1. Bitcoin (BTC) – The First Cryptocurrency
Bitcoin is the first cryptocurrency and the longest-running blockchain. It was created by an unknown person or group of people using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto in 2008. Bitcoin’s primary use case is to serve as a digital currency that can be used to purchase goods and services.
One of the reasons why Bitcoin has been able to sustain itself for over a decade is its decentralized nature. Unlike traditional financial systems, which are controlled by governments and banks, Bitcoin is maintained by a network of computers around the world. This decentralization makes it difficult for any single entity to control the network or manipulate the value of the currency.
2. Ethereum (ETH) – The Second-Largest Cryptocurrency
Ethereum is the second-largest cryptocurrency and the longest-running blockchain after Bitcoin. It was created by Vitalik Buterin in 2013 with the goal of building a decentralized platform that could be used to create and execute smart contracts.
Smart contracts are self-executing contracts with the terms of the agreement between buyer and seller being directly written into lines of code. Ethereum’s blockchain has been able to support this use case because of its ability to run complex applications on top of it. This has led to Ethereum being used in various industries, including finance, gaming, and supply chain management.
3. Litecoin (LTC) – The Third-Largest Cryptocurrency
Litecoin is the third-largest cryptocurrency and the longest-running blockchain after Bitcoin and Ethereum. It was created by Charlie Lee in 2011 with the goal of being a faster and more lightweight version of Bitcoin.
One of the main advantages of Litecoin is its speed. Transactions on the Litecoin network are processed much faster than transactions on the Bitcoin network, making it an attractive choice for businesses that need to process transactions quickly.
4. Ripple (XRP) – A Cross-Border Payment Protocol
Ripple is a cross-border payment protocol and the longest-running blockchain that focuses on enabling fast and low-cost global payments. It was created by Brad Garlinghouse in 2012 with the goal of making it easier for people to send money across borders.
One of Ripple’s main advantages is its ability to process transactions quickly. Ripple can process over 1,500 transactions per second, which makes it an attractive choice for businesses that need to make payments across different currencies and time zones. Additionally, Ripple has partnerships with major banks and payment providers, making it a viable option for businesses that want to integrate blockchain technology into their existing systems.
5. Bitcoin Cash (BCH) – A Fork of Bitcoin
Bitcoin Cash is a fork of Bitcoin and the longest-running blockchain that aims to increase the scalability and speed of transactions. It was created in 2017 as a result of a disagreement within the Bitcoin community over how to scale the network.
One of Bitcoin Cash’s main advantages is its ability to process more transactions per second than Bitcoin. Bitcoin Cash can process up to 200,000 transactions per second, making it an attractive choice for businesses that need to make high-volume payments.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the longest-running blockchains are Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Ripple, and Bitcoin Cash.