Decided you want in on the action? You can buy LTC on Coinbase, Robinhood and Crypto.com.
Litecoin has been widely accepted as a useful asset for microtransactions, making it much easier for individuals to send payments without extremely high fees. Litecoin transactions have the ability to be 4 times faster than a Bitcoin transaction, making Litecoin a widely used cryptocurrency around the world for point-of-sale payments.
What is Litecoin?
Litecoin (LTC) is a cryptocurrency that was designed to provide fast, secure and low-cost payments for microtransactions; primarily point-of-sale payments. Launched in 2011 by former Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL) employee Charlie Lee, Litecoin quickly became recognized as a useful crypto for peer-to-peer payments.
Similar to Bitcoin, Litecoin was built as an open-source blockchain protocol. This means that there is no central control of the coin –– all transactions are managed by a peer-to-peer network. What makes Litecoin special is how fast payments can take with such small fees. This is because of the block verification time, the amount of time it takes to verify a transaction. The Litecoin network can confirm a block in 2.5 minutes, where Bitcoin blocks are mined about every 10 minutes.
Litecoin is run by the proof-of-work (PoW) consensus mechanism, which uses computing power to verify transactions. Many new projects have been moving away from PoW and implementing proof-of-stake (PoS). This mechanism is much more environmentally friendly and allows for improved scaling.
Litecoin Market Position
The market cap of LTC as of September 2021 is around $10 billion with a circulating supply of 66,000,000. One Litecoin no costs about $155 一 claiming its rank as the No. 16 cryptocurrency by market cap.
From the previous year’s high of $64 in September 2020, Litecoin has seen a 250% growth in value.
Jane Kane Bull Case for Litecoin
Jane Kane is the editor-in-chief at Liteforex, who also provides coverage on emerging crypto markets. Kane discusses an interesting point about how the Litecoin Foundation has a 9.9% share in the German WEG bank, which was given to the foundation as a donation from the Swiss blockchain company TokenPay.
This means that together they have a 20% share in the conservative German bank, mainly invested in by real estate investors. Kane states that Litecoin can thus be recognized in the long term as a possible cryptocurrency for buying real estate in Germany.
If this news comes to fruition –– and it’s not fake –– then LTC may see huge gains in the next 12 months. This is as long as the cryptocurrency markets remain bullish, however, as altcoins typically follow the price action of Bitcoin.
Luke Conway Bear Case for Litecoin
Luke Conway is a blockchain analyst and reporter who discussed the recent fake press release from Global Newswire that claimed Walmart (NYSE: WMT) had a partnership with the Litecoin Foundation. This fake press release was followed by a tweet from the official Litecoin Twitter account that was deleted just a few minutes later. This led the price of Litecoin to climb as much as 26% as news spread across social media, which then fell sharply back to the previous range. Another fake press release of this magnitude could diminish the reputation Litecoin has worked so hard to build.
Where to Buy Litecoin
You can buy LTC currently on Coinbase (NASDAQ: COIN) and Gemini. A centralized exchange like Coinbase or Gemini is a great way for individuals to start buying cryptocurrency on their computer or mobile device. Make sure to always do your own research before buying cryptocurrency.
Earning Rewards
Coinbase is one of the Internet’s largest cryptocurrency trading platforms. From Bitcoin to Litecoin or Basic Attention Token to Chainlink, Coinbase makes it exceptionally simple to buy and sell major cryptocurrency pairs.
You can even earn cryptocurrency rewards through Coinbase’s unique Coinbase Earn feature. More advanced traders will love the Coinbase Pro platform, which offers more order types and enhanced functionality.
Though Coinbase doesn’t offer the most affordable pricing or the lowest fees, its simple platform is easy enough for complete beginners to master in as little as a single trade.
- New cryptocurrency traders
- Cryptocurrency traders interested in major pairs
- Cryptocurrency traders interested in a simple platform
- Simple platform is easy to operate
- Comprehensive mobile app mirrors desktop functionality
- Coinbase Earn feature rewards you with crypto for learning about available coins
- Higher fees than competitors
New Investors
Gemini is a cryptocurrency exchange and custodian that offers investors access to 26 coins and tokens. Founded in the US, Gemini is expanding globally, in particular into Europe and Asia. Offerings include both major cryptocurrency projects like Bitcoin and Ethereum, and smaller altcoins like Orchid and 0x.
Gemini is 1 of the only brokers with multiple platform options based on skill level. New investors will love the streamlined interface of Gemini’s mobile and web apps, while advanced investors might appreciate all the tools that come with ActiveTrader.
In addition to a host of platform choices, Gemini users also have access to insured hot wallets to store tokens without worrying about digital asset theft. Learn more about what Gemini can do for you in our review.
- New investors looking for a simple mobile and web app
- Experienced investors who need a more advanced platform with more tools
- Users looking for a 1-stop-shop to buy, sell and store all of their coins
- Easy and quick signups — can get started in as little as a few minutes
- Multitude of platforms to accommodate traders of all skill levels
- Hot wallets include insurance to protect your from theft and hacking attempts
- Charges both a commission and a convenience fee for users buying and selling through the desktop or mobile app
securely through Robinhood’s website
Crypto Trading
eToro, headquartered in Cyprus, England and Israel, has provided forex products and other CFD derivatives to retail clients since 2007. A major eToro plus is its social trading operations, including OpenBook, which allows new clients to copy trade the platform’s best performers. Its social trading features are top notch, but eToro loses points for its lack of tradable currency pairs and underwhelming research and customer service features
- U.S. based cryptocurrency traders
- Social and copy traders
- Simple user interface
- Community engagement and following other traders
- 25 cryptocurrencies
- Expansive network of social trading features
- Large client base for new traders to imitate
- U.S. traders can only buy cryptocurrency
How Long Will it Take for Litecoin to Reach $300?
To reach $300, Litecoin would have to double its market cap, which would require a continuous growth of partnerships as well as not becoming outdated by using PoW consensus. With recent market movement, we can expect some price consolidation as the price enters a previous resistance/support zone. If Litecoin continues its 250% annual increase, we could expect $300 by February 2022.
Where to Store Litecoin Safely
When thinking about how to store your cryptocurrency there are two paths to choose from: software wallets and hardware wallets.
- A software wallet is an application on your computer or mobile device.
- A hardware wallet is a special type of wallet that stores the user’s private keys in a secure hardware device — keeping your private key information off your computer and onto the external device.
Best hardware wallet: Ledger
Ledger is the most recognized and most credited hardware wallet currently available. The device is primarily an offline hardware wallet. Ledger also connects to Bluetooth and USB depending on if you want to use your computer or mobile device. Ledger’s application also makes it much easier to secure, store and manage your assets.
Best For
ERC-20 tokens
Best software wallet: Coinbase Wallet
Coinbase Wallet is the No. 1 mobile cryptocurrency wallet on the app store. Coinbase makes it easy for users to secure, store and manage their cryptocurrency. A software wallet like Coinbase Wallet is perfect for individuals looking to start buying and storing cryptocurrency.
Bonus Section: Make sure to take into account other cryptocurrencies similar to Litecoin that implement PoS, as PoW has quickly become outdated tech.
Current Crypto Prices
The total market cap for all cryptocurrencies is currently just over $2 trillion. Long-term positive sentiment in the market continues as the industry continues to grow. Although short-term it did see a slight sell-off as prices struggled to stay above support. The current market structure will depend largely on if price action can hold current levels of support.
So, is Litecoin a Good Investment?
Litecoin is relatively well-established, as well as being a cryptocurrency widely accepted by different vendors and merchants around the world. If Litecoin continues to grow its partners, there will be continuous growth in the market cap — a long-term investment — making it a relatively safe buying option for investors. Make sure to always do your own research on projects before investing.
Benzinga crafted a specific methodology to rank cryptocurrency exchanges and tools. We prioritized platforms based on offerings, pricing and promotions, customer service, mobile app, user experience and benefits, and security. To see a comprehensive breakdown of our methodology, please visit see our Cryptocurrency Methodology page.
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