Bitcoin is a pure digital currency designed for peer-to-peer transactions with fixed supply, while Ethereum is a programmable blockchain platform that enables smart contracts and decentralized applications with dynamic supply. Bitcoin has 10x larger market cap ($1.3T vs $130B as of 2026), but Ethereum processes more daily transactions and hosts a vastly larger ecosystem of DeFi and NFT applications.
Bitcoin vs Ethereum — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Decentralized digital currency and store of value using blockchain technology
Programmable blockchain platform enabling smart contracts, DeFi, and decentralized applications with dynamic supply.
Primary Purpose. Market Capitalization (2026). Daily Transaction Volume. Block Time. Maximum Supply. Smart Contract Capability. DeFi Applications Hosted
Choose Bitcoin if you want a deflationary store of value with maximum security, proven 16-year track record, and protection against inflation—ideal for long-term wealth preservation. Choose Ethereum if you need a programmable platform for building decentralized applications, want faster transactions, or seek exposure to the rapidly growing DeFi and Web3 ecosystem.
Bitcoin: $1.3 Trillion | Ethereum: $400 Billion
Bitcoin: Growing but cautious due to 2026 volatility | Ethereum: N/A
Bitcoin: 10 minutes (block time) | Ethereum: N/A
Bitcoin: 0.1-0.5% (digital custody) | Ethereum: N/A
Bitcoin: Uncertain, varies by country | Ethereum: N/A
Bitcoin: -35% (estimated) | Ethereum: N/A
Bitcoin: 21 million coins (fixed) | Ethereum: N/A
Bitcoin: Theoretical, unproven long-term | Ethereum: N/A
Bitcoin: Improving but unproven in major crises | Ethereum: N/A
Bitcoin: High (digital platforms, 24/7) | Ethereum: N/A
Bitcoin: $1.30 trillion | Ethereum: $130 billion
Bitcoin: ~150 TWh/year | Ethereum: ~0.07 TWh/year
Bitcoin: $5-30 USD | Ethereum: $1.25 (average)
Bitcoin: 15+ years since 2009 | Ethereum: N/A
Bitcoin: Limited (Layer 2 only) | Ethereum: N/A
Bitcoin: Proof of Work (PoW) | Ethereum: Proof of Stake (since 2022)
Bitcoin: 21 million (fixed) | Ethereum: Unlimited (uncapped)
Bitcoin: 600 seconds (10 min) | Ethereum: 12 seconds
Bitcoin: 15 years (2009) | Ethereum: N/A
Bitcoin: 21 million BTC (20.5M circulating) | Ethereum: N/A
Bitcoin: Evolving, inconsistent globally | Ethereum: N/A
Number of Constituents / Diversification
Bitcoin: 1 (single asset) | Ethereum: N/A
Annual Price Volatility (Standard Deviation)
Bitcoin: $1 (fractional to 8 decimals) | Ethereum: N/A
Bitcoin: 680 EH/s | Ethereum: N/A (Proof-of-Stake)
Bitcoin: $1 (fractional shares) | Ethereum: N/A
Bitcoin: N/A | Ethereum: Variable (Layer 2 dependent)
Bitcoin: N/A | Ethereum: Strawmap roadmap 2026
Bitcoin: N/A | Ethereum: 22 TPS (base layer)
Bitcoin: N/A | Ethereum: Solidity, Vyper, Yul
Bitcoin: N/A | Ethereum: 1 (beacon chain + rollups)
How to choose between Bitcoin and Ethereum
Bitcoin vs Ethereum — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Bitcoin vs Ethereum. Contains 76 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Bitcoin vs Ethereum — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Bitcoin vs Ethereum.
Which is a better investment in 2026: Bitcoin or Ethereum?
This depends on your investment thesis. Bitcoin is favored as a long-term store of value due to its fixed 21 million supply, 10x larger market cap ($1.3T), and institutional adoption. Ethereum offers higher growth potential with its programmable ecosystem hosting 3,000+ DeFi applications, but carries more technical execution risk. Historical data shows Bitcoin has lower volatility (60-day realized vol ~45% vs Ethereum ~52%) making it more suitable for risk-averse investors.
Can Bitcoin do everything Ethereum does?
No. Bitcoin's scripting capabilities are intentionally limited for security reasons. Ethereum is Turing-complete, meaning it can execute arbitrary smart contracts and host decentralized applications (DeFi, NFTs, DAOs). Bitcoin can handle basic conditional transactions via Taproot upgrade, but cannot replicate Ethereum's 3,000+ active protocols. However, Bitcoin's simplicity is also a strength—it has never experienced a major security breach in 16 years.
Why does Ethereum use less energy than Bitcoin?
Bitcoin uses Proof-of-Work consensus, requiring miners to solve computationally expensive puzzles consuming ~150 TWh annually. Ethereum switched to Proof-of-Stake in September 2022, where validators are chosen based on staked coins rather than computational power. This reduces energy consumption by 99.95%—from ~260 TWh to just 0.07 TWh annually. This makes Ethereum vastly more environmentally sustainable despite higher transaction volume.
What happens when all 21 million Bitcoin are mined?
Bitcoin mining will be complete around 2140. After that, miners will be incentivized only by transaction fees rather than block rewards. This fixed supply contrasts with Ethereum's unlimited supply—Ethereum currently mints ~0.55M coins annually through staking rewards, creating ongoing inflation. Bitcoin's scarcity is considered its primary value proposition, while Ethereum's inflation is offset by application utility.
Bitcoin and Ethereum fees fluctuate based on network congestion and demand. As of 2026, Ethereum's average fee is ~$2-8 for standard transactions, while Bitcoin averages ~$1-5. However, during peak congestion, Ethereum fees can spike to $50+. Bitcoin's slower throughput (300K tx/day vs Ethereum's 1.2M) means fewer competing transactions but longer confirmation times (10 min vs 12 sec). Layer 2 solutions like Arbitrum and Optimism reduce Ethereum fees to cents.
How to Choose Between Bitcoin and Ethereum
Primary Purpose: Bitcoin has Digital currency and store of value, while Ethereum has Programmable blockchain platform with smart contracts.
Market Capitalization (2026): Bitcoin has $1.3 trillion, while Ethereum has $130 billion.
Daily Transaction Volume: Bitcoin has ~300,000 transactions/day, while Ethereum has ~1.2 million transactions/day.
Block Time: Bitcoin has ~10 minutes, while Ethereum has ~12 seconds.
Maximum Supply: Bitcoin has 21 million coins (capped), while Ethereum has Unlimited supply.
Smart Contract Capability: Bitcoin has Limited (Taproot only), while Ethereum has Full Turing-complete programming.
DeFi Applications Hosted: Bitcoin has ~50 protocols, while Ethereum has ~3,000+ protocols.