◆ Glossary
New to crypto? Start here. Plain-English definitions of the words you’ll run into across the site — no jargon, no assumptions.
Altcoin
Any cryptocurrency other than Bitcoin.
Bitcoin
The first and largest cryptocurrency, launched in 2009.
Blockchain
A shared, tamper-resistant ledger of transactions maintained by many computers.
CEX
A centralized exchange run by a company that holds your crypto for you.
Circulating Supply
The number of coins currently available and trading in the market.
Coin
A cryptocurrency that runs on its own blockchain, like Bitcoin or Ether.
Cold Storage
Keeping keys completely offline to protect them from online attacks.
Consensus
How a decentralized network agrees on which transactions are valid.
Custody
Who controls the private keys — you (self-custody) or a third party.
Dapp
A decentralized application that runs on a blockchain via smart contracts.
Decentralization
Spreading control across many participants instead of one authority.
DeFi
Decentralized Finance — financial services running on blockchains without banks.
DEX
A decentralized exchange that lets you trade crypto directly from your wallet.
Ethereum
A blockchain built for smart contracts and apps, with the coin Ether (ETH).
Fear and Greed Index
A 0–100 gauge summarising whether the market feels fearful or greedy.
FOMO
Fear Of Missing Out — buying impulsively because a price is rising fast.
FUD
Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt — negative sentiment, sometimes spread deliberately.
Gas
The fee you pay to have the network process your transaction.
Hot Wallet
An internet-connected wallet — convenient for spending, riskier for storage.
Liquidity
How easily an asset can be bought or sold without moving its price much.
Market Cap
The total value of a coin: price multiplied by circulating supply.
Mining
Using computing power to validate transactions and earn new coins.
NFT
A unique, ownable token on a blockchain — often tied to art or collectibles.
Node
A computer that stores a copy of the blockchain and helps run the network.
Private Key
The secret number that controls your crypto. Anyone who has it controls your funds.
Public Key
Your wallet's shareable address, derived from your private key.
Rug Pull
A scam where creators abandon a project and run off with investors' money.
Scam / Phishing
Tricks designed to steal your crypto, often by stealing your keys.
Seed Phrase
A list of 12–24 words that can restore your entire wallet. Guard it like cash.
Smart Contract
Self-executing code on a blockchain that runs exactly as programmed.
Stablecoin
A crypto token designed to hold a steady value, usually pegged to a dollar.
Staking
Locking up crypto to help secure a network and earn rewards.
Token
A digital asset built on an existing blockchain, like Ethereum.
Tokenomics
The economic design of a token: supply, distribution, and incentives.
Transaction
A signed instruction recorded on the blockchain, like sending coins.
Validator
A participant that checks and confirms transactions on a proof-of-stake chain.
Volatility
How sharply and quickly an asset's price moves up and down.
Volume
The total amount of an asset traded over a period, usually 24 hours.
Wallet
Software or hardware that stores your keys and lets you send and receive crypto.