Main types of cryptocurrency

Bitcoin is considered the first cryptocurrency created, and other individual cryptocurrencies are known as "altcoins" (a combo word derived from "alternative coin"). It's difficult to say which cryptos are the best ones, but Bitcoin and some of the largest altcoins out there are top-tier options because of their scalability, privacy, and the scope of functionality they support.

There really isn't one "best" cryptocurrency since each has different features built in based on what the developer designed it for. Here's an overview of some of the most popular digital coins and how each is being used.

1. Bitcoin

Bitcoin is regarded as the first decentralized cryptocurrency using blockchain technology to facilitate payments and digital transactions. Instead of using a central bank to control the money supply in an economy (like the Federal Reserve in tandem with the U.S. Department of the Treasury) or third parties to verify transactions (such as your local bank, credit card issuer, and the merchant's bank), Bitcoin's blockchain acts as a public ledger of all transactions in the history of Bitcoin. The ledger allows a party to prove they own the Bitcoin they're trying to use and can help prevent fraud and other unapproved tampering with the currency. A decentralized currency can also make peer-to-peer money transfers (like those between parties in two different countries) faster and less expensive than traditional currency exchanges involving a third-party institution.

2. Ether (Ethereum)

Ether is the token used to facilitate transactions on the Ethereum network. Ethereum is a platform that uses blockchain technology to enable the creation of smart contracts and other decentralized applications (meaning the software doesn't have to be distributed on app exchanges like Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) App Store or Alphabet's (NASDAQ:GOOGL)(NASDAQ:GOOG) Google Play Store, where they might have to give a 30% cut of any revenue to the tech giants). Ethereum is both a cryptocurrency (the actual coins are measured in units called

3. Tether

Tether is a stablecoin, or a currency tied to a fiat currency -- in this case, the U.S. dollar. The idea behind Tether is to combine the benefits of a cryptocurrency (such as no need for financial intermediaries) with the stability of a currency issued by a sovereign government (versus the wild price fluctuations inherent with many cryptos).

4. Binance Coin

Binance Coin is available on the Binance cryptocurrency exchange platform, along with other digital coins that are available for trading. Binance Coin can be used as a type of currency, but it also facilitates tokens that can be used to pay fees on the Binance exchange and to power Binance's DEX (decentralized exchange) for building apps.

5. USD Coin

USD Coin is another stablecoin, and, like Tether, it is pegged to the U.S. dollar. Also like Tether, USD Coin is hosted on the Ethereum blockchain. The idea behind USD Coin was to create a "fully digital" dollar, one that has the stability of U.S. fiat currency but doesn't require a bank account or that the holder live in a particular country. Rather than an investment, USD Coin is envisioned as everyday money that can be spent with merchants on the internet.

Are there different types of cryptocurrency trading?

Investing in cryptocurrencies is a little different than investing in shares of a company. Stock represents ownership of a business and a claim to profits the company generates. Purchasing coins of a cryptocurrency, though, is a speculative bet on the price movement of that digital currency -- which can be highly volatile and is subject to the law of supply and demand since digital currency by itself is not a dynamic asset. Cryptocurrencies can be exchanged for other digital currencies or for fiat currencies like the U.S. dollar using a digital wallet on a trading app. But there are other ways to make money besides trading. Certain cryptocurrencies can be "staked" to earn rewards. Once an investor has purchased a crypto, it can be held in account and used to verify transactions occurring on the blockchain network. This method of powering a blockchain network is known as "proof of stake," and the owner of the crypto can earn a type of dividend by staking their holdings, which are usually paid in additional coins or tokens. In addition to trading digital currencies, derivatives contracts are also available on Bitcoin and Ethereum from leading derivatives exchange CME Group (NASDAQ:CME). Derivatives such as futures and options are primarily used as a hedge against price fluctuations in the underlying asset.