Buy Litecoin
How To Buy Litecoin
Litecoin is a proof-of-work coin originally created from Bitcoin’s open-source code.
Step 1: Choose A Wallet
To store your coins, select a compatible wallet, such as Coinbase wallet or Exodus. Ledger hardware wallets also support LTC.
Step 2: Choose A Crypto Exchange
You can buy LTC from well-known exchanges such as Coinbase or Uphold. Centralized exchanges require ID verification. You’ll also need to select a funding method, such as a bank account or debit card.
Step 3: Decide On The Amount You Want To Purchase
Choose an investment amount and place a market order or limit order at a specific price to buy LTC on the exchange you chose. Limit orders usually have lower fees.
Step 4: Store, Transfer, Or Use Your LTC
The exchange can store your LTC for you using a custodial wallet held by the exchange or you can transfer your LTC to a self-custody wallet, like those mentioned in Step 1 above.
Where To Buy LTC
LTC is a well-established cryptocurrency, so you can buy LTC on several popular exchanges.
LTC Overview
| Token | Network | Founders | Key Individuals | Year Founded | Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LTC | Litecoin, with support for Lightning Network | Charles Lee | Alan Austin Charlie Lee Xinxi Wang Zing Yang | 2011 | Karnika Yashwant Zachary Snader Block Ventures Arbi Khodagholian |
Why Does Anyone Buy Litecoin?
Litecoin is a well-established coin dating back to 2011. Similar to Bitcoin, but with a larger supply and faster transaction speeds, Litecoin provides a peer–to–peer payment network with a currency that’s often seen as more “spendable” than Bitcoin.
Investors choose LTC for several reasons.
- Litecoin is similar to Bitcoin but faster. The Litecoin network uses proof-of-work, like Bitcoin, but processes blocks four times as fast as Bitcoin. Sending fees are also typically lower compared to Bitcoin.
- Litecoin’s lower price makes it attractive. LTC trades at a fraction of BTC’s price while offering similar features and network security.
- LTC usually ranks in the top 20 cryptocurrency projects. Crypto projects with higher market caps often offer more liquidity compared to newly launched projects.
- Litecoin enjoys an active development community. Several important updates to Bitcoin and the Bitcoin ecosystem appeared on Litecoin first. These include Segwit, which optimizes block data, and the Lightning Network, a transaction protocol that delivers near-instant payments.
Is LTC Being Used?
Yes. Litecoin is used daily by individuals and businesses in both large and small transactions.
- Online transactions: Some major retailers like Newegg accept Litecoin for payment.
- Friends and family: Litecoin offers a fast and affordable way to send money anywhere in the world, providing more value compared to traditional money transfers.
- Payment for goods and services: Web hosting is among the growing number of service industries that accepts Litecoin for payment. Sheetz, a large regional convenience store chain, also accepts Litecoin for payment.
- Splitting the bill: Litecoin’s fast transaction times and low sending fees make LTC an attractive option when you need to split expenses.
LTC Daily trading volume: $421,734,339 (1/2023)
Key Events For LTC
- October 2011: Charlie Lee, a former Google engineer, creates Litecoin based on Bitcoin source code.
- November 2013: Litecoin reaches an all-time high of $50.
- August 2015: Litecoin sees its first halving, a process borrowed from Bitcoin to slow the supply of new coins.
- May 2017: Litecoin activates the SegWit (Segregated Witness) upgrade, which optimizes block throughput, improving scalability.
- December 2017: Litecoin reaches a new all-time high of $360.
- May 2021: Litecoin reaches another all-time high of $412.
- May 2022: Litecoin enables confidential transactions using “Mimblewimble,” an upgrade allowing users to hide the transaction amount for Litecoin transactions.
Discover Similar Tokens
- Bitcoin Cash (BCH): Like Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash is based on Bitcoin’s open-source code. Both coins bring faster transaction times and lower fees. Bitcoin Cash launched in 2017 and has a smaller market cap than Litecoin, possibly signaling room for growth.
- Dogecoin (DOGE): Initially started as a joke, Dogecoin has become a favorite amongst meme coin enthusiasts and active traders. Like Litecoin, Dogecoin uses proof-of-work to verify transactions and the two networks offer affordable sending fees.
- Dash (DASH): The Dash network shares the same hashing algorithm with Litecoin, making the two proof-of-work networks similar in transaction security. Like Litecoin, Dash brings fast, low-cost transactions making it viable for peer-to-peer use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Litecoin is a decentralized, open-source cryptocurrency that uses proof-of-work to secure the blockchain. When launched in 2011, Litecoin was based on Bitcoin’s source code, modified to provide faster transaction times, lower fees, and a larger coin supply.
Litecoin quadruples the supply of coins compared to Bitcoin and also reduces the block time by a factor of four. The hashing algorithms for Litecoin and Bitcoin also differ. Bitcoin uses SHA-256, whereas Litecoin uses Scrypt, a less complex algorithm.
You can buy Litecoin on a cryptocurrency exchange such as Coinbase or Kraken. You’ll need to create an account on the exchange, verify your identity, and deposit money from your bank to fund the purchase. Then, buy the amount of LTC you want using a market order or limit order.
For safety, you can send the Litecoin you buy on an exchange to a self-custody wallet, such as Coinbase’s mobile wallet or Exodus wallet, or even a hardware wallet like Ledger. This step gives you control over your coins rather than holding your coins on an exchange.
Like any market, Litecoin (LTC) trades based on supply and demand. Litecoin’s adoption by an enthusiastic community has helped LTC remain in the top 20 cryptocurrencies by market value.
Yes. Coinbase supports debit card purchases for LTC. Expect to pay about 4% in additional fees for card-funded purchases.
Yes. Coinbase allows you to use PayPal as a funding source for LTC and other crypto purchases.
Yes. Kraken supports credit card purchases for LTC for accounts verified to the Intermediate or Pro level.
