Crypto Glossary
A
Airdrop
Free cryptocurrency or tokens distributed to users, often as part of a promotion, community campaign, or project launch. Be careful—fake airdrops are a common scam.
Altcoin
Any cryptocurrency other than Bitcoin. The term is commonly used for coins such as Ethereum, Solana and thousands of other cryptocurrencies.
ATH — All-Time High
The highest price an asset has ever reached.
ATL — All-Time Low
The lowest price an asset has ever reached.
AMM — Automated Market Maker
A system used by decentralised exchanges to allow users to trade tokens without a traditional order book.
B
Bear Market
A period when cryptocurrency prices are generally falling or remain depressed for an extended period.
Bitcoin (BTC)
The first and largest cryptocurrency. Bitcoin operates on a decentralised blockchain and has a maximum supply of 21 million coins.
Blockchain
A digital ledger that records transactions. Information is stored across a network rather than controlled by one central authority.
Block
A group of transactions that are recorded together on a blockchain.
Block Explorer
A website or tool that allows you to view blockchain transactions, wallets, token movements and other on-chain information.
Bull Market
A period when cryptocurrency prices are generally rising and market sentiment is positive.
Burn / Token Burn
The permanent removal of cryptocurrency tokens from circulation, usually by sending them to an address from which they cannot be recovered.
C
Centralised Exchange — CEX
A cryptocurrency exchange operated by a company or organisation. Examples include exchanges where users create accounts and deposit funds before trading.
Circulating Supply
The number of tokens or coins currently available and circulating in the market.
Cold Wallet / Cold Storage
A cryptocurrency wallet that is kept offline when not being used. Hardware wallets are a common form of cold storage.
Coin
A cryptocurrency that operates on its own blockchain. Bitcoin and Solana are examples.
Confirmation
A blockchain transaction is confirmed when it has been included in the blockchain and accepted by the network. Additional confirmations generally provide greater confidence that the transaction is final.
Contract Address
The blockchain address associated with a smart contract or token. Always verify a contract address from an official source before interacting with it.
Crypto / Cryptocurrency
A form of digital asset that uses cryptography and blockchain technology to record and secure transactions.
Cryptography
Mathematical techniques used to secure information, transactions and digital assets.
D
DAO — Decentralised Autonomous Organisation
A blockchain-based organisation where rules and decisions can be managed through smart contracts and community voting.
dApp — Decentralised Application
An application that operates using blockchain technology, often through smart contracts.
Decentralised
A system where control is distributed across a network rather than being controlled by a single central authority.
DEX — Decentralised Exchange
A cryptocurrency exchange that allows users to trade directly through blockchain-based smart contracts without relying on a traditional centralised exchange.
DYOR — Do Your Own Research
A reminder to investigate a cryptocurrency, project, team, tokenomics, contract and risks yourself rather than blindly following someone else's recommendation.
E
Ethereum (ETH)
A blockchain network that supports cryptocurrency, smart contracts and decentralised applications. ETH is the native cryptocurrency of the Ethereum network.
Exchange
A platform where users can buy, sell or trade cryptocurrencies.
F
Fiat Currency
Government-issued currency such as GBP, USD or EUR.
FOMO — Fear of Missing Out
The feeling that you must buy an asset because you believe its price is about to rise. FOMO can lead to emotional and poorly timed decisions.
FUD — Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt
Negative information, rumours or claims that can create fear around a cryptocurrency or project.
Fully Diluted Valuation — FDV
The theoretical value of a cryptocurrency if the entire maximum or total token supply were circulating at the current price.
G
Gas Fee
A fee paid to process transactions or execute operations on certain blockchains. The exact terminology and fee structure varies between networks.
Genesis Block
The first block ever created on a blockchain.
H
Halving
An event programmed into some cryptocurrencies where the reward paid to miners is reduced. Bitcoin's supply schedule includes periodic halvings.
Hardware Wallet
A physical device designed to store and protect cryptocurrency private keys.
Hash
A unique-looking string of characters generated by a cryptographic function. Blockchain transactions and blocks use hashes for identification and security.
HODL
Crypto slang for holding an asset rather than selling it, often regardless of short-term price movements.
I
ICO — Initial Coin Offering
A fundraising method where a cryptocurrency project sells tokens to investors before or around launch. ICOs can carry significant risk.
Impermanent Loss
A potential loss experienced by liquidity providers when the price of assets in a liquidity pool changes compared with simply holding those assets.
Insider Trading
Trading based on material non-public information. In regulated financial markets, insider trading can be illegal.
L
Layer 1 — L1
A primary blockchain network such as Bitcoin, Ethereum or Solana.
Layer 2 — L2
A system built on top of a Layer 1 blockchain to improve scalability, transaction speed or costs.
Liquidity
The amount of assets available for buying and selling. Low liquidity can make it difficult to trade without significantly affecting the price.
Liquidity Pool
A pool of cryptocurrency deposited into a smart contract that allows users to trade through a decentralised exchange.
Liquidity Provider — LP
Someone who deposits assets into a liquidity pool, generally in exchange for fees or other rewards.
M
Market Cap — Market Capitalisation
The approximate value of all circulating tokens or coins.
Market Order
An order to buy or sell an asset immediately at the best available price.
Max Supply
The maximum number of tokens or coins that can ever exist, if a maximum has been defined by the project.
Meme Coin / Memecoin
A cryptocurrency heavily influenced by internet culture, memes and community attention. Memecoins can be extremely volatile and risky.
Miner
A participant who uses computing power to help process and secure transactions on certain proof-of-work blockchains.
Mining
The process used by proof-of-work blockchains to validate transactions and add new blocks.
Mint
The process of creating new tokens or NFTs on a blockchain.
N
NFT — Non-Fungible Token
A unique blockchain-based token representing ownership or association with a particular digital or physical item.
Node
A computer connected to a blockchain network that helps store, verify or relay blockchain information.
Non-Custodial Wallet
A wallet where the user controls the private keys rather than an exchange or third party.
P
Paper Wallet
A physical record containing cryptocurrency wallet information, such as private keys or seed information. Paper wallets can be vulnerable to loss, theft and physical damage.
Private Key
A secret cryptographic key that provides control over a cryptocurrency wallet. Never share your private key.
Proof of Stake — PoS
A blockchain consensus mechanism where validators help secure the network by staking cryptocurrency.
Proof of Work — PoW
A blockchain consensus mechanism where miners use computing power to secure the network and validate transactions.
Public Key
A cryptographic key associated with a wallet that can be used to receive cryptocurrency. Wallet addresses are generally derived from public-key information.
R
Rekt
Crypto slang for suffering a significant financial loss, usually because of a bad trade, liquidation, scam or failed project.
Recovery Phrase / Seed Phrase
A sequence of words used to recover a cryptocurrency wallet. Anyone who has your seed phrase can potentially control your funds.
Rug Pull
A scam where project insiders remove liquidity, disappear with funds or otherwise abandon a project after attracting investors.
S
Satoshi
The smallest unit of Bitcoin. One Bitcoin equals 100 million satoshis.
Scam Token
A token created primarily to deceive users or steal their funds. Some scam tokens imitate legitimate projects.
Seed Phrase
Another name for a wallet recovery phrase. It should be kept private and stored securely offline.
Self-Custody
Taking direct responsibility for controlling and securing your cryptocurrency rather than relying on an exchange or other third party.
Slippage
The difference between the price you expect when making a trade and the price at which the trade actually executes.
Smart Contract
A programme stored on a blockchain that automatically executes predefined rules when specified conditions are met.
Stablecoin
A cryptocurrency designed to maintain a relatively stable value, often by being linked to an asset such as the US dollar.
Staking
Locking or committing cryptocurrency to help support a blockchain network, usually in exchange for potential rewards.
Supply
The number of tokens or coins that exist or are available under a particular supply definition.
T
Token
A digital asset created on an existing blockchain rather than necessarily having its own independent blockchain.
Tokenomics
The economic design of a cryptocurrency project, including supply, distribution, allocations, emissions, utility and sometimes burning mechanisms.
Total Supply
The total number of tokens that currently exist, generally excluding tokens that have been permanently burned.
Transaction Hash — TXID
A unique identifier assigned to a blockchain transaction. It can be used to look up the transaction on a block explorer.
TVL — Total Value Locked
The total value of assets deposited into a DeFi protocol or ecosystem.
V
Validator
A participant that helps verify transactions and maintain a blockchain network, particularly on proof-of-stake networks.
Volatility
The degree to which an asset's price moves up and down. Crypto markets can be extremely volatile.
W
Wallet
Software or hardware that allows users to manage their cryptocurrency addresses and private keys.
Wallet Address
A blockchain address used to receive cryptocurrency. It can generally be shared publicly, although users should still consider privacy implications.
Web3
A broad term commonly used to describe blockchain-based applications, digital ownership and decentralised services.
Whale
An individual or organisation holding a very large amount of a particular cryptocurrency. Large transactions by whales can sometimes affect market prices.
Y
Yield
The return generated from holding, lending, staking or providing liquidity with an asset.
Yield Farming
Moving or depositing crypto assets into DeFi protocols in an attempt to earn rewards or yield. It can involve substantial smart-contract, liquidity and market risks.
🚨 Beginner Safety Terms
These are worth putting in a separate highlighted box on the page because understanding them can prevent someone from losing their crypto.
Phishing
A scam designed to trick you into giving away passwords, private keys, seed phrases or other sensitive information.
Private Key
Your secret key to controlling your wallet. Never give it to anyone.
Seed Phrase
Your wallet's recovery credentials. Never enter it into a website, form or message unless you are deliberately performing a trusted wallet recovery.
Wallet Drainer
Malicious software or a malicious smart contract designed to trick users into approving transactions that transfer their assets to an attacker.
Rug Pull
A project where insiders exploit investors and disappear with funds or abandon the project.
Fake Airdrop
A scam claiming to give you free tokens while attempting to obtain your wallet credentials or trick you into approving a malicious transaction.
Fake Website
A fraudulent website designed to imitate a legitimate crypto project, exchange or wallet.
Fake Token
A fraudulent token created to imitate a legitimate cryptocurrency. Always verify the official contract address.
Ponzi Scheme
A fraudulent investment scheme where returns to earlier participants are funded primarily by money from newer participants rather than legitimate profits.
Social Engineering
Manipulating people into revealing confidential information or performing actions that benefit an attacker.
⚠️ One Rule Every Beginner Should Remember
If someone asks for your seed phrase or private key, it is a scam.
No legitimate exchange, wallet provider, project team or support representative needs your seed phrase or private key.
Never send it. Never screenshot it. Never type it into a website.
Research. Verify. Share. Protect.
Knowledge is Our Asset. Community is Our Strength.