#CardanoDebate Cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual currency that uses cryptography for security and operates on a decentralized technology called blockchain. It's not controlled by any single entity, like a central bank or government. Popular cryptocurrencies include ¹ ²:

- *Bitcoin*: The first and most popular cryptocurrency, created in 2009 by Satoshi Nakamoto, allowing secure and anonymous payments.

- *Ethereum*: A decentralized platform enabling smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps) with a market cap of over $320 billion.

- *Litecoin*, *Ripple*, and *Cronos* are other notable cryptocurrencies.

The total crypto market capitalization exceeds $1 trillion, with thousands of different cryptocurrencies popping up regularly ².