Crypto glossary

Short definitions of the words you will meet most often in crypto.

Altcoin

Any cryptocurrency other than Bitcoin.

A shared record of transactions, grouped into blocks and linked in order, that many computers keep in sync.

A wallet kept offline, such as a hardware device, so the keys are harder to steal.

A platform where you buy, sell or swap cryptoassets.

The fee paid to process a transaction on networks such as Ethereum.

The scheduled cut in the Bitcoin block reward, roughly every four years.

A wallet connected to the internet, convenient but more exposed.

Price multiplied by the number of coins in circulation.

The secret that controls a wallet. Anyone with it can move the funds.

A list of words that can rebuild a wallet. Never share it with anyone.

A token designed to track the value of a currency such as the US dollar.

How sharply a price moves up and down over a period.

The smallest unit of Bitcoin, one hundred millionth of a coin.

Locking coins to help run a network in return for rewards, with its own risks.