What is Scrypt?
Crypto Glossary Definition
A hash function used by certain cryptocurrencies (notably Litecoin) as an alternative to SHA-256. It is more memory intensive, which means it is not well suited for ASIC hardware. This ensures that CPU and GPU remain viable methods to mine the coin.
Why Scrypt Matters
Litecoin adopted Scrypt specifically to keep mining accessible to regular CPU and GPU owners rather than specialized hardware — a stated goal by its creator, Charlie Lee, who positioned Litecoin as "silver to Bitcoin's gold." As with most "ASIC-resistant" algorithms, dedicated Scrypt ASICs eventually emerged, but not before regular hardware had a much longer competitive window than on Bitcoin.
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