.2 min read
- What is tokenomics?Tokenomics is the economic design of a crypto token. It covers how many exist, how new ones are created, who holds them and what they are for.2 min read
- What is an ICO?An ICO, or initial coin offering, is a fundraising in which a crypto project sells newly created tokens to the public, usually before it has a product.2 min read
- What is a crypto airdrop?A crypto airdrop is a free distribution of tokens to many wallets, usually to reward early users of a project or to draw attention to a new one.2 min read
- Utility tokens vs security tokensA utility token is meant to be used on a platform. A security token is an investment such as a share or bond. The law looks at substance, not the label.2 min read
- What is a privacy coin?A privacy coin is a cryptocurrency built to hide who sent a payment, who received it and how much moved. Monero and Zcash are the best known.2 min read