The Silver to Bitcoin’s Gold: What is Behind the Litecoin Rally

By Martin Young
Updated April 7, 2022
litecoin mining hashrate

All eyes have been on the king of crypto this month as Bitcoin keeps cranking to new multi-year highs; however, its little brother Litecoin has also been on a tear.

Often called the silver to Bitcoin’s gold, Litecoin has been flying recently adding over 14% in the past 24 hours to reach $76 according to Tradingview.com. It is the highest price LTC has been at since February this year when it topped $83, again following in the shadows of its big brother back then.

Litecoin is still way down from its all-time high which came in early December 2017 when it skyrocketed to $400 briefly. Founder Charlie Lee selling out at the peak did the project no favors at the time.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Institutions Driving Litecoin Back to Sixth Place

The crypto stalwart has surged up the market capitalization charts knocking Bitcoin Cash, Polkadot, and Binance Coin out of its path to reclaim sixth spot. LTC market cap is just below $5 billion at the moment and Chainlink is its next target. Lee also commented on the latest flippening with this cryptic post;

It was also noted that institutional investment funds such as Grayscale have also been loading up on cheaply priced Litecoin recently.

In October, Litecoin Foundation director Alan Austin commented;

“Grayscale says they’ve seen “unprecedented” demand for Litecoin Trust and two other products, with inflows increasing by more than 1400% quarter-over-quarter!”

Advertisement
Advertisement

Fundamental Factors

There has been very little news on Litecoin recently as all attention has been focused on its bit brother and the DeFi sector. Developments with privacy and scaling have been continuing with MimbleWimble and the MWEB testnet launched in early October. There are also several ongoing discussions on a proposed ‘velvet fork’ for the blockchain.

Additionally, Litecoin has always been one of the go-to cryptocurrencies for any major payment providers, with PayPal being the latest to support it.

It appears that current momentum is coming from technical catalysts as long term charts show that LTC is still way undervalued, especially when compared to its big brother which is now less than 20% away from its all-time high. Litecoin comparatively still has 433% to go to reach ATH from its current levels.

Its next resistance level will be February’s high of $85 and beyond that, the pre-halving pump in 2019 that took prices as high as $145.

Advertisement
Martin Young
Martin has been writing on cyber security and infotech for two decades. He has previous forex trading experience and has been covering the blockchain and crypto industry since 2017.
Why trust CoinGape: CoinGape has covered the cryptocurrency industry since 2017, aiming to provide informative insights to our readers. Our journalists and analysts bring years of experience in market analysis and blockchain technology to ensure factual accuracy and balanced reporting. By following our Editorial Policy, our writers verify every source, fact-check each story, rely on reputable sources, and attribute quotes and media correctly. We also follow a rigorous Review Methodology when evaluating exchanges and tools. From emerging blockchain projects and coin launches to industry events and technical developments, we cover all facets of the digital asset space with unwavering commitment to timely, relevant information.
Investment disclaimer: The content reflects the author’s personal views and current market conditions. Please conduct your own research before investing in cryptocurrencies, as neither the author nor the publication is responsible for any financial losses.
Ad Disclosure: This site may feature sponsored content and affiliate links. All advertisements are clearly labeled, and ad partners have no influence over our editorial content.