Bitcoin.
Bitcoin (BTC) is the first digital currency and touted as the best. Bitcoin was created by Satoshi Nakamoto and launched publicly in open source in 2009.
In addition to Bitcoin, all other digital currencies are referred to as 'altcoins' (alternative coins). Bitcoin is known for being the first, the easiest to get, and the widest acceptance.
Ethereum.
Many parties are trying to rival the popularity of Bitcoin, but no one has succeeded in doing so. Until 2014, Vitalik Buterin created a platform called Ethereum.
Ethereum is known for its ability to make payments by Peer-to-peer without the use of third parties.
Litecoin.
Litecoin or LTC was officially released to the public in 2011. Cryptocurrency was created by a former Google employee, Charles Lee, with the aim of making Bitcoin better.
Like Bitcoin, Litecoin is used as the virtual currency for transactions of goods and services.
Monero.
Monero is a digital currency that focuses more on privacy, so Monero is safer and can not be traced.
Monero is widely used by individuals who want to remain anonymous on the internet.
Dash.
Dash is an extension of Digital Cash which was originally called Darkcoin and should be replaced for marketing purposes. Unlike Bitcoin and Litecoin, DASH uses the X11 algorithm that uses 11 different hash rounds.
The algorithm is claimed to be faster and uses a more efficient computer performance.
Ripple.
Ripple also known as XPR is a digital currency originally developed in private by Ripple Network to create a secure, easy, and fast payment system.
But by 2013, Ripple Network decided to make this project open source under the ISC license. Ripple uses the Consensus algorithm that enables distributed payment, exchange, and remittance processing.
Now the Ripple system has been integrated into multiple banks and payment networks to reduce costs.
Zcash.
Excess Zcash is able to encrypt transactions and amounts transacted, so it can not be traced.
Zcash itself is built on the basis of a cryptographic algorithm called zero-knowledge proof. This system allows users to prove that they have money without showing their identity or how much money they will transact.
Thus, users will have greater control over privacy in digital transactions.