Is Litecoin Still Worth Buying After Losing Most of Its Value Against Bitcoin?
Direct answer
Litecoin at a glance
Litecoin still works as a fast, low-fee payment network with a fixed 84 million coin supply, but as an investment it has badly lagged bitcoin. In Coinbase data on FRED it peaked at about $390 in May 2021 and traded near $51 on November 9, 2026, roughly 87% below that record. One bitcoin bought about 87 LTC on average in 2018 and about 1,459 LTC in November 2026. Whether it is "worth it" depends on whether you want a payments coin or an asset that has kept up with the market leader; history so far favours bitcoin.
- Launched in 2011 as a faster bitcoin variant: 2.5-minute blocks, 84 million max supply
- Coinbase price: record about $390 (May 2021), about $51 on Nov 9, 2026
- LTC per BTC: about 87 in 2018 average, about 1,459 in Nov 2026
- Still liquid and widely listed, but has lost ground to bitcoin every year since 2019
Litecoin is one of the oldest crypto assets still traded on major exchanges. Many people bought it in the 2017 boom, which is why the same question keeps coming back: what happened to it, and is it still worth holding?
What people on X are asking
In April 2026 a user asked simply what happened to Litecoin recently. In July 2025 another post asked the same, what happened to #Litecoin, and in October 2025 a reply to a well-known crypto commentator asked what happened to Litecoin. We answer with the price record and with how LTC has done against bitcoin.
The fact-checked answer
UXS chart
Litecoin price (US dollars, log scale)
Litecoin (LTC): latest
$51.48
November 9, 2026
Highest in chart period
$389.97
May 9, 2021
Lowest in chart period
$3.69
January 25, 2017
Change over 1 year
-53.3%
vs November 9, 2025
Year by year: Litecoin (LTC)
Computed by UXS from the same data as the chart. Tap a column header to sort. * = year to date (latest data November 9, 2026).
| 2026* | $51.48 | -33.1% | $83.84 | $40.89 |
| 2025 | $76.91 | -26.8% | $137.10 | $69.09 |
| 2024 | $105.02 | +44.3% | $136.10 | $55.92 |
| 2023 | $72.79 | +3.8% | $113.38 | $58.85 |
| 2022 | $70.14 | -52.0% | $151.59 | $43.12 |
| 2021 | $146.21 | +17.3% | $389.97 | $107.35 |
| 2020 | $124.63 | +203.5% | $130.20 | $31.39 |
| 2019 | $41.06 | +37.9% | $141.29 | $29.92 |
| 2018 | $29.78 | -86.9% | $279.42 | $22.84 |
| 2017 | $227.17 | – | $359.40 | $3.69 |
What Litecoin is. It launched in 2011 as a modified copy of bitcoin. The Litecoin Core source code sets a block time of 2.5 minutes, a quarter of bitcoin's, and a maximum supply of 84 million coins, four times bitcoin's 21 million. The block reward halves every 840,000 blocks, which works out at about every four years. Fees are usually low, so it is used for payments and as a test-bed for features later considered for bitcoin.
What happened to the price. Coinbase data show LTC reached about $359 in December 2017, collapsed to about $30 by the end of 2018, and hit a record of about $390 in May 2021. After that it did not regain its highs: it ended 2024 near $105, reached about $137 in January 2025, and traded at about $51 on November 9, 2026, roughly 87% below its record.
The bigger issue: it lost to bitcoin. Measured in bitcoin rather than dollars, the decline is steeper. One bitcoin bought about 87 LTC on average in 2018, about 260 in 2021, about 841 in 2024 and about 1,459 in November 2026. That means a holder who swapped one bitcoin for litecoin in 2018 and kept it would now own a small fraction of a bitcoin.
How many litecoins one bitcoin bought (yearly average)
Computed by UXS from Coinbase daily prices (FRED CBBTCUSD and CBLTCUSD). Higher numbers mean litecoin has lost value against bitcoin. Tap a column header to sort.
| 2017 | 126 | Litecoin near its peak relative strength |
| 2018 | 87 | LTC held up better than BTC in the crash |
| 2020 | 197 | LTC lagging as bitcoin recovered |
| 2021 | 260 | Record LTC price but still losing to BTC |
| 2022 | 357 | Bear market |
| 2024 | 841 | Bitcoin ETFs and new BTC records |
| 2025 | 1,038 | Gap keeps widening |
| 2026 (to Nov 9) | 1,359 | Latest reading about 1,459 |
Why it lagged. Litecoin has no feature that bitcoin cannot offer through other means, and most of the money that flows into crypto has concentrated in bitcoin, ether and stablecoins. Payment use is real but small compared with the speculative and store-of-value demand behind bitcoin. Halvings reduce new supply, but the evidence from LTC's own history is that halving years have not produced lasting outperformance; see does the bitcoin halving affect price for the same question about bitcoin.
What still supports it. Litecoin has run for about 15 years, is listed on most large exchanges, and has deep enough markets to trade in size. Its fixed supply and long record set it apart from short-lived tokens. That does not make it a good investment: losing about 94% against bitcoin since 2018 is a serious opportunity cost.
Quick poll
What would you do with litecoin today?
What each answer means
- Hold it as a long-term investment: Possible, but the record shows it has underperformed bitcoin almost every year since 2019.
- Use it for payments: That is where its fast blocks and low fees are most useful.
- Swap it for bitcoin: A common choice; consider taxes on any gain or loss when you switch. See how crypto gains are taxed.
- Trade its swings: It is volatile and liquid, but crypto crashes can be severe.
- Avoid it: Many investors keep crypto exposure to bitcoin only.
Your answer is stored only in this browser (localStorage). UXS does not collect, count or publish votes, so no totals are shown.
Litecoin's slide against bitcoin is part of a wider pattern; see what it means when bitcoin dominance rises while altcoins fall.
Altcoins only outrun bitcoin in specific phases; see how to tell when altcoin season has actually started.
Decision helper
| If you want… | Litecoin fits? |
|---|---|
| A long-tested payment coin | Yes |
| An asset that has kept pace with bitcoin | No, not on the record so far |
| A long track record among altcoins | Yes, but volatility is still high |
| A guaranteed halving rally | No such thing |
Common mistakes
- Judging LTC only in dollars and missing how far it fell against bitcoin.
- Buying because "it was $390 once".
- Treating halvings as a guaranteed catalyst.
- Holding forgotten coins on an exchange you no longer check.
FAQ
What happened to Litecoin?
It peaked at about $390 in 2021 and traded around $51 in November 2026; most crypto demand concentrated in bitcoin and ether instead.
Is Litecoin dead?
No. The network still runs and LTC trades on major exchanges, but its price has lagged badly.
What is Litecoin's maximum supply?
84 million coins, set in the Litecoin Core source code.
How often does Litecoin halve?
Every 840,000 blocks, about every four years at 2.5-minute blocks.
Is Litecoin better than bitcoin for payments?
Blocks are four times faster and fees are usually low, so it can confirm payments sooner.
Should I swap LTC for BTC?
That is a personal decision; consider your goals and the tax treatment of the swap.
Sources
- Litecoin Core source code: consensus parameters (chainparams.cpp)
- Litecoin Core source code: maximum supply (amount.h)
- Litecoin.org
- CFTC: Understand the risks of virtual currency trading
Facts checked November 10, 2026. X posts are cited as evidence of the question, not of the answer.