$XRP Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) are the two largest cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, but they serve different purposes in the blockchain ecosystem. While Bitcoin is primarily a decentralized digital currency, Ethereum is a programmable blockchain supporting smart contracts and decentralized applications (DApps).

1. Purpose & Use Case

Bitcoin (BTC): Created as "digital gold," Bitcoin is a store of value and medium of exchange. Its limited supply (21 million coins)