Altcoins are the countless other coins in the crypto universe. Some are basically copy-paste versions of Bitcoin with small tweaks, while others offer entirely new protocols and concepts. It’s like a cosmic bazaar where you can find everything from advanced smart contracts to practical joke tokens.

While Bitcoin’s primary value proposition is sound money and a decentralized store of value, altcoins might focus on transaction speed, privacy features, governance models, or niche applications. Some altcoins have evolved into robust ecosystems, while others remain experimental or fade into obscurity. Whether they pose genuine competition or just complement Bitcoin is often a topic of heated debate among crypto enthusiasts.