Introduction
Three cryptos have dominated for years. They don't do the same thing — understanding their roles is 80% of the path.
Bitcoin: digital gold?
First blockchain (2009, created by anonymous Satoshi Nakamoto). Supply capped at 21 million, ever. Its scarcity is mathematically guaranteed — like gold, but on the Internet.
- 21 million max (programmed scarcity).
- Long-term store of value (« digital gold »).
- Slow and not very programmable, but ultra-resilient.
Halving = the key to scarcity
Every 4 years, the miner reward is cut in half. 50 BTC in 2009 → 3.125 BTC in 2024 → ~21M by around 2140. That's what makes Bitcoin programmatically scarce.
Ethereum: what's it for?
A platform that executes programs (smart contracts) on the blockchain. The foundation of DeFi, NFTs and most crypto apps.
- Smart contracts = code that runs without intermediaries.
- Foundation of DeFi, NFTs, Web3.
- Slower than a credit card, infinitely more flexible than BTC.
Bitcoin vs Ethereum
If Bitcoin is gold, Ethereum is the iPhone: a platform you build on. You can store value on both, but Ethereum primarily runs applications.
Solana: why all the buzz?
Younger, much faster: thousands of transactions/second vs ~15 for Ethereum. Fees: a few cents. Trade-off: more technically complex, with some past network outages.
- Thousands of transactions/sec (vs ~15 on Ethereum).
- Fees: less than 1 cent per transaction.
- Popular for NFTs and consumer payments.
Which ones on the platform?
BTC, ETH, SOL and several others, directly in the app. Together, BTC + ETH = 60%+ of total market cap: a solid starting point.
- Buy, sell, store: all in one app.
- Can also receive from external wallets.
- Start with BTC and/or ETH, the classic combo.
Bitcoin will replace the euro someday.
Actually : Bitcoin isn't designed to buy your baguette — it's a store of value. The euro and Bitcoin can coexist perfectly well.
What you should remember
- 01Bitcoin = digital gold, long-term store of value.
- 02Ethereum = programmable platform, the basis of DeFi and NFTs.
- 03Solana = fast and cheap, growing popularity.
- 04On the platform, you can buy BTC, ETH, SOL and others in a few taps.
Ready to practice?
« Investir pour les Paresseux » takes these foundations and places them inside a complete method, from the first order to taxation. Out now in paperback and on Kindle — in French.