Litecoin is a Proof-of-Work (PoW) blockchain network, and its native cryptocurrency $LTC enables fast, secure, and low-cost transactions on a global scale. More
Fully Diluted Valuation | $7.55B |
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24H Trading Volume | $1.17B |
24H Low / High | $96.08 / $ 101.20 |
Circulating Supply | 76.41M |
Total Supply | 76.41M |
Max Supply | 84.00M |
Categories | Proof of Work (PoW) 6 more |
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Founder | Charlie Lee |
Website | litecoin.org |
Socials | 1 more |
Explorer | Oklink 7 more |
Name | Pair | OG Score |
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Litecoin $LTC was launched in October 2011 by Charlie Lee, a former Google engineer, as one of the earliest alternative cryptocurrencies. Created as a fork of Bitcoin’s blockchain, it was designed to address Bitcoin’s inefficiencies by offering faster block times and lower transaction costs. Its primary vision was to make cryptocurrency more suitable for everyday payments.
Over the years, Litecoin $LTC has reached several milestones. The activation of Segregated Witness (SegWit) in May 2017 improved transaction efficiency, and its early adoption of the Lightning Network showcased its focus on speed and scalability. More recently, the integration of the MimbleWimble Extension Block (MWEB) in 2022 added privacy and scalability enhancements, further strengthening its role as a practical payments-focused blockchain.
Litecoin $LTC maintains many similarities to Bitcoin but incorporates unique technical adjustments. It uses a Proof-of-Work (PoW) consensus mechanism but relies on the Scrypt hashing algorithm rather than Bitcoin’s SHA-256, making mining more accessible and encouraging decentralization.
A major differentiator is its block generation time of 2.5 minutes compared to Bitcoin’s 10 minutes, enabling quicker transaction confirmations. Litecoin $LTC also features a larger capped supply of 84 million coins, four times that of Bitcoin’s 21 million. This supply design supports accessibility and inflation resistance.
The 2022 MimbleWimble Extension Block upgrade added privacy options by obfuscating transaction details and improving scalability through reduced data overhead. These features emphasize Litecoin $LTC’s role as both a fast and efficient payment system and a privacy-aware platform.
Litecoin $LTC is widely adopted for payments due to its speed, low fees, and reliability. Many merchants, both online and offline, accept it as a payment method, with support from processors such as BitPay and CoinGate.
Cross-border remittances are another strong use case, where Litecoin $LTC offers a faster and more affordable alternative to traditional transfer systems. It is also listed on major payment platforms such as PayPal, increasing mainstream accessibility.
Additionally, Litecoin $LTC is often used by developers as a “testing ground” for Bitcoin-related innovations due to its technical similarities and active community, allowing experimentation before broader adoption.
Litecoin $LTC follows a deflationary model with a fixed maximum supply of 84 million coins. Block rewards are halved approximately every four years to reduce new issuance, supporting long-term scarcity. The most recent halving occurred in August 2023, reducing block rewards from 12.5 LTC to 6.25 LTC.
Utility and demand for Litecoin $LTC come from its dual role as a medium of exchange and store of value. Its low fees make it well suited for micro-transactions, e-commerce, and peer-to-peer payments, while the halving mechanism provides supply-side discipline.
The Litecoin $LTC ecosystem is supported by a global community of developers, miners, and enthusiasts, coordinated through the Litecoin Foundation. The foundation drives advocacy, technical upgrades, and partnerships to increase adoption.
Partnerships have also extended Litecoin $LTC’s reach. Notable collaborations include sponsorship deals such as with the Miami Dolphins and integrations with platforms like Travala, broadening usage in sports and travel industries. While there is no direct governmental adoption, its transparent and compliance-friendly design has helped it maintain relevance in regulated markets.
Litecoin $LTC has continued to evolve with ongoing community development and steady institutional interest. Its third halving event in 2023 reinforced its scarcity model, while the growing adoption of MWEB highlights increasing demand for private and scalable transactions.
Institutional involvement has strengthened, with higher trading volumes across exchanges and integrations into payment applications. Litecoin $LTC continues to be recognized as a reliable and efficient payment network, particularly suited to everyday use and cross-border value transfers.
As one of the oldest and most established cryptocurrencies, Litecoin $LTC remains highly relevant in the blockchain ecosystem. Its focus on speed, efficiency, low fees, and privacy improvements has enabled sustained adoption over more than a decade. Supported by a strong community and expanding integrations, Litecoin $LTC continues to position itself as a practical, resilient, and innovative digital currency.
Litecoin $LTC’s fast transaction speeds and low fees make it a cost-effective alternative for cross-border transfers compared to traditional remittance services.
SegWit, activated in 2017, reduced transaction sizes by separating signatures from transaction data, allowing for more transactions per block and lower fees.
MWEB enhances Litecoin $LTC’s privacy by obscuring transaction details and improves scalability by reducing unnecessary data storage.
The Scrypt algorithm makes mining more accessible by requiring less specialized hardware than SHA-256, promoting broader participation in the network.
Litecoin $LTC supports the Lightning Network to enable instant, low-cost micropayments by processing transactions off-chain.
Litecoin stands out for its faster transaction speed, minimal transaction fees, and widespread global acceptance, offering a compelling alternative to Bitcoin.
Litecoin was founded by Charlie Lee, a former Google engineer and early Bitcoin adopter, who currently serves as the managing director of the Litecoin Foundation.
Litecoin's ongoing development is supported by the Litecoin Foundation, a non-profit organization, and its board of directors, including Xinxi Wang, Alan Austin, and Zing Yang.
Litecoin employs a Proof-of-Work (PoW) consensus mechanism, like Bitcoin, with miners solving complex mathematical problems to validate transactions and secure the network.
You can buy Litecoin (LTC) on Binance, Gate.ioBybitMEXCBitget cryptocurrency exchanges.