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Bitcoin, Ethereum & DeFi News Before the Pump - Crypto Glossary A-Z
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📚 Crypto Glossary A-Z
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D
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A
Address
A unique alphanumeric identifier used to send and receive cryptocurrency. Similar to a bank account number.
Airdrop
Free distribution of cryptocurrency tokens to holders of a particular blockchain or to promote a new project.
All-Time High (ATH)
The highest price ever reached by a cryptocurrency since its launch.
Altcoin
Any cryptocurrency other than Bitcoin. Short for "alternative coin."
APY (Annual Percentage Yield)
The annualized return on investment, including compound interest. Commonly used in DeFi protocols.
Arbitrage
The practice of buying and selling identical assets in different markets to profit from price differences.
Automated Market Maker (AMM)
A type of decentralized exchange that uses mathematical formulas to price assets instead of order books.
Avalanche (AVAX)
A blockchain platform that aims to provide fast, low-cost, and eco-friendly smart contract capabilities.
Aave
A decentralized lending protocol that allows users to earn interest on deposits and borrow against collateral.
B
Bitcoin (BTC)
The first and largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, created by Satoshi Nakamoto in 2009.
Blockchain
A distributed ledger technology that maintains a continuously growing list of records, called blocks, linked using cryptography.
Block
A collection of transaction data that is cryptographically linked to the previous block in the blockchain.
Bull Market
A period of rising prices in the cryptocurrency market, characterized by optimism and increased buying activity.
Bear Market
A period of declining prices in the cryptocurrency market, characterized by pessimism and increased selling activity.
Binance Coin (BNB)
The native cryptocurrency of the Binance exchange, used for trading fees and various services on the platform.
BIP (Bitcoin Improvement Proposal)
A design document providing information to the Bitcoin community about proposed changes to the Bitcoin protocol.
Bridge
A protocol that allows tokens to be transferred between different blockchain networks.
Burn/Burning
The process of permanently removing tokens from circulation by sending them to an unusable address.
Balancer
A decentralized exchange and automated portfolio manager that allows for multi-token liquidity pools.
C
Cold Storage
Storing cryptocurrency offline in a hardware wallet or other secure method, disconnected from the internet.
Consensus
The process by which network participants agree on the validity of transactions and the state of the blockchain.
Cryptocurrency
Digital or virtual currency secured by cryptography, making it nearly impossible to counterfeit or double-spend.
Centralized Exchange (CEX)
A cryptocurrency exchange operated by a central authority, such as Binance, Coinbase, or Kraken.
Cross-Chain
Technology that enables interoperability between different blockchain networks.
Cardano (ADA)
A blockchain platform focused on sustainability and peer-reviewed research, known for its proof-of-stake consensus mechanism.
Chainlink (LINK)
A decentralized oracle network that connects smart contracts to real-world data and external APIs.
Collateralization
The process of securing a loan with an asset that can be seized if the borrower defaults.
Compound
A DeFi protocol that allows users to lend and borrow cryptocurrencies while earning interest.
Curve Finance
A decentralized exchange optimized for stablecoin trading with low slippage and fees.
D
DeFi (Decentralized Finance)
Financial services built on blockchain technology that operate without traditional intermediaries like banks.
DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization)
An organization governed by smart contracts and community voting, without centralized leadership.
Diamond Hands
Slang for holding onto cryptocurrency investments for long periods, despite market volatility.
Dapp (Decentralized Application)
An application that runs on a decentralized network, typically using smart contracts.
Double Spending
A potential flaw in digital currency systems where the same digital token can be spent more than once.
Decentralized Exchange (DEX)
A cryptocurrency exchange that operates without a central authority, allowing peer-to-peer trading.
Deflationary
A monetary policy where the total supply of tokens decreases over time, often through burning mechanisms.
Dogecoin (DOGE)
A meme-based cryptocurrency that started as a joke but gained significant popularity and adoption.
E
Ethereum (ETH)
The second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, known for its smart contract functionality.
ERC-20
A technical standard for fungible tokens on the Ethereum blockchain.
Exchange
A platform where cryptocurrencies can be bought, sold, or traded.
EVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine)
The runtime environment for smart contracts on the Ethereum network.
Escrow
A financial arrangement where a third party holds funds until specific conditions are met.
EIP (Ethereum Improvement Proposal)
A design document providing information to the Ethereum community about proposed changes to the Ethereum protocol.
F
FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
The anxiety that drives impulsive buying decisions when prices are rising rapidly.
Fork
A change to a blockchain's protocol that creates a new version of the blockchain.
FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt)
Negative sentiment or misinformation spread to influence market perception.
Fungible
Interchangeable and identical in value, like traditional currency or most cryptocurrencies.
Flash Loan
A DeFi loan that must be borrowed and repaid within the same transaction block.
Floor Price
The lowest price at which NFTs in a particular collection are currently listed for sale.
Fractional NFT
An NFT that has been divided into smaller, tradeable fractions to make it more accessible to investors.
Front Running
The practice of placing a transaction ahead of another to profit from predictable price movements.
G
Gas
The fee required to conduct transactions or execute smart contracts on the Ethereum network.
Genesis Block
The first block in a blockchain network.
Governance Token
A token that gives holders voting rights in a decentralized protocol's decisions.
Gwei
A small denomination of Ethereum, commonly used to measure gas prices. 1 ETH = 1 billion Gwei.
GPU Mining
Using graphics processing units to mine cryptocurrencies through computational power.
Generative Art
Digital art created using algorithms and code, often used in NFT collections.
Governance
The process by which decisions are made in a decentralized protocol, often through token holder voting.
H
Hash
A fixed-length string of characters generated by a cryptographic function.
Hash Rate
The computational power used to mine and process transactions on a blockchain network.
HODL
Originally a misspelling of "hold," now means to hold cryptocurrency long-term regardless of market conditions.
Hard Fork
A radical change to a blockchain's protocol that makes previously invalid blocks valid.
Hot Wallet
A cryptocurrency wallet connected to the internet, more convenient but less secure than cold storage.
I
ICO (Initial Coin Offering)
A fundraising method where new projects sell their tokens to early supporters.
Immutable
Unable to be changed or modified, a key characteristic of blockchain technology.
Impermanent Loss
Potential loss experienced by liquidity providers in automated market makers when token prices change.
Inflation
The rate at which new tokens are created and added to a cryptocurrency's supply.
Interoperability
The ability of different blockchain networks to communicate and work together.
Inflationary
A monetary policy where the total supply of tokens increases over time through new token creation.
J
JOMO (Joy of Missing Out)
The opposite of FOMO; satisfaction from not participating in risky investments.
JSON-RPC
A remote procedure call protocol used to interact with blockchain nodes.
K
KYC (Know Your Customer)
Identity verification process required by regulated cryptocurrency exchanges.
Key Pair
A set of cryptographic keys consisting of a public key and a private key.
L
Layer 1
The base blockchain network (e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum) that operates independently.
Layer 2
Solutions built on top of Layer 1 blockchains to improve scalability and reduce fees.
Liquidity
The ease with which an asset can be bought or sold without affecting its price.
Liquidity Pool
A collection of tokens locked in a smart contract to provide liquidity for trading.
Lightning Network
A Layer 2 scaling solution for Bitcoin that enables faster, cheaper transactions.
Liquidation
The forced sale of collateral when a borrower's position falls below the required collateral ratio.
Litecoin (LTC)
A peer-to-peer cryptocurrency created as a "lite" version of Bitcoin with faster transaction times.
Lazy Minting
A method of creating NFTs where the token is only minted when it's first purchased, reducing gas costs.
M
Market Cap
The total value of a cryptocurrency, calculated by multiplying price by circulating supply.
Mining
The process of validating transactions and adding them to the blockchain in exchange for rewards.
Mnemonic Phrase
A series of words used to recover a cryptocurrency wallet, also known as a seed phrase.
Metaverse
Virtual worlds where users can interact, often involving cryptocurrencies and NFTs.
Multisig
A wallet that requires multiple signatures to authorize transactions.
MakerDAO
A decentralized protocol that allows users to generate the DAI stablecoin by locking collateral.
Market Maker
An entity that provides liquidity to a market by placing buy and sell orders.
MEV (Maximal Extractable Value)
The maximum profit that can be extracted from block production beyond standard block rewards.
Metadata
Data that describes the properties and attributes of an NFT, including name, description, and image.
Mint/Minting
The process of creating new tokens or NFTs and adding them to a blockchain.
N
NFT (Non-Fungible Token)
A unique digital asset that represents ownership of a specific item or piece of content.
Node
A computer that participates in a blockchain network by maintaining a copy of the blockchain.
Nonce
A number used once in cryptographic communications, often in mining to vary the hash output.
No-coiner
Someone who doesn't own any cryptocurrency, often skeptical of the technology.
O
Oracle
A service that provides real-world data to smart contracts on the blockchain.
On-Chain
Transactions or data that are recorded directly on the blockchain.
Off-Chain
Transactions or data that occur outside the main blockchain network.
Open Source
Software whose source code is freely available for anyone to view, modify, and distribute.
OpenSea
The largest NFT marketplace where users can buy, sell, and trade non-fungible tokens.
P
Private Key
A secret cryptographic key that allows you to access and control your cryptocurrency.
Public Key
A cryptographic key that can be shared publicly and is used to receive cryptocurrency.
Proof of Work (PoW)
A consensus mechanism that requires computational work to validate transactions.
Proof of Stake (PoS)
A consensus mechanism where validators are chosen based on their stake in the network.
Pump and Dump
A fraudulent scheme where the price of an asset is artificially inflated then sold off rapidly.
PFP (Profile Picture)
NFT collections designed to be used as profile pictures on social media platforms.
Polygon (MATIC)
A Layer 2 scaling solution for Ethereum that provides faster and cheaper transactions.
Polkadot (DOT)
A blockchain platform that enables different blockchains to transfer messages and value trustlessly.
Protocol
A set of rules and procedures that govern how a blockchain network operates.
Q
QR Code
A square barcode that can store cryptocurrency addresses for easy scanning and payment.
Quantum Computing
Advanced computing that could potentially break current cryptographic security methods.
R
Rekt
Slang for "wrecked," meaning someone has lost a significant amount of money.
Rug Pull
A scam where developers abandon a project and steal investors' funds.
Resistance
A price level that an asset has difficulty breaking above.
Ripple (XRP)
A digital payment network and cryptocurrency designed for fast, low-cost international transfers.
Rarity
A measure of how uncommon specific traits or attributes are within an NFT collection.
Rollup
A Layer 2 scaling solution that processes transactions off-chain and posts data to the main blockchain.
Royalties
Ongoing payments to NFT creators each time their work is resold on secondary markets.
S
Satoshi
The smallest unit of Bitcoin, equal to 0.00000001 BTC.
Smart Contract
Self-executing contracts with terms directly written into code.
Staking
Holding cryptocurrency in a wallet to support network operations and earn rewards.
Stablecoin
A cryptocurrency designed to maintain a stable value, often pegged to a fiat currency.
Support
A price level that an asset has difficulty breaking below.
Solana (SOL)
A high-performance blockchain platform known for fast transactions and low fees.
Shiba Inu (SHIB)
A meme-based cryptocurrency that started as a "Dogecoin killer" but developed its own ecosystem.
Sidechain
A separate blockchain that is connected to a main blockchain through a two-way peg.
Slippage
The difference between the expected price of a trade and the actual price at which it executes.
Slashing
A penalty mechanism in proof-of-stake networks where validators lose staked tokens for malicious behavior.
Sandwich Attack
A type of MEV attack where a malicious trader places orders before and after a victim's transaction.
SushiSwap
A decentralized exchange that forked from Uniswap and added additional features like yield farming.
Synthetic Assets
Blockchain-based assets that derive their value from underlying assets without directly holding them.
T
Token
A digital asset created and managed on an existing blockchain network.
TVL (Total Value Locked)
The total amount of cryptocurrency locked in a DeFi protocol.
Transaction Fee
The cost paid to miners or validators for processing a transaction.
To the Moon
Slang expressing belief that a cryptocurrency's price will increase dramatically.
Tether (USDT)
A stablecoin pegged to the US dollar and one of the most widely used cryptocurrencies.
Tokenomics
The economic model and structure of a cryptocurrency token, including supply, distribution, and utility.
U
Utility Token
A token that provides access to a specific product or service within a blockchain ecosystem.
Unconfirmed Transaction
A transaction that has been broadcast to the network but not yet included in a block.
Uniswap
A leading decentralized exchange protocol that allows users to trade ERC-20 tokens directly.
USD Coin (USDC)
A stablecoin pegged to the US dollar and backed by fully reserved assets.
V
Validator
A network participant responsible for validating transactions in a proof-of-stake system.
Volatility
The degree of price fluctuation of an asset over time.
Volume
The total amount of a cryptocurrency traded within a specific time period.
Vesting
A mechanism that gradually releases tokens over time, often used for team allocations or investments.
W
Wallet
A software or hardware tool used to store, send, and receive cryptocurrency.
Whale
An individual or entity that holds a large amount of cryptocurrency.
Whitepaper
A document that explains the technology, purpose, and methodology of a cryptocurrency project.
Web3
The next generation of the internet built on blockchain technology and decentralization.
Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC)
An ERC-20 token backed 1:1 by Bitcoin, allowing BTC to be used in the Ethereum ecosystem.
Wrapped Tokens
Tokens that represent assets from another blockchain, enabling cross-chain functionality.
X
X11
A hashing algorithm used by some cryptocurrencies, notably Dash.
Y
Yield Farming
The practice of earning rewards by providing liquidity to DeFi protocols.
YOLO
"You Only Live Once" - often used to justify risky investment decisions.
Z
Zero-Knowledge Proof
A cryptographic method that allows one party to prove they know information without revealing the information itself.
51% Attack
A potential attack where a single entity controls more than 50% of a network's mining power.
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