Here’s a look at the top 10 cryptocurrencies, along with information about their founders and some background on each one:
1. Bitcoin (BTC)
- Founder: Satoshi Nakamoto (pseudonym)
- Bio: Satoshi Nakamoto’s real identity remains unknown. Nakamoto published the Bitcoin whitepaper in 2008 and launched the network in 2009. He envisioned Bitcoin as a peer-to-peer digital currency, aiming to be an alternative to traditional financial systems.
2. Ethereum (ETH)
- Founder: Vitalik Buterin
- Bio: Buterin is a Russian-Canadian programmer and writer who co-founded Ethereum in 2015 at the age of 21. He wanted to create a platform where developers could build decentralized applications (DApps) using smart contracts. Ethereum is now the second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap.
3. Binance Coin (BNB)
- Founder: Changpeng Zhao (CZ)
- Bio: Known as “CZ,” Zhao is a Chinese-Canadian entrepreneur who founded Binance in 2017. He previously worked on trading systems and founded the exchange to support trading on a global scale. Binance Coin (BNB) was initially developed as a utility token for the platform and has expanded to other uses.
4. Tether (USDT)
- Founders: Brock Pierce, Reeve Collins, and Craig Sellars
- Bio: Pierce is a former child actor turned entrepreneur in the crypto industry, while Collins and Sellars are tech entrepreneurs. Launched in 2014, Tether was the first stablecoin pegged to the US dollar, aimed at providing a stable digital currency for transactions and trading.
5. XRP (Ripple)
- Founders: Chris Larsen and Jed McCaleb
- Bio: Larsen is an angel investor and privacy advocate, while McCaleb is a programmer who also founded Stellar. XRP, developed by Ripple Labs, focuses on facilitating fast, low-cost cross-border payments. Ripple aims to work closely with banks and financial institutions.
6. Cardano (ADA)
- Founder: Charles Hoskinson
- Bio: Hoskinson is a co-founder of Ethereum who later launched Cardano in 2017. He wanted to develop a blockchain with a scientific approach, prioritizing scalability, security, and interoperability. Cardano is known for its research-driven development and peer-reviewed updates.
7. Solana (SOL)
- Founder: Anatoly Yakovenko
- Bio: Yakovenko is a former Qualcomm engineer who created Solana in 2020. He aimed to develop a blockchain that could process transactions quickly and inexpensively. Solana uses a unique consensus mechanism called Proof of History, which enhances its scalability.
8. Polkadot (DOT)
- Founder: Dr. Gavin Wood
- Bio: Wood, another co-founder of Ethereum, launched Polkadot in 2020. He is an influential figure in blockchain development and is known for creating the Solidity programming language. Polkadot focuses on interoperability, enabling different blockchains to connect and share information.
9. Dogecoin (DOGE)
- Founders: Billy Markus and Jackson Palmer
- Bio: Markus and Palmer created Dogecoin in 2013 as a joke based on a popular internet meme featuring the Shiba Inu dog. Markus, a software engineer, and Palmer, an Adobe marketing employee, never intended it to be a serious project, but it gained popularity and a strong community following.
10. Tron (TRX)
- Founder: Justin Sun
- Bio: Sun is a Chinese entrepreneur who founded Tron in 2017 to support decentralised content distribution. Tron aims to create a decentralised internet and digital content ecosystem. Sun is also known for purchasing BitTorrent and integrating it into Tron’s ecosystem.
These founders are often among the most influential people in the blockchain space, each contributing uniquely to the development of blockchain technology.
Top Stablecoins in Cryptocurrency: Best Stable Crypto Options for 2024
Stablecoins are a type of cryptocurrency designed to maintain a stable value, typically pegged to a fiat currency like the U.S. dollar or other assets. Here are some of the most popular stablecoins:
1. Tether (USDT)
- Peg: U.S. Dollar (1 USDT = 1 USD)
- Overview: Tether is the oldest and most widely used stablecoin, backed by a reserve that includes cash and other assets. It’s commonly used on exchanges for trading due to its stability.
- Issuer: Tether Limited
2. USD Coin (USDC)
- Peg: U.S. Dollar (1 USDC = 1 USD)
- Overview: USDC is managed by Circle and Coinbase through the Centre Consortium. It’s a popular stablecoin with a transparent reserve, frequently audited to ensure a 1:1 backing.
- Issuer: Centre Consortium (founded by Circle and Coinbase)
3. Binance USD (BUSD)
- Peg: U.S. Dollar (1 BUSD = 1 USD)
- Overview: Binance’s stablecoin, BUSD, is regulated by the New York State Department of Financial Services and is fully backed by reserves in cash or cash equivalents. It’s used widely on Binance’s platform and elsewhere.
- Issuer: Binance, in partnership with Paxos
4. Dai (DAI)
- Peg: U.S. Dollar (1 DAI ≈ 1 USD)
- Overview: Unlike other stablecoins, Dai is decentralized and backed by a mixture of crypto assets on the MakerDAO platform. It’s managed through smart contracts on the Ethereum blockchain, with its value maintained by collateral and governance mechanisms.
- Issuer: MakerDAO
5. TrueUSD (TUSD)
- Peg: U.S. Dollar (1 TUSD = 1 USD)
- Overview: TrueUSD aims to offer transparency by working with independent financial institutions that hold the assets backing it. It undergoes regular audits and is known for its compliance with U.S. regulations.
- Issuer: TrustToken
6. Pax Dollar (USDP)
- Peg: U.S. Dollar (1 USDP = 1 USD)
- Overview: Pax Dollar is fully backed by reserves and issued by Paxos, a regulated financial institution. It’s designed for stability and transparency, and is commonly used in transactions on regulated platforms.
- Issuer: Paxos
7. Gemini Dollar (GUSD)
- Peg: U.S. Dollar (1 GUSD = 1 USD)
- Overview: Created by the Gemini exchange, GUSD is a regulated stablecoin that is fully backed and audited monthly. It’s known for transparency and is popular on the Gemini platform.
- Issuer: Gemini
8. TerraUSD (UST)
- Peg: U.S. Dollar (1 UST = 1 USD)
- Overview: TerraUSD was an algorithmic stablecoin created by Terraform Labs and designed to maintain its peg through supply-and-demand mechanics. After the UST collapse in 2022, caution is advised with algorithmic stablecoins, as they are riskier than asset-backed ones.
- Issuer: Terraform Labs (defunct)
9. Neutrino USD (USDN)
- Peg: U.S. Dollar (1 USDN ≈ 1 USD)
- Overview: Built on the Waves blockchain, Neutrino USD is an algorithmic stablecoin supported by crypto assets. It maintains its peg through a reserve mechanism but has experienced de-pegging events, demonstrating the potential volatility in algorithmic stablecoins.
- Issuer: Waves protocol (decentralized)
10. sUSD (sUSD)
- Peg: U.S. Dollar (1 sUSD = 1 USD)
- Overview: sUSD is issued by the Synthetix protocol, which enables the creation of synthetic assets on Ethereum. sUSD is backed by staked SNX (Synthetix’s native token) and maintains its value through collateralization mechanisms within the Synthetix network.
- Issuer: Synthetix (decentralized)
Types of Stablecoins:
- Fiat-collateralized: Backed by reserves of fiat currency, like USDT or USDC.
- Crypto-collateralized: Backed by a reserve of other cryptocurrencies, like DAI.
- Algorithmic: Uses a supply-and-demand mechanism to maintain stability, like TerraUSD (UST) and Neutrino USD (USDN).