What are the best alternatives to Bitcoin for 2021? Are there any better crypto investments than Bitcoin? Can any cryptocurrencies replace Bitcoin? If these questions are on your mind, we have the answers!
The price of Bitcoin has gone through the roof in 2021, hovering between $50k and $60k since March, and there’s a lot of excitement in the air that this is just the beginning.
So far, the US government has spent as much as $5.3 trillion on coronavirus relief, not including the $1.9 trillion plan the ruling Democratic party finally passed.
According to CityAM, approximately one-fifth of all US dollars were printed in the last year!
Typically, when we experience this kind of money printing it decreases the purchasing power of the USD, we see people rushing to gold and gold prices start going berserk.
But that hasn’t happened…
Just check the charts and you’ll see that gold is trading at the same rate in March 2021 as it was back in March 2020!
This is incredibly strange in the face of all the government printing, and it shows us that people are putting their money somewhere else and it looks like it’s probably crypto.
And if that revelation wasn’t convincing enough for you that Bitcoin is becoming the ultimate store of value, wait till you find out what young people think about crypto!
According to CNBC, millennials are five times more likely to believe that Bitcoin is the best way to save money, and Verdict reported back in 2019 that young people have more trust in cryptocurrency exchanges than traditional stocks.
It shows us that a major shift is likely to happen in the near future.
So, why trade anything but Bitcoin if it’s the ‘perfect’ asset?
Getting straight to the point, altcoins (‘alternative coin’: any crypto that is not Bitcoin) can sometimes be more profitable to trade than Bitcoin.
While Bitcoin is historically the most profitable crypto, it doesn’t always go up in price. It also declines (sometimes very dramatically) or just moves sideways (what is referred to as ‘ranging’).
When this happens, altcoins can offer far better opportunities as they may present more favourable prospects.
Despite the excitement around Bitcoin reaching its newest all-time high, it may actually be at its riskiest point yet as the chances of a crash happening could be even higher.
And so, for Bitcoin traders, it makes sense to diversify that risk and open positions or buy up other coins, just in case. (You don’t want to lose all your money, do you?)
Some traders may also want a hedge against Bitcoin or feel more comfortable trading something similar. Most likely they have made some money with Bitcoin already and want to repeat the process.
And then there are other traders, usually of a more technical background, who see the vast possibilities crypto has opened up with smart contracts and DApps.
In this article, we’ll look at the best alternatives to Bitcoin and take a look at which coins are best suited to dethrone this behemot
Best Bitcoin Alternatives 2021: Top 10
Check out the list of the best bitcoin alternatives in better detail below!
1. Bitcoin Cash (BCH) - Like Bitcoin, but with bigger blocks
Bitcoin Cash is by far the closest thing to Bitcoin. Created in 2017 by forking the Bitcoin blockchain, Bitcoin Cash was born out of disagreements in the Bitcoin community about how to best tackle scalability and transaction speeds.
Why is Bitcoin Cash a good alternative to Bitcoin?
The primary idea behind Bitcoin Cash that differentiates it from Bitcoin is block size.
Before Satoshi Nakamoto disappeared in 2011, he suggested that one way to overcome issues of scalability and transaction speeds was to increase Bitcoin’s block size to enable more transactions to be validated in each block.
The Bitcoin community became polarised on this issue after Nakamoto vanished. Eventually, one group split away to attempt to fulfil what they believed was Nakamoto’s solution and created Bitcoin Cash.
The newly founded Bitcoin Cash then increased the size of blocks by eightfold and continues to experiment with even larger block sizes. There is even the possibility of increasing it to 1 GB (this is unbelievably huge!).
Early on, Roger Ver was often seen as the face of Bitcoin Cash, though he is not directly involved, his shift from supporting Bitcoin to Bitcoin Cash persuaded many to do the same.
Why could Bitcoin Cash be a bad alternative to Bitcoin?
Increasing the size of blocks turned out to be a double-edged sword for Bitcoin Cash and still polarises many within the crypto community. It either draws people in or pushes them away.
This is primarily because increasing the size of blocks is seen by some as incredibly risky and a potential threat to security.
Theoretically, someone could enter a malicious transaction and it could invalidate all the other transactions within the block.
Another reason why Bitcoin Cash might not be the best alternative to Bitcoin is its development is not as well organised as other cryptocurrency projects.
BCH has many developers working in different teams on the protocol. While this approach is more decentralised, it makes it harder to track what is actually changing.
Further to that, it could also lead to a lot of technical problems later on as changes are not properly communicated.
Should you invest in Bitcoin Cash?
Bitcoin Cash is by far the closest thing to Bitcoin itself, so if that is what you are looking for, it is definitely your best bet.
Price predictions for Bitcoin Cash are looking pretty good too. Digitalcoin estimates that in 2021, BCH could reach highs of $764.08 and that by 2028, we might see prices as high as $2,402.54!
Would you invest in Bitcoin Cash (BCH)?
2. Litecoin (LTC) - An improved version of Bitcoin?
After Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin stands out as the next best Bitcoin alternative in terms of closeness in technological approach and being a fork of Bitcoin’s blockchain.
Again though, there are some important differences between them.
Why is Litecoin a good alternative to Bitcoin?
Litecoin was one of the first-ever altcoins and is far more well-known than other cryptocurrencies.
However, what makes it so different from Bitcoin is a number of improvements, including supposedly more advanced cryptographic algorithms, a larger cap on the number of coins (84 million) and a bigger block reward (which theoretically will keep the miners interested for longer).
There are many that believe that these tweaks make Litecoin more technologically sound than Bitcoin.
It should also be noted that Litecoin was founded by Charlie Lee, a computer scientist who previously worked for Google.
More recently, the MimbleWimble upgrade to Litecoin completed in 2021 has added a vast number of improvements to Litecoin, including scaling and privacy.
Why could Litecoin be a bad alternative to Bitcoin?
Litecoin is of course not without fault and there are plenty of issues that need to be addressed.
Firstly, it is one of the most used cryptos for illegal purposes according to several studies. Apparently, 30% of illegal vendors accept Litecoin, and this has marred its image considerably.
Of course, while many of us know that physical cash is used far more than crypto to launder money and illegal businesses, Litecoin will have a harder time than most cryptos to convince people that it’s of the good guys.
To make things worse, Litecoin struggles to keep people interested anymore. The growing number of alternatives has pushed Litecoin to the back of the crowd.
Even Charlie Lee seems to be losing faith, selling all of his Litecoin back in 2017.
Should you invest in Litecoin?
If you think Litecoin’s ‘improvements’ add some real value to the coin, it may be a great coin to invest in. 2021 could be a very good year for Litecoin, according to Digitalcoin! They predict that LTC could reach $274.79 in 2021 and by 2028, we could see it reach as high as $862.04!
Is Litecoin (LTC) the moneymaker you were looking for?
3. Ethereum (ETH) - Bitcoin’s only real rival?
The second-largest cryptocurrency is perhaps the only serious contender with a real chance of replacing Bitcoin. Ethereum goes above and beyond the possibilities of Bitcoin in several ways.
Why is Ethereum a good alternative to Bitcoin?
Ethereum is drastically different from Bitcoin and offers so much more to the crypto community.
Smart contracts and DApps are Ethereum’s bread and butter, but it has also expanded immensely into DeFi with approximately 216 projects (in comparison to Bitcoins 26), and on top of that, many other altcoins originate from Ethereum’s blockchain.
Ethereum has cleverly managed to place itself in the centre of a lot of action on the cryptocurrency market.
And we also have to address that Ethereum is typically a new crypto traders second choice. Usually, after a newbie trader gets their hands on Bitcoin, the next thing they will look at investing in is Ethereum.
It’s not hard to see why. According to Statista, in 2020, Bitcoin controlled 66% of the market, next comes Ethereum at only 8%.
And finally, Ethereum will be making a major change in 2021, moving to proof of stake, which could dramatically improve Ethereum’s price.
All this makes it pretty unlikely Bitcoin will never get rid of Ethereum, but Ethereum could definitely get rid of Bitcoin!
Why could Ethereum be a bad alternative to Bitcoin?
Ethereum can be seen as too complex for some traders, as it is trying to achieve too much.
Most people like Bitcoin because it is simply trying to replace the current financial system (which when you say that way sounds a little mental!). It is a very clear goal that most people can understand and get behind.
But Ethereum is trying to do that and a 100 million other things (not literally, of course).
They’re in bed with DApps, DeFi and smart contracts - these topics and lose people who just want a better way to send money to each other, peer to peer.
Ethereum also has swaths of rivals trying to compete with it for control over the different areas it brought into crypto - Cardano (coming up soon!), EOS and Binance Coin (also coming up soon!) are just some of them.
Perhaps the biggest concern should be that there is no limit on the number of Ether tokens that can be generated as there is with Bitcoin.
This is problematic because if Ethereum floods the market with Ether tokens, it could plummet the price and lower the value for those that hold it, losing them all money.
Bitcoin has the upper hand here as many flock to it for its scarcity.
Should you invest in Ethereum?
Investing in Ethereum is seen by many as a smart move. Many believe that it may be pretty undervalued. WalletInvestor is very bullish on Ethereum’s price, predicting that it will reach $2,600.81 in one year and $5,951.93 in five years.
What do you think? Is it wise to invest in Ethereum (ETH)?
4. Ripple (XRP) - A very different approach to cryptocurrency
A bridge between the current financial system and the crypto world, Ripple’s aims are quite different to Bitcoins and aims to partner up with big banks and finance, not tear them down.
Why is Ripple a good alternative to Bitcoin?
Ripple is a good alternative for those who do not want to destroy the entire financial system but want it to evolve along with cryptocurrency.
Its goals are to make it easier to send money to people wherever they are around the world. The XRP token acts as a bridge between different currencies, helping facilitate the transfer.
The idea is that you can send money to someone in one currency, and they will receive it in their own currency.
Generally speaking, Ripple has a very clean reputation which gives the public a much better perception.
Bitcoin still at times struggles with politicians (particularly older generations) who still maintain the belief that BTC is primarily for purchasing things illegally online.
However, this ‘clean reputation’ became very muddled when the SEC (US Securities and Exchange Commission) sued Ripple (more on that below).
Beating the court case against the SEC could skyrocket the price of Ripple and it’s starting to look like it might actually happen.
Most recently, the judge overseeing the case admitted in court that they understood Ripple had value as a currency. This has the potential to shatter the SEC’s claims who argue that XRP is actually a security.
Another vital thing to mention is that Ripple held the position of third-largest cryptocurrency for a long period of time. In fact, according to Statista, in 2020, Ripple controlled 4% of the market!
Why could Ripple be a bad alternative to Bitcoin?
The biggest concern with Ripple right now is that the SEC court case - who are suing Ripple for $1.3 billion - is still ongoing and might last most of 2021.
Ripple can still lose even if the odds are in their favour (which many pundits seem to be suggesting). Anything can still happen at this point and this kind of uncertainty isn’t fun to trade with.
The lawsuit caused a lot of disruption to the price of Ripple, dropping from highs in the low $0.60’s and high $0.50’s to a low of $0.21, a price we haven’t seen in a long time. It even led to Coinbase delisting XRP to protect themselves.
Some in the crypto community don’t like Ripple because of its close relationship with banks and financial institutions. They believe that Bitcoin was created to destroy them, not to partner up with them.
And then there is the more troubling issue of Ripple being centralised, which is a complete ‘no-go’ for many in the crypto community who strongly believe decentralisation is the way forward.
Simply because of these two issues, many diehard crypto enthusiasts who would never touch Ripple.
Should you invest in Ripple?
Ripple may recover from the issues with the SEC and if this happens it could do wonders for its price.
Digitalcoin’s predictions for XRP are full of optimism. For 2021, they predict that Ripple’s price could reach $0.87227195 in 2021 and by 2028, they predict that it could be worth $2.66.
Do you think Ripple (XRP) could be a profitable investment?
5. Binance Coin (BNB) - Best cryptocurrency to invest in for 2021?
The Binance Exchange’s handy little discount coin is much more than it looks. Rampaging upwards in price, BNB looks like a great investment right now.
Why is Binance Coin a good alternative to Bitcoin?
Binance Coin has experienced a period of immense growth over the last year, slowly and steadily getting into the top five (and occasionally top three) in terms of market capitalisation.
Fundamentally, BNB doesn’t have too much to do with Bitcoin, that said many use BNB to pay for fees on the Binance Exchange to buy Bitcoin.
So, what this generally means is that when Bitcoin is on the rise, you can expect a lot of Binance Coin trading as well.
But there is another thing the two have in common; Binance Coin has a simplicity like Bitcoin that is easy to grasp. Both are easy to grasp concepts.
And further to that, they both work the way there are intended to. We’re not waiting around speculating if BNB will work or not - we already know that it does.
Furthermore, Binance Coin also has stepped into DApps with its Smart Chain - a separate chain to the main chain - with this it can make a major dent in Ethereum’s hold over the market.
Why could Binance Coin be a bad alternative to Bitcoin?
Just like Ripple, Binance Coin is centralised! It is completely owned by Binance and they can do whatever they want to the coin. It’s 100% theirs and coin holders have absolutely no say.
To make things worse, Binance has reminded us why we don’t like centralised cryptos at all. Binance has made changes to the whitepaper and not told people and has been called out on transparency.
It may be the case of just not thinking they need to inform coin holders of changes, but to many of us, it comes across as untrustworthy, which is the last thing you want to be in the crypto market.
Could you imagine the whole world’s wealth being controlled by a corporation? And to make it worse, a corporation that you don’t trust?
Should you invest in Binance Coin?
Centralised or not, it’s not likely people will stop trading BNB any time soon!
WalletInvestor gives Binance Coin a positive outlook, predicting that it could reach $339.456 in 2021 and $653.139 in 2025!
Would it be smart to invest in Binance Coin (BNB)?
6. Cardano (ADA) - The fastest growing coin of 2021 so far?
With an increase in price as high as 720% in 2021 so far, Cardano might be the best cryptocurrency to invest in right now!
Why is Cardano a good alternative to Bitcoin?
The straight-up reason to be interested in Cardano right now is it’s showing some excellent growth.
ADA is getting closer and closer to the top of the pile in terms of market capitalisation (or perhaps that should be rephrased as Bitcoin is so far above everyone else, Cardano is just above most other coins).
It’s a great alternative in the sense that its growth potential makes you think of Bitcoin.
In March, Cardano, Tether and Binance Coin have been doing this funny dance where the three of them keep swapping places. All three of them desperately want that third spot after Ethereum.
Speaking of Ethereum, perhaps Cardano is really a better alternative for Ethereum than Bitcoin because ADA is competing with Ether on several levels, including smart contracts and DApps.
Seeing a new level of acceptance has only served to drive Cardano’s price higher and it is now available on Coinbase too, which will likely increase the amount of ADA being traded.
Why could Cardano be a bad alternative to Bitcoin?
There is a big dark cloud hovering over Cardano, and that cloud is a metaphor for the hidden truth that Cardano is not production-ready!
What this means is that nothing has really been delivered yet. Not even Cardano’s smart contracts are live yet!
Buying ADA right now is pure speculation as you are running the risk that Cardano might not be able to deliver on all their promises or that the finished product doesn’t work as expected.
The second biggest reason is that Cardano is in a highly competitive market. There are so many other cryptos in this arena related to smart contracts and DApps now. While Cardano was a little earlier than most, it is getting increasingly difficult to keep up with them.
Further to that, while Cardano introduced the idea of multiple blockchains working together, other cryptos have caught up with this (e.g., Polkadot), making it a little less unique.
Should you invest in Cardano?
Despite Cardano’s immense growth so far this year, WalletInvestor gives ADA a sensible one-year forecast of $1.758 and a healthy five-year forecast of $4.114.
A very nice improvement!
How much would you invest in Cardano (ADA)?
7. Dogecoin (DOGE) - Price volatility that takes us back to Bitcoin’s early days
No one at Trading Education would have thought that in the near future we would actually be taking Dogecoin seriously! But the ‘memecoin’ isn’t just a clever satire on cryptocurrency anymore!
Why is Dogecoin a good alternative to Bitcoin?
Though Dogecoin started out as a joke, there was something that the creators were trying to achieve that was more serious (though not that intentionally) - speed up adoption and expose more people to cryptocurrency.
This is because Dogecoin can reach a wider demographic than Bitcoin and that’s primarily what makes Dogecoina great alternative to Bitcoin.
While the topic of Bitcoin can sometimes be very serious (Silk Road, the Dark Web, murder for hire), Dogecoin sort to lighten up the mood.
In some respects, Dogecoin has done more than most coins to remove the ‘fear’ factor from cryptocurrency and show us that cryptocurrency is so much more than the minority that uses it for illegal purposes.
More recently in 2021, the Reddit group SatoshiStreetBets started a campaign to pump up the price of Dogecoin and were very successful.
They have also been egged on by Elon Musk who is perhaps one of Dogecoin’s most well-known fans.
Why could Dogecoin be a bad alternative to Bitcoin?
Dogecoin was designed to be as silly as possible. Initially, the block reward for mining blocks was randomised, so miners could get a completely different amount every time they completed a block (though in 2014 it was pegged at 10,000 DOGE).
And the market cap was also designed to be ridiculous too, being placed at 127 billion for no real reason. Quite simply, Dogecoin was never designed to be stable!
In fact, Billy Markus, one of the two founders of Dogecoin, created it in literally three hours! Even he finds it insane that people are this attached to something he did with a few hours of his spare time.
And finally, getting back to Reddit and Musk, what happens when they are no longer interested in Dogecoin? Well, it’s quite obvious - it will slowly decline and disappear.
Should SHOULD invest in Dogecoin?
Dogecoin might perhaps be a good short-term investment, not a long-term investment! Or at least that’s what it looks like for the time being.
But some experts disagree. WalletInvestor, for example, predicts that Dogecoin could reach $0.07020 and $0.127 in five years.
Don't Miss: Dogecoin Price Prediction
Much Wow! Is Dogecoin (DOGE) a serious investment?
8. Dash (DASH) - Another old-school peer-to-peer alternative
Founded in 2014, Dash is another crypto that came about early on in the altcoin boom. Like Bitcoin, it primarily aims to help people transfer money without the use of third parties.
Why is Dash a good alternative to Bitcoin?
Dash is one of the most popular in the developing world, rivalling both Bitcoin and Ethereum in Latin America and Africa.
A key reason Dash has an edge over Bitcoin is that BTC has become problematic in terms of useability as so much money is being pumped into it by investors.
As we mentioned in the introduction of this article, Bitcoin is now seen as a store of wealth. This raises the question: What about its original purpose? Has Bitcoin given up on its goal of knocking down the banks?
Dash meanwhile appears to be doing a better job. Particularly in Venezuela where after the collapse of their currency, the Venezuelan bolívar, many turned to crypto, specifically Dash.
Also, Dash features the option to send crypto anonymously. A major feature that critics say is missing from Bitcoin (it’s not too hard to track transactions using Bitcoin’s ledger).
Why could Dash be a bad alternative to Bitcoin?
Like Litecoin, Dash has been moving out of fashion over the last few years. Both coins have been around for a long time and a new generation of coins have started to emerge with more complex features, goals and technology.
Perhaps though it is not so much that Dash is slowing down, it’s that other coins are growing at a much faster rate. Either way, it could mean that Dash is destined for the altcoin graveyard.
Dash perhaps needs something much bigger to differentiate itself from everyone else. But this might not be possible.
Should you invest in Dash?
Digitalcoin predicts that Dash could reach $304.88 in 2021 and as high as $950.49 by 2028.
Is Dash (DASH) the golden investment you were looking for?
9. Uniswap (UNI) - Example of how far the crypto market has come in +10 years
We’ve added Uniswap to our cryptocurrency list as an example of how far the cryptocurrency market has come in the 10 plus years since Bitcoin was created. For some, it may be very new.
Essentially, Uniswap is a decentralised exchange (DEX).
Why is Uniswap a good alternative to Bitcoin?
Founded in only 2018, Uniswap’s price has improved in leaps and bounds. In March 2021, Uniswap finally stepped into the top 10 by market capitalisation, taking the eighth spot according to CoinMarketCap, at the time of writing.
It’s a huge achievement for such a little-known coin. It shows us that new altcoins really can make a big impact. (It took Bitcoin years to reach the prices Uniswap reached in just three!)
The idea of Uniswap is very interesting. Working on the Ethereum blockchain, it is a decentralised exchange that allows anyone to list and trade any coin.
Decentralised exchanges have several advantages over traditional exchanges because firstly they do not charge fees and give traders much more control over the assets they are trading.
And functioning on top of Ethereum as an ERC-20, enables it to be compatible with all other tokens built on the Ethereum blockchain, enabling more people to trade crypto.
Uniswap is a big threat not only to crypto exchanges like Coinbase and Binance but brokerage firms too and could potentially move into other assets like stocks and currencies.
DEXs may end up being just as innovative as Bitcoin was when it first came around which could make it an excellent alternative to Bitcoin.
Why could Uniswap be a bad alternative to Bitcoin?
Uniswap is a super young crypto, so it may be wiser for traders to wait and see how it performs. More cautious crypto traders are more likely to take this approach with other DeFi projects too.
Meanwhile, Bitcoin has been around for more than a decade and people understand it a lot better.
Aside from this, another major concern about Uniswap is that in a sense it is not completely decentralised! This is because approximately 40% of all UNI tokens are held by investors and developers.
This is slightly concerning because it perhaps gives them far too much control over the price. If there were to all simultaneously sell off their coins, the price would plummet.
And finally, due to the complex nature of Uniswap, it might be more recommended for advanced crypto traders who are more knowledgeable of the state of the crypto market and can judge how feasible Uniswap’s goals are.
Should you invest in Uniswap?
If you’re looking for something super innovative, Uniswap might be your best bet.
WalletInvestor seems to suggest that Uniswap is going to increase dramatically in value. They predict that it could reach $87.536 in one year and $308.126 in five years.
Is investing in Uniswap (UNI) worth the risk?
10. Bitcoin SV (BSV) - Bitcoin purists who aim to stick to ‘Satoshi’s vision’
After Bitcoin Cash and Litecoin, Bitcoin SV is the closest thing you will find to Bitcoin as another fork of the blockchain.
Why is Bitcoin SV a good alternative to Bitcoin?
The ‘SV’ at the end of Bitcoin SV stands for ‘Satoshi Vision’ and it tells us a lot about what they aim to achieve.
In short, BSV came into existence after disagreements in the Bitcoin Cash community over how to develop further (sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Isn’t that how we got Bitcoin Cash in the first place?).
Some of the BCH camp were even planning on implementing smart contracts and the Satoshi Vision crew argued that they were drifting too far from the original ideas of Bitcoin, specifically those set by Satoshi Nakamoto.
They believed that it was important to not give up on what Nakamoto had started. Things like smart contracts and DApps had nothing to do with what Bitcoin was supposed to do.
Bitcoin was supposed to bypass the banks and create a new financial system, free of third-parties. Not become a platform for mobile games or selling digital artwork!
Why could Bitcoin SV be a bad alternative to Bitcoin?
Bitcoin SV’s most well-known face is that of Craig Wright’s. Today, Wright is the chief scientist at nChain which promotes the use of Bitcoin SV.
Wright, for those that don’t know, is a very controversial figure. He claims to be Satoshi Nakamoto and many argue that his claims are false, that he is even a fraud trying to benefit from his notoriety.
Nevertheless, some follow Wright and believe him to be telling the truth, and he has taken them to Bitcoin SV.
Another issue with Bitcoin SV that needs to be addressed is that there is a belief that Bitcoin SV is the only true version of Bitcoin, and that what we call Bitcoin, and all its forks are essentially ‘false prophets’. Wright, by siding with BSV, perpetuates this theory.
This begs the questions: Do we really need this debate? Do we really even care?
It is starting to sound like a big conspiracy theory or the basis of a giant con game, which is pretty off-putting for wise traders.
Should you invest in Bitcoin SV?
WalletInvestor gives Bitcoin SV a mixed outlook. They predict that over the next year, Bitcoin SV will decline slightly in value to $218.928, but that within five years it could reach $281.914.
Could investing in Bitcoin SV (BSV) be the smartest thing you do this year?
Conclusion: What Is The Next Best Thing To Bitcoin?
Looking at the market, it would be very easy to simply assume that the nine coins that follow Bitcoin in terms of market capitalisation on CoinMarketCap are ‘the next best thing’.
And some make similar assumptions when looking at the price per coin. For example, Cardano is around $1 per coin and Binance Coin is around $240 per coin, but the two are not that far off in terms of market cap, both typically ranging between $35 to $40 billion.
Neither price nor market cap are the right way to measure the success of a coin.
Further to that, coins come and go. They gain and lose momentum non-stop. The market’s interest changes. Dreams are unfulfilled or people just get bored. Some coins change and some just stay the same (you can even call these coins ‘zombiecoins’).
So, all this makes it hard to exactly pinpoint what could be the closest thing to Bitcoin, both in terms of technological innovation and investment performance.
The best way to look at this question is to offer two types of alternatives - coins that are close to Bitcoin and coins that are very different.
If you want to invest in something similar to Bitcoin, you should probably invest in Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Dash, Dogecoin and/or Bitcoin SV.
However, if you are looking for something different to Bitcoin, you should consider Ethereum, Binance Coin, Ripple, Cardano and Uniswap.
Whatever you decide, remember that diversification is the safest approach - don’t go investing all you have on one coin! Spread the risk!
But, to give a very short and simple answer to the question, most likely Ethereum is the next big thing to Bitcoin.
Which coin can replace Bitcoin?
The likelihood of any altcoin surpassing Bitcoin, at least in the next few years, is very implausible.
Bitcoin appears to be aiming for new levels. As of March 2021, it is ranging from $50k to $60k. And price predictions for the coming year are all over the place.
Some, such as Anthony Pompliano, predict that Bitcoin could reach $100,000 by the end of 2021, and $500,000 by 2030.
It took years to get to this point. But that said, Bitcoin led the way and made it easier for other coins to come into existence and gain value - just look at how quickly Uniswap rose to prominence.
Perhaps the coins that have the best chance to replace Bitcoin would either be Litecoin or Ethereum.
Litecoin is technologically similar to Bitcoin but has several improvements that could mean it can outlive Bitcoin.
And Ethereum can pretty much do everything Bitcoin can do and more. It also has an advantage over Litecoin in that it is the second-largest and second most popular cryptocurrency available today.
Is there a better cryptocurrency than Bitcoin?
Probably yes. No one ever said that Bitcoin is perfect or that it was even finished.
Looking back to the very beginning, when Nakamoto first started putting Bitcoin together, it is quite clear that it is an experiment - nothing like this has ever been done before.
And just like with all experiments, no one expects to get it right the first time. No one knew how people would react to something like digital currency and the other applications it might have.
But the answer to the question really comes down to what do we consider as better than Bitcoin?
From a performance perspective, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash or Dash might be better than Bitcoin as they have both been designed to be digital cash and handle more transactions and generally perform better.
Bitcoin was never really designed to handle the load that it does now. That said, it is easy to forget that there are still teams working on enhancing Bitcoin.
But looking at the wider cryptocurrency market, there is so much more going on.
Ethereum completely transformed the market when it arrived. They opened our eyes to the fact that blockchain can do so much more than facilitate transactions.
With a digital ecosystem, we can do so much more. We are now at the point where DeFi is emerging as a viable alternative to how finance works, and then who knows what will come along next.
But one thing is quite clear, however, there is no asset out there today that rivals Bitcoin in its ability to replace gold as a store of value.
What is the next Bitcoin-like investment?
Many think that to find a really good investment in cryptocurrency, you need to find a coin that is new, unknown and worth almost nothing, and when it skyrockets in value, you’ll end up rich.
Firstly, while investing early in a young altcoin can be beneficial, it’s not always necessary.
The cryptocurrency market is young enough anyway and likely very undervalued, and so most coins in the top 10 by market capitalisation show signs of potentially making as much money as investing in Bitcoin at the very beginning.
Perhaps the best place to look for ‘Bitcoin-like’ investments is DeFi, which is still blooming. But again, be careful with very new coins!