Litecoin trading explained: what moves LTC, and when
Litecoin launched in 2011 as a lighter, faster version of bitcoin. It's one of the oldest coins still widely traded, and its rules look a lot like bitcoin's, times four.
At a glance
| Item | Litecoin (LTC) |
|---|---|
| What it is | A cryptocurrency launched in 2011, based on bitcoin's code with faster blocks |
| Price step | Set by each exchange, often $0.01 |
| What a move is worth | Depends on size: 4 LTC × a $5 move = $20 |
| Busiest hours (ET) | Roughly 8:00 am–4:00 pm weekdays |
| What moves it most | Bitcoin's direction, halvings, payment use, crypto mood |
| Trading hours | 24 hours a day, 7 days a week |
What it is, briefly
Litecoin was created in 2011 by Charlie Lee, a former Google engineer. It started from bitcoin's code with a few changes:
- Blocks every 2.5 minutes, about 4 times faster than bitcoin's 10.
- Supply capped at 84 million, 4 times bitcoin's 21 million.
- Halvings about every four years, like bitcoin. The latest was in August 2023.
It's mined, and its mining is combined with Dogecoin's. Some upgrades, like SegWit in 2017, went live on Litecoin before bitcoin.
What moves it
- Bitcoin. LTC usually follows bitcoin's big direction.
- Halvings. The cut in new supply gets attention in the months around each one.
- Payment use. Litecoin pitches itself as fast, cheap money for payments, and payment news can move it.
- Crypto mood and rates. FOMC 2:00 pm ET, CPI 8:30 am ET.
When it's busiest
The Europe-US overlap, roughly 8:00 am to noon ET, is usually busiest. Weekends are thinner. Litecoin is smaller than bitcoin, so the gap between buy and sell prices can widen at quiet hours.
Its personality
- Often a follower. Many days, LTC just moves with bitcoin.
- Less in the spotlight than it was in crypto's early years, so its own news days are fewer.
- Halving-cycle attention. Talk about halvings tends to rise before each one.
- Range-heavy in quiet years.
Reading it with our method
Check bitcoin's daily chart first. Then mark the last places LTC turned around on its own daily chart. Are both making higher highs and higher lows? See higher highs and higher lows.
Only a candle body close past a level counts.
Size from the stop. Example: risk $20, stop $5 away. $20 ÷ $5 = 4 LTC. Use the position size calculator. A math example, not a promise.
With leverage, check your force-close price in the crypto liquidation calculator.
Common mistakes
- Treating LTC as a cheaper bitcoin. It has different supply, users and liquidity. A lower price doesn't make it "cheaper".
- Trading the halving date as a sure thing. Known events are often priced in.
- Ignoring bitcoin's chart.
- Big size in thin hours.
Questions
What is the difference between Litecoin and bitcoin?
Litecoin has faster blocks (2.5 minutes vs 10) and a larger cap (84 million vs 21 million). Both are mined and both have halvings about every four years.
When was the last Litecoin halving?
August 2023. Halvings happen about every four years.
Who created Litecoin?
Charlie Lee, a former Google engineer, in 2011.
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