crypto glossary
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical.
crypto glossary
(CRYPTOcurrency glossary) "Crypto" is short for "cryptography," which means "hidden." Because of Bitcoin, the crypto term evolved into slang for "cryptocurrency." The following (in alphabetical order) are summaries of the definitions.New to this Industry?
First read crypto glossary basics.
0x
Protocol for exchanging assets on Ethereum. See 0x protocol.
51% attack
Condition whereby one miner has total control. See 51% attack.
Aave
Blockchain-based lending platform. See Aave.
account model
The Ethereum system of accounting. See account model.
airdropped token
Free crypto for promotional purposes. See airdropped token.
Algorand
Smart contract blockchain. See Algorand.
altcoin
Non-Bitcoin cryptocurrency. See altcoin.
Amazon Managed Blockchain
Blockchain support on Amazon's cloud. See Amazon Managed Blockchain.
ASIC miner
Specialized hardware for mining cryptos. See miner hardware.
Base58
Crypto address for manual copying. See Base58.
BEAM
Mimblewimble-based blockchain. See BEAM.
Binance
The largest crypto exchange by trading volume. See Binance.
BIP
Procedure for improving Bitcoin. See BIP.
Bitcoin address
Public address in a transaction. See Bitcoin address.
Bitcoin
Crypto that started it all. See Bitcoin.
Bitcoin ATM
Bitcoin dispensing machine. See Bitcoin ATM.
Bitcoin City
New city in El Salvador. See Bitcoin City.
Bitcoin faucet
Dispensing Bitcoins as rewards. See Bitcoin faucet.
Bitcoin Gold
Major Bitcoin change in 2017. See Bitcoin Gold.
Bitcoin miner
Entity that performs Bitcoin mining. See Bitcoin mining.
Bitcoin mining
Adding transactions to the Bitcoin blockchain. See Bitcoin mining.
Bitcoin NG
Proposed Bitcoin change to increase throughput. See Bitcoin NG.
Bitcoin node
Participating computers in the Bitcoin network. See Bitcoin node.
Bitcoin pizza
First Bitcoin transaction. See Bitcoin pizza.
Bitcoin wallet
Interface to a user's Bitcoins. See Bitcoin wallet.
Bitcoin
First cryptocurrency. See Bitcoin.
Bitcoin transaction
Sending Bitcoin to someone. See Bitcoin transaction.
Bitcoin.com
A Web services company. See Bitcoin.com.
Bitfinex
A Bitcoin exchange that supports the Lightning Network. See Bitfinex.
Bitso
First Mexican crypto exchange. See Bitso.
block explorer/blockchain explorer
Software for viewing transactions. See block explorer.
block reward
Crypto credited to a miner's account for updating the blockchain. See block reward.
blockchain
Architecture behind all crypto. See blockchain.
blockchain oracle
Service that transfers off-chain data to the main chain. See blockchain oracle.
blockchain protocol
Rules and formats between nodes, wallets and exchanges. See blockchain protocol.
blockchain revolution
Massive shift in financial services. See blockchain revolution.
blockchain stock
Shares in companies involved with blockchains. See blockchain stock.
blockchain validator
Checking a blockchain's integrity. See blockchain validator.
Blockchain.com
A Web services company. See Blockchain.com.
Blockstream
Tech company offering blockchain technologies. See Blockstream.
burning crypto
Destroying crypto coins. See crypto burning.
candidate block
The aggregation of new crypto transactions. See candidate block.
Cardano
Third-generation blockchain architecture. See Cardano.
CBDC
(central bank digital currency) A central bank digital currency. See CBDC.
CEX
(centralized exchange) See crypto exchange and decentralized exchange.
chain of custody
History of blockchain transactions. See cryptographic chain of custody.
Changelly
Decentralized crypto exchange. See Changelly.
Cirus platform
System that pays users for their data. See Cirus platform.
cloud mining
Crypto mining in the cloud. See cloud mining.
Codex
Blockchain protocol for collectibles. See Codex.
Coinbase
Largest crypto exchange in U.S. See Coinbase.
coinbase transaction
First transaction in a block. See coinbase transaction.
CoinDesk
Major crypto media website that covers all aspects of the cryptocurrency world. See CoinDesk.
confirmation
Incontestable crypto transaction. See Bitcoin confirmation.
consensus algorithm
Method that determines which miner wins the competition to add blocks to the chain. See consensus mechanism.
ConstitutionDAO
Crowdfund to bid on U.S. Constitution. See ConstitutionDAO.
cold wallet
Crypto wallet not connected to the Internet. See cold wallet.
crypto war
Adversarial relationship with governments. See crypto war.
Compound
Blockchain-based lending platform. See Compound.
crowdsale
Crypto crowdfunding. See crowdsale and ICO.
crypto
Abbreviation of "cryptocurrency." See crypto.
crypto art
Digital art created as an NFT. See crypto art.
crypto banking
Crypto version of traditional banking. See crypto banking.
CryptoCompare
Real-time crypto ticker. See CryptoCompare.
cryptocosm
Universe of cryptocurrency. See cryptocosm.
crypto craze
Massive interest in crypto in 2020-2021 timeframe. See crypto craze.
cryptocurrency
Blockchain-based digital currency. See cryptocurrency.
crypto donation
Sending crypto to a charity. See crypto donation.
crypto exchange
Online provider for buying, selling and trading crypto. See crypto exchange.
crypto gambling
Betting with crypto online. See crypto gambling.
crypto games
Blockchain-based amusement. See crypto games.
cryptography
Methods for encrypting data. See cryptography.
crypto hacking
Stealing cryptocurrencies. See crypto hacking.
crypto hedge fund
Investments in crypto assets. See crypto hedge fund.
CryptoKitties
Ethereum-based NFT game about breeding cats. See CryptoKitties.
Cryptopedia
Encyclopedia of crypto terms. See Cryptopedia.
CryptoPunks
NFT pop art characters. See CryptoPunks.
crypto revolution
Huge effect of crypto in the 2020s. See crypto craze.
crypto scam
Hustles and scams in the crypto world. See crypto scam.
cryptoshuffler
Malware that changes crypto addresses to a hacker's account. See cryptoshuffler.
crypto symbol
Logo assigned to a cryptocurrency. See crypto symbol.
crypto ticker
List of crypto market prices. See crypto ticker.
crypto token
Representation of a coin or other asset. See Ethereum token and crypto token.
crypto trading
Exchanging one crypto for another. See crypto trading.
crypto tumbler
Service that hides the originating parties. See crypto tumbler.
crypto wallet
Interface to buying, selling and trading crypto. See crypto wallet.
Crypto Valley
Crypto-friendly region in Switzerland. See Crypto Valley.
custody
Safekeeping of cryptocurrency. See crypto custody.
custodial wallet
Crypto wallet on a centralized exchange. See crypto wallet.
cypherpunk
A person who believe in privacy and freedon. See cypherpunk.
DAO
(decentralized autonomous organization) An association run by members. See DAO.
dApp
(decentralized application) An app on Ethereum or similar blockchain. See Ethereum and DeFi.
Dash
Privacy-based cryptocurrency. See Dash.
dead coin
A crypto no longer viable. See dead coin.
Decentraland
Virtual world based on Ethereum. See Decentraland.
decentralized exchange (DeX)
An exchange for swapping one crypto for another. See decentralized exchange.
decentralized finance (DeFi)
Umbrella term for blockchain-based finance without the middleman. See DeFi.
decentralized wallet
Crypto wallet on a decentralized exchange. See decentralized exchange.
DeFi
(decentralized finance) Blockchain-based finance without the middleman. See DeFi.
DeFi lending
Lending and borrowing crypto. See DeFi lending.
DeFi wallet
A crypto wallet for Ethereum and other cryptos. See DeFi wallet.
digital asset
A cryptocurrency. See fungible token and non-fungible token.
digital dollar
Future digital version of U.S. currency. See digital dollar.
Dogecoin
Crypto named after the Shiba Inu dog. See Dogecoin.
DOT
Polkadot's cryptocurrency. See Polkadot.
double spend
Spending the same crypto twice. See double spending.
DPoS
(delegated proof-of-stake) Variation of proof-of-stake consensus method. See proof-of-stake algorithm.
EIP
(Ethereum Improvement Proposal) Procedure for adding features to Ethereum. See Ethereum.
Endaoment
Website that accepts crypto donations. See Endaoment.
ERC-20
Ethereum token standard. See Ethereum token and wETH.
ETH
(Ether) Ethereum native crypto. See Ethereum.
Ethereum
Major blockchain platform for cryptos and smart contracts. Ethereum and Bitcoin are the two major platforms. See Ethereum and Bitcoin vs. Ethereum.
Ethereum 2.0
Second version of Ethereum that is switching to a new algorithm. See Ethereum 2.0.
Ethereum mining
Adding transactions to the Ethereum blockchain. See Ethereum mining.
fiat currency
Government-backed money. See fiat currency.
Filecoin
Blockchain-based file storage. See Filecoin.
FIO
(Foundation for Interwallet Operability) User-friendly address for crypto transactions. See FIO.
Foundation
NFT auction platform. See Foundation.
full node
Complete copy of a blockchain. See full node.
fungible token
One token the same as another. See fungible token.
gas
Ethereum transaction fee. See gas and Ethereum.
Gemini Trust
First regulated crypto exchange. See Gemini Trust.
genesis block
First block in a blockchain. See block height.
governance token
Crypto token with voting rights. See governance token.
gwei
Fraction of Ether. See gwei.
halving
Decreasing the number of new Bitcoins. See Bitcoin halving.
hard fork
Major change in a blockchain protocol. See Bitcoin Cash and Ethereum 2.0.
hardware wallet
Same as cold wallet. See cold wallet and hardware wallet.
hash rate
Speed of mining calculations. See hash rate.
HD wallet
Type of crypto wallet in common use. See crypto wallet.
high-frequency crypto trading
Crypto version of high-frequency stock trading. See high-frequency crypto trading.
hodling
"Holding" cryptos and not selling. See hodling.
hot wallet
Crypto wallet connected to the Internet. See hot wallet.
hybrid blockchain
Permissionless and permissioned blockchain. See private blockchain.
hyperbitcoinization
Expected future Bitcoin expansion. See hyperbitcoinization.
Hyperledger Fabric
Open source tools for building blockchains. See Hyperledger Fabric.
ICO
(initial coin offering) Fundraising for a new crypto. See ICO.
IDO
(initial DeX offering) Fundraising via a centralized liquidity exchange. See crypto fundraising.
IEO
(initial exchange offering) Fundraising via a trading platform. See crypto fundraising.
Kraken
First crypto exchange in U.S. See Kraken.
Layer 2 blockchain
Auxiliary blockchain operating in parallel with the main chain. See Layer 2 blockchain.
Lightning Network
Layer 2 network for Bitcoin. See Lightning Network.
liquidity pool
Smart contract containing cash. See yield farming.
liquidity provider
Investor who deposits funds. See yield farming.
Litecoin
Crypto fixed at 84 million coins. See Litecoin.
London hard fork
Major change to Ethereum in 2021. See London hard fork.
MANA
Crypto token in a virtual world. See Decentraland.
Matcha
Crypto exchange aggregator. See Matcha.
memecoin
Crypto associated with a theme. See memecoin.
mempool
(Memory Pool) Location of new crypto transactions waiting to be validated. See Bitcoin mining.
MetaMask
Very popular crypto wallet. See MetaMask.
Mimblewimble
Privacy-oriented blockchain protocol. See Mimblewimble.
miner
Entity that competes to add the next block to the blockchain. See crypto mining.
mining
Competitive process that enables new transactions to be added to a blockchain. See crypto mining.
minting
Process of generating new coins using proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus. See crypto minting.
Monero
Cryptocurrency noted for its privacy features. See Monero.
MoonPay
A payment service for purchasing cryptos and NFTs. See MoonPay.
Mr. Goxx
Hamster that plays the crypto market. See Mr. Goxx.
Mt. Gox
Early crypto exchange based in Japan. See Mt. Gox.
multi-signature transaction
Crypto transaction that requires more than one private key. See multi-signature transaction.
native cryptocurrency
Blockchain's inherent digital currency. See native cryptocurrency.
NFT
(non-fungible token) Certification of ownership. See non-fungible token.
Node40
Online service for IRS compliance. See Node40.
non-custodial wallet
A crypto wallet maintained by the user. See crypto wallet.
non-fungible token
Certification of ownership. See non-fungible token.
OpenSea
Largest NFT marketplace. See OpenSea.
Optimistic Ethereum
Layer 2 blockchain that charges low fees. See Optimistic Ethereum.
oracle
Interface to data off chain. See blockchain oracle.
ownership economy
Economy where more users are invested. See ownership economy.
parachain
Level 1 Polkadot-compatible blockchain. See Polkadot.
peer-to-peer networking
Distributing the workload among many nodes. See peer-to-peer networking.
Peercoin
Crypto using both consensus methods. See Peercoin.
permissioned blockchain
Blockchain requiring vetting. See permissioned blockchain.
permissionless
Blockchain not requiring vetting. See permissionless.
physical crypto
Plastic or metal coins used for fun. See physical crypto.
plasma chain
Parallel network to Ethereum. See Layer 2 blockchain.
Polkadot
Cross-blockchain protocol for networks of all types. See Polkadot.
Poly Network
Platform for blockchain integration. See Poly Network.
Polygon
Framework for secondary blockchains. See Polygon blockchain.
pool mining
Crypto mining in groups. See pool mining.
privacy crypto
Cryptocurrency with privacy features. See privacy crypto.
private key
Encrypted address that shows crypto ownership. See cryptocurrency and public key cryptography.
proof-of-work/proof-of-stake algorithms
Consensus algorithms that determine how miners add a block to the blockchain. See proof-of-stake algorithm and proof-of-work algorithm.
Ripple
Decentralized payment system. See Ripple.
rollup
Layer 2 blockchain for verifying transactions. See Layer 2 blockchain.
Rootstock
Sidechain that adds smart contracts to Bitcoin. See Rootstock.
rug pull
Cashing out and causing a crash. See rug pull.
Satoshi Nakamoto
Pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin. See Satoshi Nakamoto.
Satoshi Nakamoto Institute
Location of Nakamoto-related articles. See Satoshi Nakamoto Institute.
seed
Everyday words from which a private key is created. See seed phrase.
Serenity
Ethereum 2.0 upgrade. See Ethereum 2.0.
sidechain
Auxiliary blockchain operating in parallel to the main chain. See sidechain.
smart contract
Program on a blockchain such as Ethereum that performs myriad actions. See Ethereum.
soft fork
Change in a blockchain protcol. See Bitcoin soft fork.
Solana
Smart contracts blockchain similar to Ethereum. See Solana.
SPV
(Simplified Payment Verification) Abbreviated blockchain for verification. See SPV.
stablecoin
Crypto backed by fiat currency or gold. See stablecoin.
staking
Locking up crypto for mining rewards. See crypto staking.
STO
(security token offering) Fundraising for securities. See STO.
SushiSwap
Decentralized crypto exchange (DeX). See SushiSwap.
Taproot
Change in Bitcoin protocol in 2021. See Taproot.
Tether
One of the first stablecoins. See Tether.
Tezos
Smart contract blockchain using proof-of-stake (PoS). See Tezos.
token
Representation of a coin, collectible or some other asset. See Ethereum token and crypto token.
token burning
Destroying crypto coins. See crypto burning.
token swap
Exchanging one crypto token for another. See token swap.
total value locked (TVL)
Total of crypto assets staked. See total value locked.
transaction
The act of buying, selling, trading or spending crypto. See crypto transaction.
transaction fee
Amount paid to miners for processing transactions. See gas.
trusted intermediary
Legitimate third party such as a bank or law office. See trusted intermediary.
trustless
Not having trust or not requiring trust. See trustless.
Uniswap
Decentralized crypto exchange (DeX). See Uniswap.
UTXO
(unspent transaction output) The Bitcoin system of accounting. See Bitcoin transaction.
validator
Computer node that checks a blockchain's integrity. See blockchain validator.
Vladimir Club
Person who owns .01% of a crypto. See Vladimir Club.
Voyager
Trading platform that includes a loyalty program. See Voyager.
wallet
Software interface to crypto. See crypto wallet.
wallet address
The address for receiving crypto. See crypto wallet address.
Web3 wallet
Cryptocurrency and DeFi wallet. See Web3 wallet.
Web 3.0
Umbrella term for decentralized finance (DeFi). See Web 3.0.
wrapped token
Tokenized representation of another crypto. See wrapped token and wETH.
XRM
Monero cryptocurrency. See Monero.
XRP
Cryptocurrency token for the Ripple system. See Ripple.
Yearn.finance
DeFi lending aggregator. See Yearn.finance.
yield farming
Putting up crypto for yield. See yield farming.
Zcash
Privacy-based crypto based on Bitcoin. See Zcash.
zero confirmation transaction
Adding transactions to the blockchain without confirmation. See zero confirmation transaction.
Copyright © 1981-2019 by The Computer Language Company Inc. All Rights reserved. THIS DEFINITION IS FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY. All other reproduction is strictly prohibited without permission from the publisher.