Glossary
Short definitions in the same voice as the guides. Each term links to the articles that actually use it. This is not financial advice.
A
- AddressA public identifier that can receive coins on a specific network.
- AirdropFree tokens sent to addresses, usually as marketing or a community reward.
- AltcoinAny cryptocurrency that is not Bitcoin, used loosely and often unhelpfully.
- ApprovalPermission for a smart contract to move tokens from your address, often wider than people realise.
B
- BitcoinA scarce digital asset on a public ledger, with rules no single company can rewrite on a whim.
- BlockchainA ledger that many computers keep in sync, with a method for agreeing on the next page.
- BridgeSoftware that tries to move value between two networks. The bridge, not the chain, is often what breaks.
C
D
E
G
H
- HalvingA scheduled cut in new bitcoin issued to miners, not a price plan.
- Hardware walletA small device that holds keys and asks you to confirm sends on its own screen.
- HashA fingerprint of data. Change a bit, and the fingerprint changes.
- HODLInternet slang for holding coins through volatility. Not a plan.
- Hot walletKeys on a phone, laptop, or browser that is connected to the internet.
L
M
N
P
- PhishingA fake site, email, or message that tries to steal keys, passwords, or approvals.
- Private keyThe secret that proves you may spend. Whoever has it can move the coins.
- Proof of stakeAgreement by locking coins, not by burning electricity on hash puzzles.
- Proof of workAgreement by spending energy on hash puzzles, as Bitcoin does.
S
- Seed phraseA list of words that can recreate the private keys. Anyone with the list can empty the wallet.
- Self-custodyYou hold the keys. There is no password reset.
- Smart contractA program on a ledger that runs when someone pays to call it.
- StablecoinA token that aims to track a currency, usually the dollar. The peg is a design, not a law.
- StakingLocking coins to help run a proof-of-stake network, with a queue to get them out.
T
W
Side by side
Structured comparisons for jobs that look similar until they fail.
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