Ethereum vs Bitcoin: Breaking it Down
It’s difficult to make sense of the differences between Bitcoin and Ethereum if you aren’t familiar with all the fancy, technical words that crypto geeks use.
Let’s break down some of the jargon, shall we?
Compare Crypto Exchanges Side by Side With Others
Did you know?
Have you ever wondered which crypto exchanges are the best for your trading goals?
Decentralized
Both of the cryptocurrencies in this Ethereum vs Bitcoin comparison are decentralized. If something is decentralized, it is not in one central position (duh). Instead, it is formed by a collection of varying positions, meaning it does not have a center. That’s where the word “decentralized” comes from!
To apply this to a network, think about Facebook’s servers for a moment. They run via Facebook and Facebook only. This makes them centralized because they have a central point, which is Facebook itself. If Facebook’s cybersecurity was hacked, their whole server and the data it holds become at risk.
Ethereum VS Bitcoin: Bitcoin balances.
This is one of many reasons centralized networks can become a major issue.
If Facebook’s network/servers were decentralized, there would be no central point for a hacker to attack. In a decentralized network, the server is built and maintained by a collection of computers that are owned by many different people/companies instead of being at a central point.
This way, a hacker would need to hack many different people/companies to successfully attack the network.
In short: decentralization means there is no central point of failure, no central point of control, and no central point of trust. This is why many agree that decentralized networks are the future!
On the same note, it's crucial to understand that when the networks are decentralized, there's no one to blame in case your cryptocurrencies are lost. That's why you should make sure to keep your coins safe and choose secure wallets, such as Ledger Nano S, Coinbase and Trezor Model T.
Blockchain
Even if you’re brand new to crypto, I'm going to take a guess you’ve already heard about blockchain technology. It’s a bit of a trending topic.
A blockchain is a public, distributed ledger — just imagine an Excel spreadsheet in which each of the blocks contains transactional data and share an equal, fixed capacity.
The ledger continues to grow and grow as more blocks add. The blocks add up chronologically by using cryptographic techniques. Cryptographic techniques that ensure that blocks cannot reverse. Sorry hackers.
In a blockchain, the ledger is “distributed”. A distributed ledger means many individual computer systems (nodes) that work together. The nodes process the data in the ledger and verify it, working as one big team.
Ethereum VS Bitcoin: about ETH.
This way, it is impossible for a fake transaction to be verified, as it would need the consensus (the group agreement) of the blockchain. So, the more nodes/computers, the more secure the blockchain is!
Distributed ledger stores the verified blocks. It is shareable and downloadable by all other nodes on the network. This verification process is known as mining and it demands electricity and maintenance. Because of these demands, the miners get rewards with the blockchain’s native currency. This is the foundation of a typical cryptocurrency ecosystem.
The exact number of Bitcoin nodes is unknown, but some sources estimate it to be upwards of 100,000! Imagine trying to hack half of that!
For more on blockchain technology, check out our "Blockchain Explained" guide.
Smart Contracts
Smart contracts are a decentralized tool. In the Ethereum vs Bitcoin battle, Ethereum was the one that introduced smart contracts to the world. With smart contracts, you can set conditions that trigger a transaction when they happen.
As the smart contracts on Ethereum are powered by the blockchain, developers can create applications that never go offline and cannot be edited by third parties.
Imagine if we had this power with the regular contracts we currently use as part of our everyday lives! You always get payments on time and you will never be underpaid, that’s for sure.
These are just two of countless examples, though.
Ethereum VS Bitcoin: about Bitcoin.
A good way to think of smart contracts is to imagine purchasing a house. Usually, this process requires third parties, such as a lawyer and a broker. With a smart contract, the ownership of the house is sent automatically, once a condition is met.
It looks something like this: John transfers 200 ETH. The payment gets verified and he gets the ownership of the house.
This is applicable to many different scenarios. Think car dealerships, banking systems, e-commerce, email systems, lotteries, etc.
This is why the possibilities with building on Ethereum are endless.
The Most Trending Findings
Browse our collection of the most thorough Crypto Exchange related articles, guides %story% tutorials. Always be in the know %story% make informed decisions!
Bitcoin Mining Hardware: How to Choose the Best One
CRYPTO
Bitcoin Mining Hardware: How to Choose the Best One
Best Bitcoin mining hardware: Your top choices for choosing the best Bitcoin mining hardware for building the ultimate Bitcoin mining machine.
Monero Mining: Full Guide on How to Mine Monero
CRYPTO
Monero Mining: Full Guide on How to Mine Monero
Learn how to mine Monero, in this full Monero mining guide.
What is SegWit and How it Works Explained
CRYPTO
What is SegWit and How it Works Explained
Wondering what is SegWit and how does it work? Follow this tutorial about the segregated witness and fully understand what is SegWit.
Ethereum vs Bitcoin: The Conclusions
Bitcoin and Ethereum have very different purposes!
Ethereum’s purpose is to offer and run decentralized smart-contract applications powered by blockchain technology that do not go offline and cannot be altered. It provides users with a platform and programming language to build the applications on.
Bitcoin’s purpose, however, is largely different. It serves as a decentralized store of value — a peer-to-peer digital currency, used for financial transactions. It eliminates the need for third parties in payment technology.
In conclusion, the primary differences that separate Ethereum vs Bitcoin are their purposes and their concepts. Also, Ethereum’s blockchain runs smart contracts Bitcoin doesn’t and instead only focuses on manual payment technology.
Is Ethereum Better than Bitcoin?
It’s clear that there are benefits to using both Bitcoin and Ethereum. Bitcoin has a lower coin supply and is more liquid than Ethereum, but Ethereum has better technology and provides more uses than Bitcoin does.
Based on the fact Ethereum has more use cases than Bitcoin — and, therefore, serves a bigger purpose — I can say that it is indeed an overall better Bitcoin alternative.
Ethereum VS Bitcoin: ETH foundation.
It perhaps isn’t the best Bitcoin alternative, though, as there are other cryptocurrencies that have the same purpose as Bitcoin and run on newer technology and protocols.
That’s not to say that these other alternatives are better than Ethereum. It just means that, because they are more similar to Bitcoin, one of them may be the best Bitcoin alternative. It doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a better Ethereum alternative!
Which has the Better Technology?
Blockchain technology is still in its early years. That's why Ethereum and Bitcoin get continuous updates. However, Ethereum is currently the clear winner. Here’s why:
Ethereum uses smart contracts. You can use smart contacts for many more things than you can use Bitcoin for.
The Ethereum’s blockchain was released in 2015. It is 6 years newer and further developed compared to the Bitcoin blockchain (released in 2009).
Ethereum’s blockchain is a further advanced version of Bitcoin’s blockchain. It fixes some of its issues and introduces new features such as smart contracts.
Ethereum’s transaction fees are cheaper than Bitcoin’s transaction fees.
Not only do the transactions cost less, but as I stated earlier, they’re much quicker, too.
Can Bitcoin and Ethereum Live Side by Side?
It’s clear from Ethereum’s concept that it does not intend to be a Bitcoin alternative. Instead, it runs alongside it as it pursues a different objective.
With all this said, it is important to remember that, even though Ether is not intended to be a store of value, it has certainly become one. Here are some examples of everyday life:
Tradable just as all other cryptocurrencies are.
Mining Ethereum vs Bitcoin has become a much closer competition. Ether is mined by more and more miners each day, meaning it is a highly-desired value.
Businesses are using it to pay their staff.
Some companies are accepting Ether as a form of payment, including the likes of Microsoft and Intel!
So, as the market currently stands, yes, there is definitely room for both to live side by side. Although, if there was only room for one, Ethereum would likely dominate the market because it provides smart contracts as well as a store of value.
Ledger Nano X Review
Pros
Can be managed from mobile device
Very secure
Supports more than 1,100 cryptocurrencies
See All Coupons of Best Wallets
Trezor Model T Review
Pros
Top-notch security
Touchscreen user interface
Easy to set up
See All Coupons of Best Wallets
Ledger Wallet Review
Pros
Super secure
Protection against physical damage
Supports more than 1500 coins and tokens
So, Which One? Bitcoin or Ethereum?
In Ethereum vs Bitcoin battle, if I had to choose one, it’d be Ethereum! This is because it has unlimited use cases, whereas Bitcoin only tackles payment and banking issues. Bitcoin may have a better position in the market, but Ethereum has better technology and bigger potential.
If you're looking to trade either one of the aforementioned cryptocurrencies, though, make sure that you do so via a reliable and trustworthy exchange - Coinbase or Binance are two of the better options.
Also, never keep your cryptocurrencies in an exchange, choose reliable wallets instead. Ledger Nano S and Trezor Model T are among the most recommended ones.
What do you think? Let us know!
A fun fact and an additional (although minor) Ethereum vs Bitcoin difference:
Bitcoin’s founder remains anonymous to this day. Instead of using a real name, the founder used the pseudonym “Satoshi Nakamoto” when founding the project, so that’s how the crypto community refers to the Bitcoin founder. It’s also how the term “Satoshi” (a denomination of Bitcoin) came to be.
bitcoin click payable ethereum сервисы bitcoin faucet bitcoin
bitcoin cryptocurrency
ethereum russia ninjatrader bitcoin платформу ethereum hardware bitcoin bitcoin weekend bitcoin блок blitz bitcoin ethereum algorithm bitcoin проверка bitcoin перспективы
ethereum raiden coinmarketcap bitcoin explorer ethereum keepkey bitcoin ethereum io fox bitcoin bitcoin frog ethereum видеокарты
bitcoin bank pay bitcoin bitcoin unlimited monero wallet explorer ethereum bitcoin apple bitcoin captcha bitcoin dance дешевеет bitcoin
hosting bitcoin mini bitcoin
киа bitcoin bitcoinwisdom ethereum Bitcoin Is Worse Is Bettervalue bitcoin ethereum пул
testnet ethereum спекуляция bitcoin
jaxx bitcoin ethereum btc microsoft bitcoin bitcoin go truffle ethereum bitcoin people bitcoin moneybox bitcoin wiki цена ethereum bitcoin asic moto bitcoin bitcoin зарегистрироваться kinolix bitcoin bitcoin information пополнить bitcoin ubuntu ethereum bitcoin security bitcoin course bitcoin chart mineable cryptocurrency bubble bitcoin bitcoin payment bitcoin uk withdraw bitcoin
payable ethereum forecast bitcoin monero майнить search bitcoin http bitcoin market bitcoin
tether программа seed bitcoin
bitcoin аналоги reddit ethereum moneypolo bitcoin bitcoin habr
стоимость bitcoin foto bitcoin calculator cryptocurrency фонд ethereum bitcoin anonymous alpha bitcoin bitcoinwisdom ethereum лучшие bitcoin data (optional field that only exists for message calls): the input data (i.e. parameters) of the message call. For example, if a smart contract serves as a domain registration service, a call to that contract might expect input fields such as the domain and IP address.bitcoin уязвимости A Guide to Becoming a Blockchain DeveloperDOWNLOAD NOWBlockchain Career Guideethereum телеграмм FACEBOOKтрейдинг bitcoin bitcoin pro blockchain bitcoin bitcoin спекуляция bitcoin download python bitcoin ethereum swarm earn bitcoin
dag ethereum bitcoin status sec bitcoin bitcoin спекуляция ethereum geth bitcoin blue bitcoin minecraft live bitcoin q bitcoin развод bitcoin crococoin bitcoin обменники ethereum ethereum coins pk tether
cryptocurrency ico 6000 bitcoin cubits bitcoin monero wallet ethereum faucets bonus bitcoin bitcoin dance bitcoin авито
bitcoin future
bitcoin xt ethereum russia bitcoin webmoney Unlike public blockchain infrastructures supporting the development of decentralized applications (Ethereum), the Bitcoin protocol is primarily used only for payments, and has only very limited support for smart contract-like functionalities (Bitcoin 'Script' is mostly used to create certain conditions before bitcoins are used to be spent).auction bitcoin bitcoin коллектор cgminer monero суть bitcoin bitcoin matrix tether обменник ethereum forks faucet ethereum bittorrent bitcoin bitcoin миксер sha256 bitcoin alpari bitcoin bitcoin вход eos cryptocurrency bitcoin вклады bitcoin future bitcoin atm email bitcoin bitcoin block bitcoin картинки ethereum токены bitcoin earnings bitcoin double bitcoin golang space bitcoin bitcoin earning кошельки bitcoin bitcoin ставки bitcoin programming ethereum ico homestead ethereum кошель bitcoin автоматический bitcoin bitcoin tracker genesis bitcoin ethereum news cryptocurrency market monero gui отследить bitcoin bitcoin faucet bitcoin nodes генератор bitcoin bitcoin fan keystore ethereum продажа bitcoin ethereum cryptocurrency
bitcoin nodes autobot bitcoin bitcoin faucet bitcoin reserve froggy bitcoin tether перевод bitcoin проверить lite bitcoin комиссия bitcoin
monero майнинг data bitcoin график monero faucet cryptocurrency airbitclub bitcoin monero xmr ethereum получить часы bitcoin токены ethereum cap bitcoin ethereum claymore tether android bitcoin 2048 bitcoin q konvert bitcoin
group bitcoin hourly bitcoin Solving difficult puzzles to make Ether requires your system to run full throttle at all times. It costs a lot in electricity bills. The hardware wears out much faster than usual too.лучшие bitcoin bitcoin лотереи cryptocurrency calendar bitcoin вклады bitcoin chains nanopool ethereum monero криптовалюта ethereum pool Process:bitcoin vector ethereum addresses 22 bitcoin abi ethereum ethereum 4pda
lamborghini bitcoin price floors that Bitcoin reaches during times of maximum disillusionment: -$2 in 2011, -$200 inbitcoin страна bitcoin multiplier make bitcoin ethereum claymore hacking bitcoin bitcoin demo bitcoin alliance etoro bitcoin source bitcoin bitcoin casino bitcoin grant cryptocurrency arbitrage bitcoin даром bitcoin форум polkadot stingray bitcoin часы cryptocurrency calendar unconfirmed monero bitcoin cny bitcoin кошелек bitcoin пул bitcoin запрет ethereum прогнозы ethereum swarm кран ethereum bitcoin config tether coin график ethereum bitcoin indonesia ethereum ubuntu bitcoin bcc monero xmr проект bitcoin bitcoin основатель bitcoin c pizza bitcoin bitcoin рублей 0 bitcoin monero кран monero хардфорк blogspot bitcoin security bitcoin бесплатные bitcoin bitcoin buying bitcoin central обмен tether cryptocurrency tech hashrate bitcoin ethereum api ethereum poloniex обновление ethereum bitcoin store bitcoin cms пулы bitcoin flex bitcoin Ключевое слово ethereum exchange asus bitcoin проверка bitcoin erc20 ethereum
strategy bitcoin decades of computer science research).it bitcoin bitcoin tube bitcoin vizit график ethereum bitcoin dat ethereum casper mastercard bitcoin login bitcoin
bitcoin баланс matteo monero monero nvidia cryptocurrency gold yota tether fpga ethereum отзыв bitcoin monero blockchain bitcoin loans bitcoin pizza
приложения bitcoin
play bitcoin p2pool monero
ethereum api биржа bitcoin bitcoin курс tcc bitcoin ethereum падение bitcoin автосерфинг
lamborghini bitcoin bitcoin spend monero miner blake bitcoin ethereum homestead ethereum форк bitcoin vizit bitcointalk ethereum биржа monero ethereum price настройка bitcoin bitcoin online bitcoin doubler bitcoin 20 monero simplewallet токены ethereum bitcoin spend polkadot stingray tether js bitcoin 999 bitcoin facebook bitcoin википедия stock bitcoin bitcoin prices bitcoin location bitcoin tor bitcoin hardfork ethereum course cryptocurrency index decred ethereum bitcoin сбор sec bitcoin обменник monero monero обмен bitcoin вебмани bitcoin money neo cryptocurrency сбербанк bitcoin bitcoin forums bitcoin pdf bitcoin banks
bitcoin конверт bitcoin расшифровка
ethereum прогнозы приват24 bitcoin tether 4pda bitcoin вход скачать bitcoin ethereum miner torrent bitcoin wmx bitcoin bitcoin skrill playstation bitcoin bitcoin biz boom bitcoin tx bitcoin xbt bitcoin bitcoin часы total cryptocurrency How Bitcoin works, brieflybitcoin пополнить github ethereum bitcoin de ethereum txid bitcoin форки bitcoin easy приложения bitcoin bitcoin com miningpoolhub ethereum service bitcoin bitcoin site bitcoin statistics
bitcoin пирамиды calculator bitcoin шифрование bitcoin
робот bitcoin монет bitcoin вход bitcoin nicehash ethereum bazar bitcoin 1 monero bitcoin investing обновление ethereum
gadget bitcoin rigname ethereum demo bitcoin bitcoin проблемы bitcoin apk
bitcoin mmgp monero xeon oil bitcoin алгоритм bitcoin ios bitcoin bitcoin evolution bitcoin sportsbook github bitcoin fox bitcoin bitcoin bbc bitcoin робот bitcoin golden новости monero flex bitcoin кран ethereum nova bitcoin bitcoin withdrawal обсуждение bitcoin bitcoin страна analysis bitcoin запросы bitcoin bitcoin registration
bitcoin покер bitcoin информация bitcoin favicon верификация tether buy ethereum настройка monero cryptocurrency wallets казино ethereum значок bitcoin вход bitcoin bitcoin lucky 60 bitcoin bitcoin знак wei ethereum bitcoin split zcash bitcoin prune bitcoin кран ethereum bitcoin gif ethereum статистика bitcoin серфинг
electrum bitcoin теханализ bitcoin bitcoin doubler
monero logo деньги bitcoin darkcoin bitcoin
Whenever a user accesses the Wikipedia page, they will get the updated version of the 'master copy' of the Wikipedia entry. Control of the database remains with Wikipedia administrators allowing for access and permissions to be maintained by a central authority.bitcoin calc bitcoin x2 bitcoin airbit bounty bitcoin
bitcoin base bitcoin io халява bitcoin
bitcoin fields bitcoin trading 600 bitcoin Storing bitcoinsmonero hardware биржи bitcoin network bitcoin график monero auction bitcoin tether usd эфир ethereum bitcoin сервер hack bitcoin
monero minergate
ethereum контракт
bitcoin etherium bitcoin gpu bitcoin parser bitcoin картинка bitcoin euro casper ethereum bitcoin q by bitcoin bitcoin block bitcoin etherium java bitcoin pay bitcoin bitcoin json ethereum игра ethereum упал tether обменник биржа bitcoin bitcoin converter
exchange ethereum продам bitcoin bitcoin комиссия ethereum 1070 bitcoin аккаунт bitcoin people
red bitcoin смесители bitcoin xmr monero
dash cryptocurrency bitcoin лого bitcoin donate matteo monero bitcoin kurs
bitcoin hashrate перспективы bitcoin store bitcoin
capitalization bitcoin добыча ethereum бесплатно bitcoin бесплатный bitcoin mmm bitcoin bitcoin софт алгоритм bitcoin рулетка bitcoin статистика ethereum bitcoin car bitcoin neteller bitcoin экспресс
lucky bitcoin vps bitcoin Like it or not, cryptocurrency is practically everywhere these days and no longer just for day traders and nerds. In fact, many traditional businesses are integrating cryptocurrency into their platforms in some form, or using it as a means to launch other types of products.rinkeby ethereum программа tether котировки bitcoin global bitcoin total cryptocurrency bitcoin автоматический monero price nem cryptocurrency monero прогноз bcc bitcoin seed bitcoin bitcoin electrum bitcoin news buy tether
matteo monero Cryptocurrencies don’t need banks and governments. Users can send each other money online, without needing to trust each other or any third parties with their money or information.trade cryptocurrency блокчейн bitcoin bitcoin обменник покер bitcoin bitcoin de cgminer ethereum case bitcoin bitcoin mmgp bitcoin account ethereum логотип tether android 1 monero bitcoin вебмани
bitcoin maker british bitcoin hacking bitcoin
bitcoin uk group bitcoin github ethereum токен ethereum bitcoin dice bitcoin click ethereum добыча ethereum blockchain 2016 bitcoin
смесители bitcoin фьючерсы bitcoin bitcoin change monero обмен x bitcoin And frequency of new transactionsroulette bitcoin bitcoin favicon bitcoin пополнение box bitcoin bitcoin рублей Paper wallets are perhaps the simplest of all the wallets. Paper wallets are pieces of paper that contain the private and public keys of a bitcoin address. Ideal for the long-term storage of bitcoin (away from fire and water, of course) or for the giving of bitcoin as a gift, these wallets are more secure in that they’re not connected to a network. They are, however, easier to lose.top tether bitcoin school nicehash monero
bitcoin spinner ethereum обменять bitcoin 2018 dark bitcoin
bitcoin хайпы bitcoin coinmarketcap заработка bitcoin заработок ethereum bitcoin generation bitcoin agario 1060 monero bitcoin it ethereum криптовалюта bitcoin get исходники bitcoin masternode bitcoin bitcoin проверка boom bitcoin генераторы bitcoin bitcoin vip bitcoin код bitcoin electrum nanopool monero bitcoin прогноз bitcoin теория bitcoin обменники ethereum валюта bitcoin eth получение bitcoin bitcoin криптовалюту анонимность bitcoin серфинг bitcoin bitcoin сайты rus bitcoin 99 bitcoin ethereum usd
bitcoin продам