What is the difference between tokens and coins in crypto?

Gianluca Busato
Enkronos
Published in
4 min readMay 9, 2023

Experts in the field argue that although all tokens are considered coins in the crypto sector, this is not true.

There have been many people who have benefited from increased digitization, which has contributed to the emergence and popularity of cryptocurrencies. But as you may have noticed, crypto assets are not exactly uniform. Both coins and tokens are terms we use to describe them.

In fact, many people aren’t even sure if they’re buying crypto tokens or crypto coins.Are they similar? The answer is no. They differ from each other and have different purposes. Let’s explore them in more detail.

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Cryptocurrency — Meaning And Definition:

Cryptocurrency, sometimes called cryptocurrency or crypto, is any form of currency that exists digitally or virtually and uses cryptography to secure transactions.

Cryptocurrencies use a decentralised mechanism to track transactions and create new units, rather than a central body issuing or regulating them.

What Is Cryptocurrency?

A digital payment system known as cryptocurrency does not rely on banks to validate transactions. Peer-to-peer technology makes it possible for anyone, anywhere, to send and receive payments. Payments made using cryptocurrencies do not exist as actual physical currencies that can be transported and exchanged; rather, they exist only as digital entries in an online database detailing individual transactions. A public ledger keeps track of all bitcoin transactions involving money transfers. Digital wallets are where the cryptocurrency is stored.

Because transactions are verified through encryption, the cryptocurrency has earned its name. This means that advanced encryption is involved in the storage and transmission of cryptocurrency data between wallets and to public ledgers. The purpose of encryption is to provide security and safety.

Founded in 2009 and still the most popular cryptocurrency to date, Bitcoin was the first original currency. Much of the interest in cryptocurrencies is to trade for profit.

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How Does Cryptocurrency Work?

Cryptocurrencies run on a distributed public ledger called the blockchain, a record of all transactions, updated and owned by coin holders.

The practice of “mining”, which involves using computer power to solve complex mathematical problems to produce coins, is how cryptocurrency units are produced. In addition, users can purchase coins from brokers, store them in crypto wallets and then use them to make purchases.

If you own cryptocurrencies, you own nothing tangible. What you do own is a key that allows you to move a record or unit of measure from one person to another without another trusted person.

Although Bitcoin has been around since 2009, cryptocurrencies and applications of blockchain technology are still developing in financial terms and more uses are expected in the future. The technology could one day be used to trade bonds, stocks and other financial assets.

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What Are Crypto Tokens?

The term “token” refers to a particular type of virtual currency or the way cryptocurrencies are valued. These tokens talk about fungible and tradable resources or utilities that deal with their blockchains. Crypto tokens are often used to raise funds for crowdsales, but they can also serve as a substitute for other things. These tokens are often produced, offered for sale and traded using the typical initial coin offering (ICO) procedure, which includes a campaign to raise money for project development.

Key Principles:

  • Crypto tokens are a kind of cryptocurrency that exists on its own blockchain and represents an asset or special use.
  • Tokens can be invested, used as a form of store of value or used to make purchases.
  • Digital money known as cryptocurrencies are used to accelerate payments and transactions through the blockchain.
  • Crypto tokens and altcoins are two different types of cryptocurrencies.
  • Crypto tokens, which are produced through an ICO, are commonly used to raise money for online sales.

Difference Between Coins And Tokens:

The cryptocurrency industry argues that the key distinction between coins and tokens is that while coins are created by platforms and applications that are built on top of an existing Blockchain, tokens are created by platforms and applications that are native assets of a Blockchain such as Bitcoin or Ethereum.

“A Blockchain can have a single native asset (coin), while it can have hundreds of tokens built on top of it. While ETH is the native cryptocurrency of the Ethereum Blockchain, there are many other different tokens that also use the Ethereum Blockchain.

Typically, coins are used for governance, transactional fees and other related use cases. Experts say they are the infrastructure and backbone of blockchain. Tokens can represent a multitude of real-world use cases, including gaming, Stablecoins, NFTs and other fees. That said, crypto coins have a higher intrinsic value because they form the foundation of the Blockchain.

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In addition, the token team can rely on the coin network to provide security and stability to the network.

Conclusion

The difference between token and coin is not big, but it can cause a major headache if overlooked frequently. A quick way to decide which you should use is to pay attention to what you are buying. If it’s a product, more often than not, you’d need coins. If it’s a service, there are usually utility tokens you can use.

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