Cryptocurrency markets are known for their volatility and complexity, with assets often moving in unpredictable ways. Yet it’s not always only about the market value. Sometimes, the value of a coin goes beyond the financials. Take, for instance, the case of Litecoin — and how it saved Dogecoin and complements Bitcoin for smaller transactions.

Litecoin was launched in 2011 by Charlie Lee, a former Google engineer, as a “lite” version of Bitcoin. Its goal was to solve some issues Bitcoin faced, like slow transaction times and scalability challenges. Litecoin’s block generation time is 2.5 minutes compared to Bitcoin’s 10 minutes, making transactions faster. Litecoin is often referred to as the “silver to Bitcoin’s gold,” positioning itself as a viable alternative for smaller, everyday transactions.

Dogecoin, on the other hand, was created in 2013 by software engineers Billy Markus and Jackson Palmer. It was conceived largely as a joke, inspired by the popular “Doge” meme featuring a Shiba Inu dog with comic sans text. Dogecoin didn’t take itself seriously, and neither did most early adopters. It was meant to poke fun at the growing number of “altcoins” that were popping up at the time. However, Dogecoin’s simplicity, low transaction fees, and passionate community have allowed it to stick around long past its original meme status.

Because Dogecoin started as a meme, the project wasn’t taken seriously by its developers, and factors like security and user safety haven’t been regarded that much. That’s why the Doge blockchain experienced a massive malware attack in 2014 when 500 million dogecoins (over $50 million in today’s market) were mined by an anonymous hacker through data hubs.

In 2014, Dogecoin underwent a significant change when its developers decided to merge its mining operations with Litecoin’s in a process known as “merged mining.” This meant that miners could simultaneously mine both Dogecoin and Litecoin without expending extra computational resources. Essentially, the mining of Litecoin also secures Dogecoin’s network. For many miners, this made Dogecoin more attractive because they could earn both coins from the same work.

Dogecoin became extensively secure after Litecoin stepped in and provided the “merged mining” process through which Doge can borrow the security power of the later network, influencing popularity and adoption rates.

Merged mining

In 2014, Dogecoin underwent a significant change when its developers decided to merge its mining operations with Litecoin’s in a process known as “merged mining.” This meant that miners could simultaneously mine both Dogecoin and Litecoin without expending extra computational resources. Essentially, the mining of Litecoin also secures Dogecoin’s network. For many miners, this made Dogecoin more attractive because they could earn both coins from the same work.

This shared mining infrastructure forged a unique technical bond between the two cryptocurrencies. As the same miners contribute to both networks, any significant changes in the hash rate or mining difficulty of one currency can impact the other. While this doesn’t necessarily mean that their prices move in perfect tandem, it does create a deeper link between the two.

Luckily, Dogecoin’s developers realized the risks were growing progressively and switched to an auxiliary Proof of Work (PoW) that employed merged mining with the help of Litecoin, ensuring miners contributed to safety and the blockchain’s innovation. This mining technique allowed miners to secure more networks and receive rewards from them all without affecting performance, and this could be possible since Doge borrowed Litecoin’s security as an auxiliary blockchain.

The merged mining arrangement between Litecoin and Dogecoin has been beneficial for Litecoin as well. By allowing miners to simultaneously secure both blockchains, Litecoin’s network has benefited from increased security and a more stable hash rate, as Dogecoin’s popularity brought more miners into the ecosystem. This shared infrastructure has enhanced Litecoin’s resilience without requiring additional resources from its miners, creating a mutually advantageous relationship that strengthens both cryptocurrencies’ networks.

Litecoin, Dogecoin, and Bitcoin

Still, Litecoin remained in the shadows while Bitcoin continuously thrived as it became more and more popular and entered the mainstream. According to Binance, although cryptocurrency continues to increase in popularity, it’s Bitcoin that takes the lion’s share, while other coins such as Litecoin are far behind.

Litecoin’s value and adoption have often moved in tandem with Bitcoin’s market performance. When Bitcoin rises, Litecoin frequently follows, albeit at a smaller scale, reflecting its role as a secondary, less dominant player in the crypto space. Bitcoin’s dominance, liquidity, and institutional investment overshadow Litecoin, but the smaller coin’s faster transaction speeds and lower fees make it more practical for day-to-day usage, especially for smaller transactions or peer-to-peer transfers.

In terms of market perception, Bitcoin has achieved a status similar to that of a financial commodity, often seen as the “safe bet” in the crypto world, while Litecoin occupies a niche as a more versatile, quicker alternative. The complementary nature of their relationship is what maintains Litecoin’s relevance in the larger cryptocurrency ecosystem, even though it cannot compete with Bitcoin’s market cap or widespread recognition.

A blockchain ecosystem

The relationship between Litecoin and Dogecoin illustrates how the cryptocurrency market often defies simple categorization. What began as a practical solution to Bitcoin’s limitations and a joke about internet culture have, over time, become intertwined in ways that continue to affect both their prices and use cases.

The intertwined histories of Litecoin, Dogecoin, and Bitcoin highlight the diverse ways cryptocurrencies serve different purposes within the larger ecosystem. While Bitcoin dominates as the “digital gold,” a secure store of value for large-scale investments, Litecoin offers a more practical, faster option for smaller transactions—earning its moniker as “digital silver.” Meanwhile, Dogecoin, born as a meme, evolved into a viable and secure cryptocurrency in part thanks to Litecoin’s technical backbone.

In a space as dynamic as cryptocurrency, these relationships prove that even the most unlikely pairings can create a lasting impact, helping to shape the future of decentralized finance.