Feathercoin (FTC) is an open-source Proof of Work cryptocurrency launched on April 16, 2013 by Peter Bushnell (UK) as a fork of Litecoin, with no premine, no ICO, and no initial developer allocation — distributed entirely through mining — that originally used Scrypt (like Litecoin) before migrating to NeoScrypt (a more memory-hard, GPU-friendly algorithm) and that achieved historical significance as one of the first cryptocurrencies to implement Kimoto Gravity Well (KGW), an improved difficulty adjustment algorithm designed to prevent “multipools” from causing extreme difficulty swings that destabilize smaller PoW networks.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Ticker | FTC |
| Price | $0.00 |
| Market Cap | $405,624 |
| 24h Change | +0.7% |
| Circulating Supply | 271.99M FTC |
| Max Supply | 336.00M FTC |
| All-Time High | $1.29 |
How It Works
- NeoScrypt PoW — Feathercoin uses the NeoScrypt algorithm, a more memory-intensive Scrypt variant designed to favor GPU mining over ASICs and to be more resistant to botnet mining. NeoScrypt was developed specifically to improve on Scrypt’s ASIC resistance.
- Kimoto Gravity Well (KGW) — Originally pioneered by Feathercoin, KGW is a difficulty adjustment algorithm that recalculates mining difficulty after every single block (rather than every 2016 blocks as in Bitcoin), adjusting based on a weighted average of recent block times. This prevents multi-pool miners from quickly mining a burst of blocks during a low-difficulty window. KGW influenced difficulty adjustment designs across dozens of altcoins.
- Advanced Checkpointing (ACP) — Feathercoin developed ACP as a network defense mechanism against 51% attack reorganizations, using checkpoints broadcasted by trusted nodes to prevent deep chain reorganizations. This was an early defensive tool for small PoW chains.
- Block time — 1-minute block target (faster than Bitcoin’s 10 minutes, same as Groestlcoin).
- Max supply — 336 million FTC (vs. Litecoin’s 84 million, Bitcoin’s 21 million — scaled proportionally with 4× Litecoin’s supply).
Tokenomics
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Ticker | FTC |
| Max Supply | 336,000,000 FTC |
| Launch | April 16, 2013 |
| Block time | 1 minute |
| Algorithm | NeoScrypt |
| Block reward | Started at 200 FTC, halves periodically |
Use Cases
- GPU mining — Mine FTC with consumer GPUs.
- Store of value / payments — Community medium of exchange with low fees.
- PoW network research — One of the projects that pioneered difficulty adjustment research used by many altcoins.
History
- 2013-04-16 — Feathercoin launches, forked from Litecoin by Peter Bushnell. Immediate community interest as an early altcoin with no premine.
- 2013-06 — Feathercoin is hit by multipool attacks causing extreme difficulty swings. The team develops and deploys Kimoto Gravity Well (KGW) as one of the first real-world difficulty adjustment innovations in altcoin history.
- 2013-08 — Advanced Checkpointing (ACP) launches as additional protection against 51% attacks.
- 2013–2017 — Feathercoin maintains an active community. Multiple wallet versions, merchant integration guides, and forum communities (early Bitcointalk threads among the most active for any altcoin).
- 2017 — Bull market. FTC price rises. Migration from Scrypt to NeoScrypt algorithm occurs to restore ASIC resistance.
- 2017–2018 — Peak of historical interest. Community splits somewhat between “store of value” and “payments” narratives.
- 2018–2024 — Bear market and long plateau. FTC price minimal. Development continues as a community project. No venture backing, no central company. GitHub activity maintained. Feathercoin remains one of the longest-continuously-running altcoin projects, a distinction few coins from 2013 can claim.
Common Misconceptions
“Feathercoin is just another copy of Litecoin.”
While FTC originated as a Litecoin fork, it subsequently developed cryptographically significant innovations — particularly Kimoto Gravity Well, which was widely adopted across the altcoin ecosystem as a solution to multipool difficulty attacks. The project contributed meaningfully to PoW network stability research.
“Old altcoins from 2013 must be dead.”
Feathercoin is one of a small number of 2013-era altcoins still under active development with a maintained client, active community, and exchange listings (albeit small) over a decade later. Its longevity is notable precisely because most coins from that era have been abandoned.
Social Media Sentiment
Feathercoin occupies an extremely niche position — it is discussed primarily by crypto history enthusiasts and PoW mining communities. It is not a subject of mainstream crypto media. The project is respected as historically significant (KGW influence) and admirable for continuous development without institutional backing. For active investors and traders, it lacks the liquidity and narrative drivers that attract attention. It is occasionally cited as proof that small community-driven cryptocurrencies can persist for over a decade.
Last updated: 2026-04