Fantom and Bitcoin are two very different cryptocurrencies, with one being a super-fast, cutting-edge smart chain capable of taking on Ethereum and the other being the cryptocurrency that started it all and continues to dominate the market. So of the two, which one presents the better option for investors?
We should make one thing clear: there is very little point in comparing Fantom to Bitcoin from a technical perspective. For one thing, Fantom launched over ten years after Bitcoin. For another, its infrastructure is far, far more advanced. However, there’s still value in measuring these projects against one another.
Bitcoin remains the number one cryptocurrency by market capitalisation and continues to be the yardstick against which all other tokens are measured. By weighing up Fantom vs Bitcoin, we can build an idea of how Fantom slots into the wider crypto market as well as how it may even complement BTC as part of a diversified investment portfolio.
It’s also always worth checking out how a particular project’s price moves in line with both Bitcoin and the wider market. So comparisons such as this one are useful for both existing investors, looking to expand their holdings and those new to the market who are looking to build their knowledge of the huge array of blockchain projects out there.
So if you are looking to invest in Fantom or Bitcoin then this article should be of interest to you. We’ll be taking a closer look at exactly what each platform does, as well as what industry analysts are predicting for the future price movement of both BTC and FTM.
Fantom vs Bitcoin - The Fundamentals
This article is predominantly aimed at investors, so price data will form a big part of it. However, before we can consider investing in a cryptocurrency project, it’s important to have a sound understanding of what that project does, how it differs from others and what the function of its native token is.
Fantom
Background
The Fantom project operates under the auspices of the Fantom Foundation, which was set up in 2018, shortly before the Fantom mainnet launched in December 2019. Fantom is a smart contract-enabled blockchain project that can support cutting-edge crypto technology, such as DeFi, NFTs and metaverse platforms. As such, it is squarely in competition with other smart chains, such as Solana, Cardano, Avalanche and, of course, Ethereum.
Like most so-called Ethereum Killers, Fantom was set up to solve certain limitations associated with existing smart chains–namely, the infamous blockchain trilemma of scalability, security and decentralisation. Fantom also offers some interesting tools to help developers build the projects on the platform.
Put simply, Fantom is one of the latest generation of smart chains that is faster and more scalable than the likes of Ethereum. What makes it interesting for investors is that it is yet to enter the top tier of smart chains and, as such, it could be poised for major growth in the near future.
Platform fundamentals
Fantom is a blockchain that was built from the ground up–including its proprietary consensus mechanism, Lachesis. The platform was built to support the ever-growing list of DeFi projects and claims to support significantly faster transaction speeds. Essentially, there are two major strengths to Fantom.
Firstly, Lachesis. This is a byzantine fault consensus mechanism that relies on directed acyclic graph technology. This proof-of-stake consensus mechanism provides both security and speed, along with complete decentralisation. Anyone on the network can effectively operate as a node yet none can compromise the integrity of the network.
Next, Fantom has its dedicated application layer, Opera. This is an open-source platform that is compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine, meaning Fantom projects can seamlessly integrate with projects built on Ethereum.
The Fantom token
Fantom’s native cryptocurrency, FTM, is the token that powers the network. As a utility token, it is used to maintain security via the consensus protocol, as validators must hold and stake a minimum of 3,175,000 FTM. Of course, those providing this service are then rewarded with a proportion of the network fees, which is again delivered in FTM.
FTM is also the on-chain governance token of the platform. This means that holders can vote on changes to the network and the general direction of the Fantom project. Finally, FTM can also be used to pay network fees.
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Bitcoin
Background
Most people know the origins of Bitcoin now, but for the sake of this article, here’s a quick recap. The original Bitcoin whitepaper emerged in 2008, authored by the mysterious–and still anonymous–Satoshi Nakamoto. When it launched the following year, BTC was touted as the future of money.
Suffice to say, this hasn’t happened. Whilst Bitcoin and blockchain has very much revolutionised everything from finance to gaming, it has never really taken flight as a viable payment option. Ultimately, BTC transactions simply proved too expensive for it ever to be viable. The network also has a relatively slow transaction rate, meaning it could never really support payments on a global commercial scale.
However, failing to live up to its original intention hasn’t harmed Bitcoin. It has become one of the hottest investment assets in the world and remains the most valuable cryptocurrency by a considerable market. Today, most forward-thinking organisations include–or aim to include–BTC in their investment strategies.
Transactions and Speed
One of Bitcoin’s major weaknesses is its slow and costly transaction rate. The network uses a proof-of-work consensus mechanism which requires a huge amount of computational power to operate, which in turn means significant power consumption. In fact, the electricity needed for the Bitcoin network is roughly the same as a European country.
Nodes on the Bitcoin network, known as miners, effectively compete to solve equations and add new blocks to the chain. This process allows for roughly five transactions per second–considerably slower than today’s leading smart chains that can process several thousand in that time.
Because of its relative sluggishness, Bitcoin seems to have been reborn as a kind of digital gold–a haven for investors looking to hedge against downturn in the traditional financial markets.
The BTC token
We’ve already discussed how miners are responsible for running the Bitcoin network. In exchange for providing this service, they are rewarded with BTC–known as the block reward. This is how new tokens are minted and released into the system.
The reward doled out has been halving since 2012. Originally, miners received 50 BTC for each new block they completed but in 2012 that figure was cut to 25 BTC. In 2016, it was halved again to 12.5 then again in 2020. The next halving, which should take the figure to 3.125 BTC is set to occur in 2024.
This diminishing block reward, combined with a total supply cap of 21 million BTC, means that the supply of Bitcoin is ever diminishing. This, in theory, could make the tokens more valuable–assuming demand remains high. In addition, many investors hold their BTC long term, which also serves to remove tokens from circulation.
Crypto asset investing is highly volatile and unregulated in some EU countries and the UK. No consumer protection. Tax on profits may apply.
Fantom vs Bitcoin: Which Is The Better Investment?
We’ve now provided an overview of what both Fantom and Bitcoin do, as well as what the role of their respective tokens is. However, as investors, ultimately we are more interested in each project’s potential price movement.
Bitcoin Vs Fantom: Price History
Before we start looking at price predictions for Fantom vs Bitcoin, we should first take the time to look at how each token’s price has moved in the past. This can tell us how each one moves with the wider crypto market as well as how it may be affected by certain economic events.
Fantom
FTM was first widely listed in October 2018 and initially it traded for approximately $0.01. There was some initial interest, which drove the price up to around $0.02 within a few days, but ultimately there was not much fanfare surrounding Fantom when it launched. By the end of its first year, the token was worth just $0.007.
Not much was to change across 2019. FTM crawled back to around $0.01 and peaked just above $0.02 in July/August but it seemed that the project had largely gone unnoticed by investors. The token finished the year trading at an average price of $0.011.
Fantom didn’t fare much better in 2020 either. The token was unable to hold the $0.01 mark and slipped to $0.004 by April. Things picked up slightly over the summer months, with FTM crawling up to $0.015 in July. There was another slight uptick in December, which took FTM to $0.02–not a high value but effectively 100% growth. The altcoin finished the year at around $0.015.
Fantom’s luck finally started to change in 2021. In February, FTM shot to an unprecedented $0.65 following a general crypto market upswing. There then followed a period of volatility but Fantom held its price much more successfully than any time previously. In June, prices rallied again and FTM hit $0.91. It’s biggest success was to come in October, however, when it surged to its all-time high of $3.46
January 2023 also proved to be highly interesting. Whilst the wider crypto market crashed, FTM actually experienced another price surge and hit $2.39. However, Fantom was caught in the second major downturn of the year and at the time of writing it was trading at just $0.42.
Bitcoin
When Bitcoin first started changing hands back in 2009, there wasn’t the network of crypto exchanges that exists today. The token was originally sold peer-to-peer and via a handful of dedicated marketplaces. It was initially worth virtually nothing, yet by 2013 a single BTC token would set you back $1,242.
By the time BTC had reached such high prices, investor interest had been well and truly stoked. Money started to pour into cryptocurrency and Bitcoin led the way, rising in value year by year until it peaked at $19,783 in the opening weeks of 2018. However, this era has now become famous as prices suddenly toppled. By the end of that same year, Bitcoin had slumped to just $3,430.
Whilst some speculated that cryptocurrency had been a ‘bubble’, the more savvy investors knew better. They didn’t have to wait long to be proven correct, as Bitcoin was trading over $10k again by 2020. Then things really took off in 2021.
The first market-wide upswing came in February, when BTC soared to a trading price of $65,804. More and more investors then flocked to the market, causing several more price spikes. Following a slight downturn over the summer, Bitcoin was bullish again in the winter months, reaching its all-time high of $69,044 in November.
The arrival of 2023 brought a market slump. The cryptocurrency dropped to $35,180 in January before stabilising and starting to crawl back up. It managed to get to around $38,233 per token in April, but another market downturn has struck since and at the time of writing, BTC was trading at $29,215.
Bitcoin Vs Fantom: Future Predictions
Price history is the data that informs price forecasts. Now we’ve seen how both Fantom and Bitcoin have performed in recent years, it's time to consider leading analysts’ price predictions. Of course, these are only illustrative, but they can tell us something about the current expectations of both BTC and FTM.
Fantom
First up, let’s take a look at what the future may hold for Fantom. These price predictions are generated from existing price data but they are effectively guess work. Nothing is guaranteed. Instead, these predictions should be seen as indicators of current sentiment.
DigitalCoinPrice sees a difficult year or two ahead for FTM, but ultimately believes the project will provide decent returns. Its technical analysis suggests the token will reach an average price of $0.57 by the end of 2023, but will then stagnate across 2023 and 2024, hovering between $0.60 and $0.65. However, by 2025 things will get moving again and Fantom is expected to reach an average trading price of $0.95.
Meanwhile, WalletInvestor is far more bullish. Its figures have FTM reaching an average trading price of $1.66 before 2023 is out. A protracted upward trend is then expected to continue across 2023, with the token hitting an average of $2.86 by the time 2024 arrives. Fast forward to 2025 and WalletInvestor believes Fantom could reach a maximum trading price of $4.86.
TradingBeasts is also expecting big things from FTM, though it does see more volatility than the aforementioned forecast. It has Fantom trading at $0.64 by the end of 2023, before struggling across 2023, trading at $0.53 by the time December arrives. Things are expected to be fairly chaotic across 2024 but by the end of that year TradingBeasts believes FTM will reach $0.80–growth of over 60% on today’s price.
Check Out: Fantom Price Predictions
Crypto asset investing is highly volatile and unregulated in some EU countries and the UK. No consumer protection. Tax on profits may apply.
BTC
Bitcoin had a difficult start to 2023 and whilst some analysts had foreseen its troubles ending over the summer, a second downturn in May has caused many to reevaluate their Bitcoin price predictions.
Back in April, DigitalCoinPrice believed that Bitcoin was well on its way to recovery. However, the platform now thinks that BTC will struggle to regain $40k by the end of the year. Similarly, Bitcoin will struggle to get back to its former glory in 2023 and it will be 2025 before BTC is trading above $60k Again. Of course, this would still be 100% growth for anyone choosing to invest in BTC at its current price.
WalletInvestor has made a similar prediction, with BTC hitting $40k by the end of 2023, though it sees the token’s growth accelerating slightly in the following years, climbing back above $60k in 2024. By the time 2025 comes around, WalletInvestor expects Bitcoin to be reaching new heights and trading upwards of $90k per token.
The final Bitcoin price prediction we looked at came from TradingBeasts. According to its technical analysis, BTC will flatline across the remainder of 2023, finishing the year at around $30k. It then predicts Bitcoin to decline across 2023 and 2024, perhaps losing as much of 30% of its current value. However, come 2025 BTC will have bounced back and could trade as high as $53,675.
As we’ve noted above, these forecasts are highly speculative and should be seen as illustrative only. Of course it's a good thing that they are all pointing to growth overall, but a lot can change in the crypto market.
Don't Miss: Bitcoin (BTC) Price Prediction
Crypto asset investing is highly volatile and unregulated in some EU countries and the UK. No consumer protection. Tax on profits may apply.
Fantom vs Bitcoin: What the Experts Say
Expert opinions are always worth hearing to find out what key figures in the industry think about a particular project. Whilst they should never be taken as financial advice, these opinions offer potential investors additional insights into potential portfolio additions.
Bitcoin has plenty of supporters–not just from the world of crypto, but also the wider business world. Elon Musk, for example, has been a longtime supporter of the token, with his Tesla firm acquiring $1 billion-worth of BTC in 2021. Galaxy Digital CEO Mike Novogratz is also a vocal fan of Bitcoin, describing it as a true alternative to gold as a ‘safe haven’ for investors looking to avoid a downturn in the legacy finance markets.
It’s fair to say that Fantom doesn’t quite enjoy such widespread notoriety, but it’s not without its not without its support. Prominent crypto analyst and trader Michael van de Poppe, for example, believes FTM has shown great strength recently. He believes that if Bitcoin price “settles' ', then FTM would be one of those altcoins to watch.
Altcoin strategist Sherpa also backs Fantom. He believes that if the Ethereum Killer can break through the $3 barrier again then it could surge to a new high of $3.50 in the near future.
Fantom vs Bitcoin: Conclusion
We’ve now looked at how Fantom compares to Bitcoin from both a technical and investment perspective. Of course, these two projects are wildly different and Fantom has capabilities that Bitcoin never will. But there’s no denying that Bitcoin is by far the more famous, not to mention more valuable of the two.
Fantom is also looking to compete in a different field. Whereas Bitcoin has established itself as a means for investors to store value, Fantom is looking to make inroads as a top platform for the more advanced crypto projects on the market. As such, we can expect two different price trajectories from these tokens in the coming years.
From an investment perspective, pretty much every price prediction we have looked at for both Bitcoin and Fantom points to growth. Whilst these may not prove accurate, the numbers put forward certainly are a vote of confidence in both platforms. It is also interesting to see a degree of divergence between the potential price movement of FTM and BTC.
Fantom is probably the riskier investment of the two, but for this reason it could make the ideal complement to Bitcoin as part of a diversified portfolio. If you are planning to make crypto investment in 2023, then we would say both of these tokens are worthy of consideration.
How To Invest In Cryptocurrency In 2023
If you’re looking to buy Fantom, Bitcoin, or any other cryptocurrency, then you’ll need a few things to get started. Firstly, you’ll need to make sure you have a crypto wallet capable of storing the tokens you want to buy. Secondly, you’ll need to find a broker or exchange that can give you access to the market.
There are plenty of platforms out there offering cryptocurrency exchange, but for our money eToro is the best of them. eToro is one of the most trusted names in retail trading and has a highly innovative trading platform that’s easy to get to grips with. In addition, eToro is noted for its transparent approach to charges and fees.
eToro – The Best Place To Buy Cryptocurrencies
Open an account with eToro, deposit some funds with USD, and finally – buy cryptocurrencies from just $10.
Crypto asset investing is highly volatile and unregulated in some EU countries and the UK. No consumer protection. Tax on profits may apply.
Bitcoin Vs Fantom - FAQ
What is Fantom?
Fantom is a blockchain that supports smart contracts. As such, it is capable of hosting just about any kind of crypto project, from DeFi to metaverses. Thanks to its super-fast transaction rates, Fantom has been tipped as a potential rival to Ethereum, though it is currently a long way from being a truly top-tier crypto.
Is Fantom an Ethereum Killer?
Fantom is a smart chain that has seen some pretty impressive price movement in recent years. Based on its performance stats, it has the potential to be a rival to Ethereum, but it is currently a long way off rivalling the original smart chain. It’s also worth remembering that Fantom has the likes of Avalanche, Cardano and Solana to contend with first.
Where’s the best place to buy Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is easily the most widely listed of all cryptocurrencies and you’ll find it is available to buy on most exchanges. If you’re unsure of which one to go with, then we’d definitely recommend checking out eToro, as it’s one of the leading names in retail trading.
What smart chains are going to be big in 2023?
Competition between the leading smart chains, such as Cardano, Solana and Avalanche, has been pretty intense recently. However, it’s also worth keeping an eye on the up-and-coming projects, such as Fantom, which has been tipped for significant growth in the coming years.
Will Bitcoin reach $100,000?
Since Bitcoin’s record breaking price run in November 2021, many market analysts have predicted that $100k will be the next major barrier for the original cryptocurrency. We’ve seen plenty of BTC forecasts that point to growth, but realistically the token is not expected to close in on $100k until 2026/2027 at the earliest.