Bitcoin gets all the headlines when people talk about cryptocurrencies, but in that location are literally thousands of other options when it comes to these digital currencies. In fact, cryptos that aren’t Bitcoin are ordinarily considered an “besides ran” – what are called “altcoins,” or alternatives to Bitcoin.

While Bitcoin may accept been the starting time major cryptocurrency to hit the market – it debuted in 2009 – many others accept become highly popular, even if not quite as large as the original.

Here are the largest cryptocurrencies by the full dollar value of the coins in existence, that is, the market capitalization, or market cap. (Information is from CoinMarketCap.com, as of Dec. 28, 2022.)

Largest cryptocurrencies by market cap

i. Bitcoin (BTC)

  • Toll:
    $xvi,509
  • Market cap:
    $318 billion

Equally the harbinger of the cryptocurrency era, Bitcoin is still the money people mostly reference when they talk about digital currency. Its mysterious creator — allegedly Satoshi Nakamoto — debuted the currency in 2009 and it’s been on a roller-coaster ride since so. Withal, it wasn’t until 2017 that the cryptocurrency broke into popular consciousness.

two. Ethereum (ETH)

  • Price:
    $one,190
  • Market cap:
    $146 billion

Ethereum — the name for the cryptocurrency platform — is the 2d name you’re most likely to recognize in the crypto space. The system allows you to apply ether (the currency) to perform a number of functions, but the smart contract aspect of Ethereum helps make it a popular currency.

3. Tether (USDT)

  • Price:
    $1.00
  • Marketplace cap:
    $66 billion

Tether’s price is anchored at $ane per money. That’due south because it is what’s called a stablecoin. Stablecoins are tied to the value of a specific asset, in Tether’s case, the U.S. Dollar. Tether often acts as a medium when traders movement from i cryptocurrency to another. Rather than movement dorsum to dollars, they employ Tether. However, some people are concerned that Tether isn’t safely backed by dollars held in reserve but instead uses a brusque-term form of unsecured debt.

4. USD Coin (USDC)

  • Cost:
    $1.00
  • Market cap:
    $44 billion

Like Tether, USD Coin is a stablecoin pegged to the dollar, meaning that its value should not fluctuate. The currency’due south founders say that it’s backed by fully reserved assets or those with “equivalent off-white value” and those avails are held in accounts with regulated U.Southward. institutions.

5. BNB (BNB)

  • Price:
    $244.54
  • Market cap:
    $39 billion

BNB is the cryptocurrency issued past Binance, amid the largest crypto exchanges in the world. While originally created equally a token to pay for discounted trades, Binance Coin can now be used for payments too as purchasing various goods and services.

6. XRP (XRP)

  • Price:
    $0.346
  • Market place cap:
    $17 billion

Formerly known as Ripple and created in 2012, XRP offers a manner to pay in many different real-world currencies. Ripple can be useful in cross-border transactions and uses a trust-less machinery to facilitate payments.

7. Binance USD (BUSD)

  • Toll:
    $1.00
  • Market cap:
    $17 billion

Binance USD is a dollar-backed stablecoin from top crypto substitution Binance in partnership with Paxos. Binance USD was launched in 2019 and is regulated by the New York Section of Financial Services. BUSD runs on peak of the Ethereum blockchain.

viii. Dogecoin (DOGE)

  • Price:
    $0.07033
  • Market cap:
    $nine billion

Originally created equally a joke afterward the run-up in Bitcoin, Dogecoin takes its name from an cyberspace meme featuring a Shiba Inu dog. Unlike many digital currencies limiting the number of coins in beingness, Dogecoin has unlimited issuance. Information technology can be used for payments or sending money.

nine. Cardano (ADA)

  • Price:
    $0.2447
  • Market cap:
    $8 billion

Cardano is the cryptocurrency platform behind ada, the name of the currency. Created by the co-founder of Ethereum, Cardano likewise uses smart contracts, enabling identity direction.

x. Polygon (MATIC)

  • Toll:
    $0.7782
  • Market cap:
    $7 billion

Polygon is a cryptocurrency that focuses on being accessible to those creating digital apps and scales up the Ethereum cryptocurrency. It was previously known every bit Matic and was formed in 2017, though switched its name to Polygon in 2021.

11. Dai (DAI)

  • Price:
    $i.00
  • Marketplace cap:
    $6 billion

Launched in 2017, Dai is another stablecoin that pegs its value to the U.Due south. dollar. The crypto is based on the Ethereum blockchain and uses a system of smart contracts to maintain that valuation

12. Tron (TRX)

  • Price:
    $0.05424
  • Market cap:
    $v billion

Tron is a prominent blockchain-based platform that aims to build the infrastructure to decentralize the net. It supports the creation of coins (TRX) by content makers on the Tron network to facilitate file sharing and the distribution of dApps.

Lesser line

The cryptocurrency market is a Wild West (although the U.S. authorities is set to take a more active role in overseeing the crypto space), and so those speculating in these digital assets should non put in more money than they tin afford to lose. Volatility has been intense, with crypto avails facing downwardly pressure for much of 2022. And individual investors can exist trading against highly sophisticated players, making it a fraught feel for novices.

Editorial Disclaimer: All investors are advised to carry their own contained research into investment strategies before making an investment decision. In addition, investors are brash that past investment product performance is no guarantee of future toll appreciation.