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Altcoins & Tokens
What the biggest altcoins and tokens do, how their supply works and what can go wrong, plus a checklist for judging any new coin.
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Altcoins & TokensBeginnerHow to evaluate Monero activity: nodes, explorers, view keysMonero hides sender, receiver and amount, so evaluate activity with a node, a block explorer or your wallet's view key. A view key audits payments.
Vahe Hakobyan3 min readRead guide
All Altcoins & Tokens guides
Every guide in this topic, labelled by level.
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerWhat is Filecoin and what does FIL do?Filecoin is a decentralized storage network where FIL pays providers to store and retrieve data. It launched its mainnet in 2020 after a 2017 token sale.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerHow Filecoin token supply works: cap, minting and locksFilecoin's supply is capped; most tokens go to storage mining rewards. Circulating supply is lower, and explorers show it with total and max FIL.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerWhat are the main risks of holding Filecoin?Holding FIL brings value swings, shifts in storage demand and unsettled US rules, and Filecoin rewards go to storage providers rather than to holders.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerHow to evaluate demand for FilecoinFilecoin demand shows up in paid storage deals, stored data, client diversity, and FIL locked or burned. Trading volume is mostly speculative, not storage use.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerWhat is Algorand and how does ALGO work?Algorand is a layer-one blockchain whose ALGO coin powers fast payments and smart contracts. It launched in June 2019 and uses pure proof-of-stake.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerHow Algorand processes transactions and reaches finalityAlgorand processes transactions with pure proof-of-stake: a random proposer builds a block and a committee certifies it. Certified transfers are final.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerWhat are the main risks of using Algorand?Algorand's risks shift with how you use it: permissioned relay nodes, smart-contract bugs and 2023 SEC security claims. Node runners face their own duties.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerHow to evaluate activity on AlgorandYou evaluate Algorand activity by searching a block explorer for an address, transaction ID or app ID, then noting the date and source of each figure.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerHow to compare Algorand with other blockchainsTo compare Algorand with other blockchains, define your use case, then check consensus, cost, speed, supply, and ecosystem with dated data. Tax rules vary.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerWhat is Lido DAO and what is its role?Lido DAO governs Lido's liquid staking protocol: LDO holders vote on node operators, treasury and upgrades. A 2024 court let a securities case proceed.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerHow Lido DAO’s LDO token supply worksLDO's maximum supply was fixed at launch, and staking rewards do not mint new LDO. Check the official Ethereum contract and a market tracker.2 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerWhat are the main risks of holding Lido DAO?Holding Lido DAO carries code, slashing, depeg and governance risks for holders, and US regulators treat LDO spot markets as largely unregulated.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerHow to evaluate demand for Lido DAODemand for Lido DAO has two sides: use of the Lido staking service and interest in the LDO token. Compare deposits, holders, share by network and votes.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerHow Hedera processes transactions, step by stepHedera processes a transaction by hashgraph consensus, not by mining. Order comes from node gossip and virtual votes, and you need HBAR for the fee.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerWhat are the main risks of using Hedera?Hedera risks include council control, permissioned nodes, contract bugs, and legal questions. A lost key or wrong address can lose HBAR for good.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerEvaluate activity on HederaHedera activity is visible through HashScan and public dashboards. Read transactions, active accounts, and token transfers without connecting a wallet.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerHow to compare Hedera with other blockchainsCompare Hedera with other blockchains by fixing one use case and your criteria, then checking each chain's consensus, finality, governance and node rules.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerCurve DAO and CRV: what they are and what they doCurve DAO is the governance group for Curve Finance, a stablecoin exchange on Ethereum, where CRV holders vote on pool rewards. It launched in August 2020.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerWhat are the main risks of holding Curve DAO?CRV is the token of Curve DAO, and holding it brings pool exploits, stablecoin depegs, dilution by votes and unclear US rules. Nothing insures it.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerHow to evaluate demand for Curve DAOYou judge Curve DAO demand by stablecoin swap activity and CRV locked for governance; compare both over time and note each metric's date and source.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerWhat is Stellar? XLM and its payment networkStellar is an open source payment network, and XLM is its native token. XLM pays the network's small fees and moves value between currencies.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerHow Stellar processes transactions, from signing to confirmationStellar settles a signed transaction when validators agree on the next ledger, usually in seconds. You sign with your secret key and save the hash.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerHow to evaluate activity on StellarReading Stellar's public ledger shows how an account or an asset is used. Compare transaction counts with unique addresses and check the asset issuer.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerHow to compare Stellar with other blockchainsCompare Stellar with other blockchains on consensus, fees, settlement, assets and contracts, then check live network data on official dashboards.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerWhat is PancakeSwap and what role does it play?PancakeSwap is a decentralized exchange on BNB Chain where swaps run through liquidity pools, and its CAKE token carries voting power and rewards.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerHow PancakeSwap’s CAKE token supply worksCAKE has a maximum supply cap, and new CAKE is minted as rewards on a declining schedule. Governance votes can change emissions and burn rules.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerWhat are the main risks of holding PancakeSwap?Holding CAKE carries smart-contract, liquidity, staking-lock and securities-law risks. PancakeSwap is a BNB Smart Chain exchange, not a company.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerHow to evaluate demand for PancakeSwapJudge PancakeSwap demand by comparing trading volume, active wallets and liquidity across months and blockchains. Record each dashboard source.2 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerWhat is Tezos? XTZ and smart contractsXTZ is the coin of Tezos, a smart-contract chain that updates itself through votes. Its 2017 fundraiser led to a US class action that settled in 2020.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026
Altcoins & TokensBeginnerHow Tezos processes a transaction: signing, checks and finalityTezos transactions are signed operations that nodes check and bakers put in blocks. A transaction is final once a quorum of bakers has attested to it.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026