Types of bitcoin: BTC and the look-alikes
There's only one Bitcoin, but plenty of things with Bitcoin in the name.
There's one original Bitcoin, ticker BTC. Other "bitcoins" are either separate cryptocurrencies that split off from it (forks such as Bitcoin Cash, BCH), tokens on other blockchains that represent bitcoin (wrapped bitcoin such as WBTC), or investments that track its price (Bitcoin ETFs). They are not interchangeable.
The main types
| Name | What it is | Is it real BTC? |
|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin (BTC) | The original network and coin, launched in 2009 | Yes |
| Bitcoin Cash (BCH) | A separate coin created by a split (fork) in 2017 over block size | No, a different coin |
| Bitcoin SV (BSV) | A further split from Bitcoin Cash in 2018 | No |
| Wrapped bitcoin (WBTC, cbBTC and others) | Tokens on Ethereum and other chains backed by BTC held by a custodian | Represents BTC, but you rely on the custodian |
| Spot Bitcoin ETFs | Funds holding BTC whose shares trade in brokerage accounts | You own fund shares, not coins |
| Satoshis (sats) | Just the smallest unit of BTC: 0.00000001 BTC | Yes, a fraction of BTC |
Don't mix them up
- Sending BCH to a BTC address (or the reverse) can lose the coins. Check the ticker and network every time.
- Scam tokens often use names like "Bitcoin 2.0" or "Bitcoin Gold Plus." Unless the ticker is BTC on the Bitcoin network, it isn't Bitcoin.
BTC is just the ticker symbol for bitcoin, like a stock ticker. Convert between BTC and sats with the unit converter.
Frequently asked questions
What does BTC stand for?
It's the ticker symbol for bitcoin, used by exchanges the same way a stock has a ticker.
Is Bitcoin Cash the same as Bitcoin?
No. It's a separate coin that split from Bitcoin in 2017 and has a much smaller value.
Where to next
Sources
Written for beginners and checked against the sources listed. Last reviewed October 26, 2026. This page is educational and is not financial, tax or legal advice. How we write and check pages.