Since the 2009 launch of Bitcoin (BTC), cryptocurrencies have been controversial financial instruments. From industry-leaders such as BTC and Ethereum (ETH), to newer coins like Polkadot (DOT) and Tron (TRX), the role of virtual money in finance is a hotly debated topic. Amid the dramatic early-2021 spike in crypto values, talk of mainstream financial adoption reached a fevered-pitch. Throughout the late-2020/early-2021 runup in prices, Dogecoin (DOGE) established itself as a…

A stablecoin is a digital currency that is pegged to another asset that has a "stable" value, for example the U.S. dollar (USD). According to crypto website Coinmarketcap, "Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies with a fixed value that are usually pegged to leading fiat currency, currency basket or exchange-traded commodities." Behind the concept of stability, many central banks are researching creating their own stablecoins. Known as a "central bank digital currency (CBDC),"…

IOTA’s Tangle is a next-generation distributed ledger designed to overcome some of the blockchain’s most basic challenges. While the blockchain has traditionally separated users and miners, the Tangle combines the two to eliminate conflict between the groups.

Zcash, which trades under the ticker symbol ZEC, is a privacy-oriented digital currency that leverages bleeding-edge cryptography to shield the identities of users. By using this innovative technology, Zcash has become one of the most highly visible cryptocurrencies used to provide anonymity. While Zcash certainly has rivals, some believe that this altcoin is the best digital currency for providing its users with privacy. Users have been flocking to Zcash amid…

Learn more about litecoin, a cryptocurrency that was created in 2011 and provides rapid, low-cost payments that can be sent to recipients all over the world.

IOTA, which trades under the ticker symbol MIOTA, is a digital currency specifically designed for the Internet of Things (IoT). This cryptocurrency is used to make transactions on IOTA's distributed ledger, which is known as the tangle. IOTA was created with the intention of improving upon the blockchain, a more basic distributed ledger system, and solving its inherent problems. Because it eliminates fees, IOTA has been envisioned as enabling a…

Monero (XMR) is a privacy-oriented digital currency that has grown into one of the bigger cryptocurrencies on the market. Learn more about Monero at FXCM.

Like other major cryptocurrencies, Ripple experienced major price changes in 2017. Learn about what caused those fluctuations, why Ripple was created, and more at FXCM.

While bitcoin has become the world’s most visible digital currency, there are many other cryptocurrencies out there known as "altcoins." Learn more about them at FXCM.

Ether is the world’s second-largest digital currency (or cryptocurrency) next to bitcoin. Learn about its history, how it's traded and much more.