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Coins vs tokens: what’s the difference?

The terms “coin” and “token” are often used interchangeably, but there are a few key differences to be aware of.

If you’re new to the world of cryptocurrency, you’ll no doubt have found that there’s a whole lot of jargon and technical terminology to try and wrap your head around. Two terms that can be the source of much confusion are “coin” and “token.” Both of these words can be used to describe units of blockchain value and there are plenty of similarities between the two.

However, there are some important differences as well, which we’ll look at in this article.

Disclaimer: This page is not financial advice or an endorsement of digital assets, providers or services. Digital assets are volatile and risky, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. Potential regulations or policies can affect their availability and services provided. Talk with a financial professional before making a decision. Finder or the author may own cryptocurrency discussed on this page.

What is a crypto coin?

In general terms, a cryptocurrency coin is just that – an encrypted digital currency meant to be used as a form of payment. A coin is a unit of value that operates on its own blockchain, independently of any other platform. It can be used to store value and pay for services, in much the same way that you would use physical money.

Bitcoin (BTC) is easily the best-known cryptocurrency coin around the world, but it’s far from the only coin available. In fact, there are thousands of crypto coins in existence. You may see many of these other coins referred to as altcoins, an abbreviation of alternative coins, simply because they offer an alternative to Bitcoin.

Most altcoins are a fork of Bitcoin and were developed using Bitcoin’s open-source protocol. Examples include Litecoin (LTC) and Dogecoin (DOGE).

However, there’s also a long list of other altcoins that haven’t been derived from the Bitcoin protocol and have instead created their own blockchain and protocol. Some well-known examples include Ethereum (ETH), Ripple (XRP) and Cardano (ADA).

What is a crypto token?

Tokens are used to represent digital assets that are fungible and tradeable, including everything from commodities to voting rights. However, rather than operating on their own blockchain, tokens are hosted by another platform, such as Ethereum.

While tokens are also a medium of exchange, they offer functionality above and beyond that of coins. Tokens give their holders the ability to take part in some kind of activity – for example, if you want to bet on the outcome of future events through decentralized prediction market Augur, you’ll need to use REP, the Augur platform’s native cryptocurrency token. Tokens can also offer value to buyers, for example through buybacks.

Tokens are usually created and distributed to the general public through Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs), which are a form of crowdfunding. Some of the best-known crypto tokens include EOS (EOS), Tron (TRX) and OMG Network (OMG), with Ethereum being the most popular platform for token development.

However, there are also plenty of other platforms which tokens can be built upon, including Omni, NEO, Waves and Qtum.

Coins vs tokens

Coins are standalone cryptocurrencies based on their own blockchain. Tokens are built and hosted on existing blockchains.

Explore more coins and tokens

Find all coin and token profiles, news and history to get you started with crypto trading and investing.

Bitcoin guide
Get the latest Bitcoin (BTC) price, coin profile, news and history.
Ethereum
Get the latest Ethereum (ETH) price, coin profile, news and history.

Learn how and where to buy crypto coins and tokens

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Name Product GXFCY Deposit methods Fiat currencies Cryptocurrencies Offer Disclaimer Go to site
eToro Cryptocurrency Trading
eToro Cryptocurrency Trading
Bank transfer, Credit card, Debit card, Neteller, Skrill

18

78

Disclaimer: Cryptoasset investing is highly volatile and unregulated in the UK and some EU countries. No consumer protection. Tax on profits may apply.
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Binance Cryptocurrency Exchange (Not available to US users)
Bank transfer, Cryptocurrency

1

369

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KuCoin Cryptocurrency Exchange
KuCoin Cryptocurrency Exchange
Bank transfer, Credit card, Cryptocurrency, Debit card, PayPal, P2P

50

743

Not available for US citizens
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Capital at risk

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Bybit Cryptocurrency Exchange
Bybit Cryptocurrency Exchange
Bank transfer, Credit card, Cryptocurrency, Debit card, P2P

73

279

Disclaimer: Highly volatile investment product. Your capital is at risk. Not available for US citizens
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Gate.io Cryptocurrency Exchange
Bank transfer, Credit card, Cryptocurrency, Debit card

8

1607

Not available for US citizens
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Kraken Cryptocurrency Exchange
Bank transfer, Credit card, Cryptocurrency, Debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, SWIFT

8

222

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OKX Cryptocurrency Exchange
Bank transfer, Cryptocurrency, iDEAL, PayPal, POLi, SEPA, Faster Payments (FPS)

35

338

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Uphold
Uphold
Bank transfer (ACH), Credit card, Debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay

27

237

Capital at risk

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EXCLUSIVE
Paybis Cryptocurrency Exchange
Bank transfer, Credit card, Debit card, Neteller

42

357

Finder Exclusive: Get 25% discount on all commission for 1 transaction when using promocode Finder25. There is no time limit on the validity of the promo code.
US residents: Restricted in the following states - NY, CT, NM, WA, HI, AL, VT, FL, AK, NV.
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Finder Award
Bitstamp Cryptocurrency Exchange
Bank transfer, Credit card, Cryptocurrency, Debit card, SEPA, Faster Payments (FPS)

3

96

Capital at risk

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Coinmama Cryptocurrency Marketplace
Credit card, Fedwire, SEPA, Google Pay, SWIFT, Bank card

6

15

Capital at risk

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Gemini Cryptocurrency Exchange
Bank transfer (ACH), Cryptocurrency, Debit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, SWIFT

7

151

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Finder Award
Crypto.com App
Bank transfer, Credit card, Cryptocurrency, Debit card, PayPal, Wire transfer, Apple Pay, Google Pay, SWIFT

31

378

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Bybit Cryptocurrency Exchange

Bybit Cryptocurrency Exchange logo
  • Offers leverage and derivative trading
  • Supports EUR, GBP and CHF
  • Licensed to operate in all European countries
Go to site
Disclaimer: Highly volatile investment product. Your capital is at risk. Not available for US citizens

KuCoin Cryptocurrency Exchange

KuCoin Cryptocurrency Exchange logo
  • Buy, sell and trade over 700 crypto assets
  • Supports 10 Asian fiat currencies
  • Offers crypto futures trading
Go to site
Not available for US citizens

Kraken Cryptocurrency Exchange

Kraken Cryptocurrency Exchange logo
  • Buy, sell and trade over 200 crypto assets
  • Licensed to operate in 17 jurisdictions in Oceania
  • Supports AUD
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Binance Cryptocurrency Exchange (Not available to US users)

Binance Cryptocurrency Exchange (Not available to US users) logo
  • Supports over 300 crypto assets
  • Binance Pay enables users spend their crypto
  • Binance P2P supports multiple African fiat currencies
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Binance Cryptocurrency Exchange (Not available to US users)

Binance Cryptocurrency Exchange (Not available to US users) logo
  • Supports over 300 crypto assets
  • Binance Pay works with Credencial Payments to support crypto payments
  • Binance P2P supports five Latin American fiat currencies
Go to site

Bybit Cryptocurrency Exchange

Bybit Cryptocurrency Exchange logo
  • Supports leverage and derivative trading
  • Supports 300 spot trading pairs
  • Low-to-non-existent trading fees
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Disclaimer: Highly volatile investment product. Your capital is at risk. Not available for US citizens
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Tim Falk is a freelance writer for Finder. Over the course of his 15-year writing career, he has reported on a wide range of personal finance topics. Whether you're investing in stocks and ETFs, comparing savings accounts or choosing a credit card, Tim wants to make it easier for you to understand. When he’s not staring at his computer, you can usually find him exploring the great outdoors. See full bio

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