Since its inception in 2008, Bitcoin has paved the way for a multitude of other cryptocurrencies, commonly referred to as altcoins. The current count of these alternative coins, or altcoins, exceeds 5,000, offering investors diverse options for their cryptocurrency portfolios.

自 2008 年诞生以来，比特币为多种其他加密货币（通常称为山寨币）铺平了道路。目前这些替代币或山寨币的数量超过 5,000 种，为投资者的加密货币投资组合提供了多种选择。

For those considering cryptocurrency investments beyond Bitcoin, exploring altcoins with distinct functionalities becomes a viable strategy. Here, we present a list of the top 10 altcoins by market capitalization, all of which have gained approval from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the financial regulator.

对于那些考虑投资比特币以外的加密货币的人来说，探索具有独特功能的山寨币成为一种可行的策略。在此，我们列出了按市值排名前 10 位的山寨币，所有这些山寨币均已获得金融监管机构金融行为监管局 (FCA) 的批准。

1. Ether (ETH):

   以太币（ETH）：

   • Native to the Ethereum platform, Ether serves as the cryptocurrency for a global software ecosystem. Ethereum facilitates applications, including smart contracts, games, and financial transactions via blockchain technology. Additionally, it plays a role in minting and storing non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

   以太币原生于以太坊平台，作为全球软件生态系统的加密货币。以太坊通过区块链技术促进应用程序，包括智能合约、游戏和金融交易。此外，它还在铸造和存储不可替代代币（NFT）方面发挥着作用。

   • Launched in 2015, Ether has amassed a market capitalization exceeding £210 billion as of December 2023. Each Ether token is valued at approximately £1,754.

   以太币于 2015 年推出，截至 2023 年 12 月，其市值已超过 2100 亿英镑。每个以太币的价值约为 1,754 英镑。

2. Tether (USDT):

   泰达币（USDT）：

   • Introduced in 2017, Tether represents one of around 200 stablecoins. Tether’s value is tethered to the US dollar, with its creators holding $1 in reserve for each coin issued.

   Tether 于 2017 年推出，是大约 200 种稳定币之一。 Tether 的价值与美元挂钩，其创建者为每发行一枚代币持有 1 美元的储备金。

   • As a stablecoin, Tether aims to maintain a stable value around $1 (or £0.81) at all times. Despite this stability, it is essential to note that stablecoins are not immune to fluctuations, as witnessed in the case of Terra USD in May 2022.

   作为一种稳定币，Tether 的目标是始终保持稳定在 1 美元（或 0.81 英镑）左右。尽管具有这种稳定性，但值得注意的是，稳定币并不能免受波动影响，正如 2022 年 5 月 Terra USD 的情况所证明的那样。

   • Tether’s current market capitalization stands at approximately £71 billion.

   Tether 目前的市值约为 710 亿英镑。

3. Binance Coin (BNB):

   币安币（BNB）：

   • Launched in 2017 and operating on the Ethereum blockchain, Binance Coin experienced an initial coin offering (ICO) that issued 200 million BNB coins. Periodic buybacks and destruction of coins contribute to the value of those remaining in circulation.

   币安币于 2017 年推出，在以太坊区块链上运行，经历了首次代币发行 (ICO)，发行了 2 亿枚 BNB 代币。硬币的定期回购和销毁有助于提高剩余流通硬币的价值。

   • As of December 2023, Binance Coin is valued at £197.93.

   截至 2023 年 12 月，币安币的估值为 197.93 英镑。

4. XRP (XRP):

   瑞波币（XRP）：

   • Known for its use in the Ripple global money transfer network, XRP operates on its own ledger. Unlike Bitcoin, XRP transactions are not verified through proof-of-work or proof-of-stake but are processed by network participants known as validators.

   XRP 因其在 Ripple 全球汇款网络中的使用而闻名，它在自己的分类账上运行。与比特币不同，XRP 交易不是通过工作量证明或权益证明进行验证，而是由称为验证器的网络参与者进行处理。

   • Following a recent legal victory for Ripple Labs against the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), XRP’s value increased by 75%. As of December 2023, it has a market capitalization of £25 billion, with each coin valued at around £0.47.

   随着 Ripple Labs 最近在美国证券交易委员会 (SEC) 诉讼中获胜，XRP 的价值增加了​​ 75%。截至 2023 年 12 月，其市值为 250 亿英镑，每枚代币价值约为 0.47 英镑。

5. Solana (SOL):

   索拉纳（太阳）：

   • Introduced in 2020, Solana is a blockchain platform designed to host decentralized applications, similar to Ethereum. Solana distinguishes itself with low transaction fees and the ability to process up to 65,000 transactions per second through a ‘proof-of-history’ process.

   Solana 于 2020 年推出，是一个区块链平台，旨在托管去中心化应用程序，类似于以太坊。 Solana 的特点是交易费用低，并且能够通过“历史证明”流程每秒处理多达 65,000 笔交易。

   • Valued at £58.62, Solana’s market capitalization is £25 billion.

   Solana 的估值为 58.62 英镑，市值为 250 亿英镑。

6. USD Coin (USDC):

   美元硬币（USDC）：

   • As a stablecoin pegged to the US dollar, USD Coin was first issued in 2018 by Circle, a peer-to-peer payment platform. For each USDC in circulation, one dollar is held in reserve.

   作为与美元挂钩的稳定币，USD Coin于2018年由点对点支付平台Circle首次发行。每流通一个 USDC，就会保留 1 美元作为储备。

   • As of December 2023, USD Coin maintains a value of $1 (approximately £0.78), with a market cap of £19 billion.

   截至 2023 年 12 月，美元硬币的价值保持在 1 美元（约 0.78 英镑），市值为 190 亿英镑。

7. Cardano (ADA):

   卡尔达诺（ADA）：

   • Created in 2017 by Ethereum’s co-founder Charles Hoskinson, Cardano serves as the native cryptocurrency for its blockchain platform. Using proof-of-stake for transaction verification, Cardano consumes considerably less energy than proof-of-work blockchains.

   Cardano 由以太坊联合创始人 Charles Hoskinson 于 2017 年创建，作为其区块链平台的原生加密货币。卡尔达诺使用股权证明进行交易验证，比工作量证明区块链消耗的能源少得多。

   • With a current value of £0.46, Cardano’s market cap stands at £16 billion.

   卡尔达诺目前的价值为 0.46 英镑，市值为 160 亿英镑。

8. Avalanche (AVAX):

   雪崩（AVAX）：

   • Emerging in 2020, Avalanche has gained popularity as an Ethereum alternative for developers. Despite its recent establishment, Avalanche boasts a market cap of approximately £11 billion, with a current value of £32.03.

   Avalanche 于 2020 年出现，作为开发者的以太坊替代品而受到欢迎。尽管成立不久，Avalanche 的市值仍约为 110 亿英镑，当前价值为 32.03 英镑。

9. Dogecoin (DOGE):

   狗狗币（DOGE）：

   • Originating as a meme currency in 2013, Dogecoin has evolved into a crypto asset with a distinctive Shiba Inu dog logo. Despite its humorous origins and unlimited supply, Dogecoin reached an all-time high of £0.58 in 2022, propelled by Elon Musk’s tweets.

   狗狗币起源于 2013 年，最初是一种迷因货币，现已发展成为一种带有独特柴犬标志的加密资产。尽管狗狗币起源幽默且供应量无限，但在埃隆·马斯克推文的推动下，狗狗币在 2022 年达到了 0.58 英镑的历史新高。

   • As of December 2023, Dogecoin’s value has decreased to approximately £0.07, with a market cap of £10 billion.

   截至 2023 年 12 月，狗狗币的价值已降至约 0.07 英镑，市值为 100 亿英镑。

The cryptocurrency landscape continues to evolve, offering investors a plethora of options beyond the pioneering Bitcoin. As with any investment, thorough research and consideration of market dynamics are crucial for making informed decisions in this rapidly changing space.

加密货币格局不断发展，为投资者提供了除开创性的比特币之外的多种选择。与任何投资一样，对市场动态的彻底研究和考虑对于在这个快速变化的领域做出明智的决策至关重要。