ZCoin is a privacy focused cryptocurrency built on Ethereum. The ZCoin protocol enables anonymous transactions with cryptography that utilizes Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKP). ZCoin increases privacy on their network by using a coin-mixer contract that wraps transactions in a serial number and destroying wrapped coins once they have been redeemed.
Zcoin was the first cryptocurrency to use a Merkle Tree Proof (MTP) as its proof of work algorithm. Merkle Tree Proofs are an innovative solution to achieving network consensus, and can increase transaction time while reducing the centralizing tendency of ASIC mining.

Bitcoin Interest is a fork of the Bitcoin protocol that pays coin holders interest. Bitcoin Interest (BCI) allows users to securely earn interest payments without ever moving coins from their wallets. Bitcoin Interest's developers believe that paying interest, weekly or monthly, on inactive crypto-funds can benefit the entire cryptocurrency market by reducing volatility.
Bitcoin Interest (BCI) is the first cryptocurrency protocol to use the ProgPoW consensus algorithm. ProgPoW is a Proof-of-Work algorithm designed to reduce the centralizing tendencies of ASIC mining by making it easier for standard GPU devices to participate in the mining process.

Peercoin is the first Proof-of-Stake (PoS) cryptocurrency. It was created in 2012 and is one of the oldest and most reliable cryptocurrency networks in the crypto sector. The protocol was developed by Sunny King and Scott Nadel, both of whom are anonymous. Sunny King also created Primecoin and VEE.
Peercoin’s PoS consensus mechanism is now widely used in the blockchain space, and allows every network participant to be both a miner or an owner. The project is focused on creating a cryptocurrency platform that will be stable, secure, energy efficient, and distributed fairly.