Altcoin Adoption by Region: Where Ethereum, Litecoin, and Stablecoins Are Growing 

 Top Regions for Altcoins 

Bitcoin is the original cryptocurrency, as it is the first technology to blend encryption with blockchain. All other cryptocurrencies are often referred to as ‘altcoins,’ and while Bitcoin enjoys the largest market capitalization and the largest share of transactions through CoinFlip’s ATM fleet, certain altcoins enjoy popularity in certain markets. This blog explores the non-Bitcoins and where they’re popular.  

 Global Altcoin Trends 

Over the past year, Bitcoin accounted for just under 80% of worldwide BATM transactions, the majority of which came from our largest market, the USA, where we have over 4,000 kiosks.  

The Surprise outlier is Mexico, where stablecoins like USDT outrank Bitcoin and every other cryptocurrency. We can only speculate on the reasons for this, but it’s likely something to do with international sends. When you have large amounts of money in cash, you can become a target for theft, especially while traveling or moving money across borders, so it makes sense to convert it to a digital asset that you can carry around more easily. So for this use case, stablecoins, which are pegged to the U.S. dollar, can work well.  

Ethereum adoption in Spain, Italy, and Panama is interesting to look into. For Panama, the adoption of ETH likely has something to do with Panama City's Mayor Mizrachi announcing the city would accept BTC, ETH, and other cryptocurrencies for municipal tax payment. Ethereum is faster than Bitcoin, and can be used in DeFi (Decentralized Finance) applications, so for general finance and bill payment it can be a good option. Spain and Italy do not recognize cryptocurrencies for bill payment, but there is a stronger DeFi community in Europe than other parts of the world, and since Ethereum is the original DeFi coin it’s the natural choice for many crypto enthusiasts.  

Note: As of this writing, CoinFlip no longer operates Bitcoin ATMs in Mexico, Panama, or Brazil. The chart above uses data from 2025 purposes of general insight.  

 Altcoins in the USA 

For CoinFlip’s biggest national market, the United States, we can drill into the exact popularity numbers state-by-state. Again, Bitcoin dominates, especially in Arkansas where it represents 96% of all BATM transactions.  

To me, the interesting story is the adoption of Litecoin in Alaska and Puerto Rico, where it has 17% and 12% of the total market, respectively. No other region currently uses Litecoin at these levels, and it hints at a utility-focused decentralized financial system in two areas where traditional American financial infrastructure is harder to come by. Litecoin’s codebase is similar to Bitcoins, and it shares the core value proposition of decentralized peer-to-peer transactions as its primary intent, but Litecoin is faster, and transaction fees are lower. For actual day-to-day purchases and money transfers, Litecoin could be the better option.  

 Other Altcoin Trends 

Nevada leads the nation in altcoin adoption, mainly through Ethereum but with showings from all the options. Oregon and Washington are altcoin hotspots too. These states have a reputation for tech adoption and cultures that promote financial independence, so coins that operate on DeFi protocols take up a lot of space on the chart.  

Speaking of DeFi, the two biggest Ethereum markets per capita are Washington D.C. and Delaware, showing that there’s an appetite for decentralized finance beyond what Bitcoin can offer.  

 Overall Trends 

Altcoin adoption ultimately reflects how people use crypto in their daily lives. While Bitcoin remains the foundation of the ecosystem, regional differences show that users gravitate toward assets that best fit their needs—whether that’s stablecoins for secure value transfer in markets like Mexico, Ethereum for DeFi and payments in tech-forward regions, or Litecoin for fast, low-cost transactions in more infrastructure-constrained areas. These patterns highlight a broader truth: crypto is not one-size-fits-all. As adoption continues to grow, local economic conditions, regulatory environments, and cultural attitudes will keep shaping which digital assets rise to prominence in each market.