Bitcoin vs Ethereum

Bitcoin and Ethereum are the two largest cryptocurrencies, but they serve fundamentally different purposes. Bitcoin was created in 2009 as a decentralized digital currency and store of value — often called 'digital gold.' It uses Proof of Work consensus and has a fixed supply of 21 million coins, making it deflationary by design.

Ethereum, launched in 2015, is a programmable blockchain platform that enables smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps). It transitioned to Proof of Stake in 2022, dramatically reducing its energy consumption. While Bitcoin focuses on being money, Ethereum powers the entire DeFi, NFT, and Web3 ecosystem.

For investors, Bitcoin is often seen as a safer, more established asset with institutional adoption (ETFs, corporate treasuries), while Ethereum offers more growth potential tied to the expansion of decentralized applications. Many portfolios include both.