What is Dogecoin?

Dogecoin is an open-source digital currency created in 2013 by software engineers Billy Markus and Jackson Palmer. It serves as a peer-to-peer medium for fast payments and digital tipping, and is managed by a decentralized group of volunteers and the non-profit Dogecoin Foundation. The network operates as a fork of LuckyCoin, which is itself a fork of Litecoin, using a proof of work consensus mechanism with the Scrypt algorithm for efficient mining.

Dogecoin has an uncapped supply, allowing new coins to be generated indefinitely, which helps maintain low transaction fees and support network longevity. Its unique technical feature includes merged mining, enabling miners to secure Dogecoin alongside other Scrypt-based networks. In March 2026, a joint SEC and CFTC framework classified Dogecoin as a digital commodity, placing it in the same asset category as gold or oil.