Last year saw Bitcoin's value balloon rapaciously, but its stunning ascent now seems to have faltered.
Slow transactions, exorbitant energy usage and the looming threat of regulations have all raised doubts about the future of the world's most prolific cryptocurrency.
Even so, the technology behind Bitcoin has piqued the interest of financial industry figures.
As a result, alternatives to Bitcoin – each with distinctive advantages – are springing up all the time. Here are six of the hottest cryptocurrencies tipped for success by those in the know,
The number two:ether is the cryptocurrency with the second highest total value after Bitcoin: US$99bil (RM385.66bil). The currency is particularly well suited for so-called "smart contracts", whereby payments can be made automatically. For example, someone with travel insurance covered against flight cancellation could receive a pay-out without having to make a claim to be checked by the insurers. As soon as the cancellation is logged in travel data bases, the money could be sent out. The same principle is being tested in various industries.