Since the creation of bitcoin in 2009, the number of new cryptocurrencies has expanded rapidly.Cryptocurrencies: A Brief Thematic Review. Economics of Networks Journal. Social Science Research Network (SSRN). Date accessed August 28, 2017.

The UK's Financial Conduct Authority estimated there were over 20,000 different crypto tokens by the start of 2023, although many of these were no longer traded and would never grow to a significant size.

Active and inactive currencies are listed in this article.

Active currencies by date of introduction Year of introduction Currency Symbol Founder(s) Hash algorithm Programming language of implementation Consensus mechanism Notes2009BitcoinBTC, XBT, ₿Satoshi NakamotoSHA-256dC++PoWThe first and most widely used decentralized ledger currency, with the highest market capitalization .2011LitecoinLTC, ŁCharlie LeeScryptC++PoWOne of the first cryptocurrencies to use scrypt as a hashing algorithm.2011NamecoinNMCVincent DurhamSHA-256dC++PoWAlso acts as an alternative, decentralized DNS.2012PeercoinPPCSunny King(pseudonym)SHA-256dC++PoW & PoSThe first cryptocurrency to use both PoW and PoS functions.2013 Dogecoin DOGE, XDG, Ð Jackson Palmer& Billy MarkusA History of Dogecoin. Dogecoin Analysis Report. Social Science Research Network (SSRN). Accessed December 28, 2017. ScryptC++ PoW Based on the Doge internet meme.2013 Gridcoin GRC Rob HälfordS. S. Tyagi, Shaveta Bhatia (2021) Blockchain for Business, John Wiley, p352. ScryptC++ Decentralized PoS Linked to citizen science through the Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing2013 Primecoin XPM Sunny King(pseudonym) 1CC/2CC/TWNTypeScript, C++ PoW Uses the finding of prime chains composed of Cunningham chains and bi-twin chains for proof-of-work.2013 Ripple XRP Chris Larsen &Jed McCaleb ECDSAC++ "Consensus" Designed for peer-to-peer debt transfer. Not based on bitcoin.2013 Nxt NXT BCNext(pseudonym) SHA-256dJava PoS Specifically designed as a flexible platform to build applications and financial services around its protocol.2014AuroracoinAURBaldur Odinsson(pseudonym)ScryptC++PoWCreated as an alternative currency for Iceland, intended to replace the Icelandic króna.2014DashDASHEvan DuffieldX11C++PoW & Proof of ServiceVia Masternodes containing 1000 DASH held as collateral for "Proof of Service". Through an automated voting mechanism, one Masternode is selected per block and receives 45% of mining rewards.A bitcoin-based currency featuring instant transactions, decentralized governance and budgeting, and private transactions.2014NEONEODa Hongfei & Erik ZhangSHA-256 & RIPEMD160C#dBFTChina based cryptocurrency, formerly ANT Shares and ANT Coins. The names were changed in 2017 to NEO and GAS.2014MazaCoinMZCBTC Oyate InitiativeSHA-256dC++PoWThe underlying software is derived from that of another cryptocurrency, ZetaCoin.2014MoneroXMRMonero Core TeamRandomXC++PoWPrivacy-centric coin based on the CryptoNote protocol with improvements for scalability and decentralization.2014TitcoinTITEdward Mansfield & Richard AllenMercier Voyer, Stephanie. "Titcoin Is a Brand New Cryptocurrency for Porn Purchases". Vice Magazine. Retrieved June 18, 2014.SHA-256dTypeScript, C++PoWThe first cryptocurrency to be nominated for a major adult industry award."Titcoin Receives Two Web & Tech XBIZ Nominations". Payout Magazine. Retrieved November 18, 2014.2014VergeXVGSunerokScrypt, x17, groestl, blake2s, and lyra2rev2C, C++PoWFeatures anonymous transactions using Tor.2014StellarXLMJed McCalebStellar Consensus Protocol (SCP)C, C++Stellar Consensus Protocol (SCP)Open-source, decentralized global financial network.2014VertcoinVTCDavid MullerVerthashC++PoWAims to be ASIC resistant.2015EthereumETH, ΞVitalik ButerinEthashC++, GoPoW, PoSSupports Turing-complete smart contracts.2015Ethereum ClassicETCEtcHash/ThanosPoWAn alternative version of Ethereum whose blockchain does not include the DAO hard fork. Supports Turing-complete smart contracts.2015NanoXNO, ӾColin LeMahieuBlake2C++Open Representative VotingDecentralized, feeless, open-source, peer-to-peer cryptocurrency. First to use a Block Lattice structure.2015TetherUSDTJan Ludovicus van der VeldeOmnicorePoWTether claims to be backed by USD at a 1 to 1 ratio. The company has been unable to produce promised audits.2016FiroFIROPoramin InsomMerkle tree ProofC++PoWThe first financial system employing Zero-knowledge proof to protect users' privacy. It conducted the world's first large-scale blockchain election for Thailand Democrat Party in 2018.2016ZcashZECZooko WilcoxEquihashC++PoWThe first open, permissionless financial system employing zero-knowledge security.2017Bitcoin CashBCHSHA-256dPoWHard fork from bitcoin, increased maximum block size from 1MB to 8MB (, 32MB)2017EOS.IOEOSDan LarimerWebAssembly, Rust, C, C++delegated PoSFeeless Smart contract platform for decentralized applications and decentralized autonomous corporations with a block time of 500 ms.2017CardanoADA, ₳Charles HoskinsonOuroboros, PoS AlgorithmHaskellPoSProof-of-stake blockchain platform: developed via evidence-based methods and peer-reviewed research.2017TronTRXJustin SunJava, Solidity2018AmbaCoinofficial cryptocurrency of the Cameroonian separatist entity of Ambazonia2018Nervos NetworkCKBKevin Wang, Daniel Lv, Terry TaiEaglesongRust, JavaScript, CPoWMulti-layered blockchain smart contract platform2019AlgorandALGOSilvio MicaliGoPoSUses a verifiable random function to randomly select groups of users to certify blocks.2020AvalancheAVAXEmin Gün Sirer, Kevin Sekniqi, Maofan "Ted" YinPoS2020Shiba InuSHIBRyoshiPoS2020PolkadotDOTGavin WoodRustPoS2020SolanaSOLAnatoly Yakovenko RustPoS2021DeSoDESONader al-Naji (aka diamondhands)GoPoWAlso a social media platform, resembling Twitter. Known as BitClout until September 2021.2021SafeMoonSAFEMOONSafeMoon LLCSolidityPoW2023Arkham Intel ExchangeARKMMiguel MorelSolidityPoS

Inactive currencies Release Currency Symbol Founder(s) Hash algorithm Programming language of implementation Cryptocurrency blockchain (PoS, PoW, or other) Notes 2014 Coinye KOI, COYE Scrypt PoW Used American hip hop artist Kanye West as its mascot, abandoned after he filed a trademark lawsuit. OneCoin Ruja Ignatova and Stephen Greenwood A Ponzi scheme promoted as a cryptocurrency. 2017 BitConnect BCC BitConnect was described as an open source, all-in-one bitcoin and crypto community platform but was later discovered to be a Ponzi scheme. 2018 KodakCoin Kodak and WENN Digital Ethash KodakCoin is a "photographer-centric" blockchain cryptocurrency used for payments for licensing photographs. Petro Venezuelan Government onixCoinC++ Stated by Nicolás Maduro to be backed by Venezuela's reserves of oil. it does not appear to function as a currency. PlusToken A ponzi scheme which mainly had investors in China and South Korea.

See also Cryptojacking List of digital currencies Tornado Cash — Ethereum cryptocurrency tumbler

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