Bitcoin has lead the crypto world for so very long, so dominantly that the terms crypto and Bitcoin are frequently used interchangeably. However, the reality is, the electronic currency doesn't only comprise of Bitcoin. There are many other crypto currencies which are part of the crypto world. The goal of this post is to prepare the audience of ours on cryptocurrencies apart from Bitcoin to provide them with a wide variety of alternatives to pick from - in case they intend on making crypto-investments.So let's get started with the very first name on the list of ours, that is:Litecoin:Launched in 2011, Litecoin is frequently referred to as' silver to Bitcoin's gold.' Charlie Lee - mit graduate and Former engineer at Google - will be the founding father of Litecoin.Similar to Bitcoin, Litecoin is a decentralized, open source payment network which functions without a central authority.Litecoin is comparable to Bitcoin in ways that are many and often leads people to think: "Why not go with Bitcoin? Both are similar!". Here is a catch: the block generation of Litecoin is a lot quicker than that of Bitcoin! and this is the main reason why merchants all over the world are becoming more receptive to accepting Litecoin.Ethereum:Another open source, decentralized software platform. The currency was launched in 2015 and enables Smart Contracts and Distributed Applications to be made and managed without any downtime.The applications on Ethereum platform require a specific cryptographic token - Ether. As per the main developers of Ethereum, the token can be used to trade, secure, and decentralize just about anything.Ethereum experienced an attack in 2016 which saw the currency split into two parts: Ethereum and Ethereum Classic.In the race of leading cryptocurrencies, Ethereum is second most popular and is right behind Bitcoin.Zcash:Zcash came out in the later part of 2016. The currency defines itself as: "if Bitcoin is as http for money, Zcash is https".Zcash promises to provide privacy, security, and transparency of transactions. The currency also offers an opportunity of' shielded' transaction so the users are able to transfer data in the form of encrypted code.Recommended--> : Best Cardano NFT MaketplacesDash:Dash is originally a secretive version of Bitcoin. It is commonly known as as' Darkcoin' on account of its secretive nature.Dash is popular for offering an expanded anonymity which allows the users of its to make transactions not possible to trace.The currency first appeared on the canvas of digital market in the year 2014. Since then, it's experienced a big fan following over a very quick span of time.Ripple:With a market capitalization of more than $1bn, Ripple is the final name on our list. The currency was launched in 2012 and provides instant, secure, and low-cost payments.The consensus ledger of Ripple does not require mining, a feature which makes it different from Bitcoin and other mainstream crypto currencies.The absence of mining reduces the computing power which ultimately minimizes the latency and makes transactions faster.Wrap Up:Although Bitcoin continues to lead the pack of crypto, the rivals are picking up the pace. Currencies as Ethereum and Ripple have surpassed Bitcoin in enterprise solutions and are growing in popularity each day. Going by the trend, one other cryptos are here to stay and will soon be giving Bitcoin a real tough time to maintain its stature.