ARCIPEDIA · COIN · L1

Plain English

Litecoin is a 2011 fork of Bitcoin by Charlie Lee, using the same proof-of-work model but with faster blocks (2.5 minutes vs 10) and a different mining algorithm (Scrypt vs SHA-256). Marketed as “silver to Bitcoin’s gold” — same store-of-value pitch with better transaction throughput.

How it actually works

4× Bitcoin’s supply cap (84M LTC vs 21M BTC). Halvings every ~4 years like Bitcoin. MWEB (MimbleWimble Extension Blocks) added optional privacy in 2022. Often used as a “tester” for Bitcoin upgrades — SegWit and Taproot both went live on LTC first.

What it means for you

Litecoin is one of the longest-surviving altcoins. For HNW positioning, LTC is a conservative crypto exposure — uncomplicated, deeply liquid, easily off-ramped. The thesis is muted compared to growth assets like ETH or SOL, but the asset has held up across many cycles where flashier alts collapsed.

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Educational content only. Not investment, tax, or legal advice.