What is a Shanzhai Coin#
The term "Shanzhai Coin" is derived from the abbreviation of "Alternative Coins." In the world of cryptocurrencies, any encrypted currency other than Bitcoin is considered a "Shanzhai Coin."
For example, in the early days of the cryptocurrency market, Litecoin was also born by imitating Bitcoin, so Litecoin was once called the earliest Bitcoin Shanzhai Coin, but this argument is now basically not used.
In fact, "Shanzhai Coin" is not a fake or counterfeit encrypted asset. It is also an encrypted asset generated using blockchain technology. However, relatively speaking, the recognition and liquidity of Shanzhai Coins are not as strong as mainstream coins. With the development of the market, the distinction between "mainstream coins" and "Shanzhai coins" is gradually becoming less clear.
What is a Mainstream Coin#
Cryptocurrencies that are ranked in the top few on the cryptocurrency market cap rankings are usually referred to as mainstream coins. They have a larger community, more users, and higher market activity. Mainstream coins generally have strong consensus in the cryptocurrency market, or have significant practical application value, and better liquidity than ordinary encrypted assets, making them widely recognized by the public.
"The decision between a Shanzhai Coin and a Mainstream Coin mainly depends on the recognition of the general investors in the cryptocurrency market and the practical application value of the encrypted assets themselves."