Litecoin Price

What Is Litecoin?

Litecoin is one of the oldest cryptocurrencies still in wide use, built as a faster, lighter version of Bitcoin for everyday payments. Its coin trades under the ticker LTC.

Charlie Lee, a former Google engineer, created Litecoin in October 2011 by copying Bitcoin's open-source code and changing a few settings. Blocks come four times as often, the supply cap is four times higher, and mining uses a different algorithm. Lee later worked at Coinbase and is now a director of the Litecoin Foundation, a nonprofit that supports development and adoption.

Litecoin doesn't have a company, a venture-backed token sale or a pre-mined supply held by insiders. Every LTC in circulation was mined. That history is a big part of why US regulators have treated LTC more like Bitcoin than like a startup token, and why it was among the first altcoins to get a US spot ETF.

How Litecoin Works

Litecoin uses proof of work. Miners compete to solve a puzzle and add the next block, earning newly created LTC plus fees. Litecoin's puzzle runs on Scrypt, a different hashing algorithm from Bitcoin's SHA-256, so Bitcoin mining machines can't mine it. Dogecoin also uses Scrypt and has accepted merged mining since 2014, according to its 1.8 release notes, so many miners mine both coins with the same work.

A new block arrives about every 2.5 minutes, compared with 10 minutes on Bitcoin. Supply is capped at 84 million LTC. The block reward halves every 840,000 blocks, about every four years. The most recent halving was in August 2023, and the next, at block 3,360,000, is expected around July 2027, according to Grayscale's Litecoin Trust annual report.

Litecoin has served as a test bed for Bitcoin features. It adopted Segregated Witness, a change that frees up block space, in May 2017, before Bitcoin did, and supports the Lightning Network for fast small payments. In May 2022, it added MimbleWimble Extension Blocks (MWEB), an optional side layer that hides amounts and addresses.

What People Use It For

Payments are Litecoin's main pitch. Low fees and quick confirmations make it practical for small purchases, and the Litecoin Foundation lists merchants and payment services that accept it on its spend page.

People also hold LTC as a long-term investment that copies Bitcoin's fixed-supply design. At least one US public company, Lite Strategy, holds LTC as its primary reserve asset, according to its 2026 annual report.

Since October 2025, US investors can also own LTC through an ETF in a regular brokerage account.

Active traders move LTC between exchanges because a block arrives every 2.5 minutes instead of Bitcoin's 10. Holders who want more privacy can move coins into MWEB, which hides amounts and addresses, then move them back to the main chain to spend publicly.

Risks To Know

Litecoin's privacy feature has caused trouble. MWEB's hidden amounts and addresses can make exchanges and regulators wary, since privacy features face tighter rules in some countries. In March 2026, an attacker exploited a validation flaw in MWEB to withdraw LTC improperly. A related attempt in April 2026 caused a temporary chain split and a 13-block reorganization, according to Grayscale's Litecoin Trust annual report. Developers released fixes and the improperly created LTC was recovered, but the same report says a significant share of nodes hadn't updated their software.

Mining power is concentrated among a small number of mining pools, and a smaller proof-of-work network is cheaper to attack than Bitcoin's.

Competition matters, too. Litecoin's pitch as fast, cheap money now competes with stablecoins and newer networks that offer faster settlement.

How To Buy Litecoin

LTC is one of the most widely listed coins in the US. Coinbase, Kraken, Gemini, Binance.US and Crypto.com all offer it, and Bitstamp does too until its US service stops taking new deposits and purchases on Feb. 1, 2027. OKX lists it on its global platform, and Bitget, MEXC and Gate serve international buyers.

If you'd rather not hold coins yourself, the Canary Litecoin ETF (LTCC) trades on Nasdaq. For more detail on wallets and buying steps, see how to invest in Litecoin. The table below shows what your money actually gets you at each exchange.

Litecoin And Your Taxes

The IRS treats LTC as property. Selling, trading or spending it triggers a capital gain or loss, and even buying coffee with LTC counts as a sale. Holding more than a year gets long-term rates.

Litecoin has no staking, so most holders only report gains and losses. Mining rewards are ordinary income when received. Because a US spot ETF exists, you can hold LTC exposure in an IRA through a brokerage account. Read more on how crypto taxes work.

FAQ

Is Litecoin A Good Investment?

Only you can decide, based on factors like these. Litecoin has a 15-year track record, a fixed 84 million supply, wide exchange support and a US spot ETF. Against that, its role as a payment coin faces competition from stablecoins, and the 2026 MWEB exploit showed software risk. For background, read how to invest in Litecoin.

What Is The Max Supply Of Litecoin?

Litecoin's supply is capped at 84 million LTC, four times Bitcoin's 21 million. New coins come only from mining rewards, which halve every 840,000 blocks, about every four years. The last halving was in August 2023, so most of the 84 million LTC has already been mined.

Who Created Litecoin?

Charlie Lee, a former Google engineer, created Litecoin in 2011 by modifying Bitcoin's code. Lee later worked as an engineering director at Coinbase. He is now a director of the Litecoin Foundation, the nonprofit that funds development, according to the foundation's team page. In December 2017, Lee said he had sold or given away nearly all of his LTC, citing conflicts of interest.

Is There A Litecoin ETF?

Yes. The Canary Litecoin ETF (LTCC) began trading on Nasdaq on October 28, 2025, and holds LTC directly. Grayscale's Litecoin Trust (LTCN) still trades over the counter as of November 2026, though Grayscale has filed to convert it into an exchange-listed product.

Can I Buy Litecoin In An IRA?

Yes. You can buy the Canary Litecoin ETF in a regular brokerage IRA, the same way you'd buy a stock fund. If you'd rather hold LTC itself, ask any self-directed crypto IRA provider whether it supports LTC, and compare fees on both routes. See our overview of investing in crypto in your IRA or 401(k).

Where Can I Buy Litecoin In The US?

Coinbase, Kraken, Gemini, Binance.US and Crypto.com all list LTC for US customers. Bitstamp's US service is winding down on Feb. 1, 2027, and OKX lists LTC on its global platform, so check whether OKX US offers it. Confirm the platform serves your state before you sign up. Fees and spreads vary from one exchange to the next, so compare the full cost in the table above before you buy. Our ranking of the best crypto exchanges covers each platform in more detail.