Litecoin is one of the oldest cryptocurrencies, created in 2011 as a faster, cheaper complement to Bitcoin. It is widely used for low-cost payments and is often called the silver to Bitcoin's gold.
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Litecoin was created in 2011 by former Google engineer Charlie Lee as an early fork of Bitcoin. It kept Bitcoin's proven design but tuned it for everyday payments: blocks arrive every 2.5 minutes instead of ten, and it uses the Scrypt mining algorithm. The long-running nickname is the silver to Bitcoin's gold.
With more than a decade of uninterrupted operation, Litecoin is one of the most battle-tested networks in crypto. Transactions are fast and typically cost only cents, which has made LTC a common choice for payments and a frequent testing ground for upgrades later adopted by Bitcoin.
Litecoin has a hard cap of 84 million coins, four times Bitcoin's supply, and is secured by Proof-of-Work mining with a halving schedule that cuts new issuance over time. Its optional MWEB upgrade adds confidential transactions for users who want more privacy.
LTC is listed on virtually every exchange and is one of the easiest assets to buy and spend with fiat. Like all cryptocurrencies, its price is volatile and can move sharply with the broader market.
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Litecoin is mainly used for fast, low-cost payments. Transactions confirm in about 2.5 minutes for cents in fees, making LTC a practical coin for spending and transfers.
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