The oldest and best-known cryptocurrency is Bitcoin. It was conceived in 2008 as a response to the current financial crisis. Bitcoin should therefore be the alternative to the traditional monetary system, which was then deep in a crisis of confidence.
The exceptional position of Bitcoin is also reflected in the fact that all other cryptocurrencies are grouped under the term “Altcoins” (where “Alt” stands for “alternative”). There are now over 10,000 different currencies, but many of them are very small.