Altcoin
A customary name for a cryptocurrency other than bitcoin. It does not identify a single technology or security level. Projects differ in purpose, design, liquidity and risk.
Definition and sourcesKNOWLEDGE / FROM A TO Z
Glossary
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Clear filtersBinance
A platform providing cryptoasset trading services. Availability and service scope depend on location and terms. Holding assets on an exchange involves intermediary risk and differs from controlling your own wallet.
Definition and sourcesBitcoin
A digital payment network and its BTC unit. Transactions are recorded on a blockchain using proof-of-work consensus. The project was described under the name Satoshi Nakamoto; the network launched in 2009.
Definition and sourcesBlockchain
A ledger whose data blocks are linked cryptographically. In distributed networks, participants agree on its state through consensus rules. Resistance to changing history depends on the network's design and security; immutability is not absolute.
Definition and sourcesCrypto wallet
A tool managing accounts, keys and transaction signing on a blockchain. Assets are recorded on the network, not literally inside a device. Custodial arrangements determine who controls the keys.
Definition and sourcesCryptocurrency
A digital asset using cryptography and system rules to transfer and control units. Designs vary. Cryptocurrencies are not automatically fully decentralised or immune to influence by individual organisations.
Definition and sourcesDAO
An organisation using smart contracts and agreed voting mechanisms for governance. Decentralisation depends on voting distribution and permissions. Code does not eliminate human decisions, software risks or legal obligations.
Definition and sourcesdApps
Applications using decentralised infrastructure, often blockchain and smart contracts. Interfaces, hosting and other components may remain centralised. The dApp label does not guarantee security or complete decentralisation.
Definition and sourcesDeFi
Financial services built on blockchain and smart contracts, such as lending and exchange. They reduce some traditional intermediaries but introduce other dependencies. Risks include contract bugs, liquidity and external data sources.
Definition and sourcesENS
Ethereum Name Service maps readable names to addresses and other resources, for example names ending in .eth. Application support varies. ENS is not an AI tool or a complete replacement for DNS.
Definition and sourcesEthereum
A blockchain network supporting smart contracts and applications. Ether, or ETH, is its native asset. Ethereum uses proof of stake; ETH mining ended with the network's transition in 2022.
Definition and sourcesFTX
A former cryptocurrency exchange whose group began US bankruptcy proceedings on 11 November 2022. It illustrates intermediary risk. FTX should not be presented as an operating exchange or dated to a 2023 collapse.
Definition and sourcesLayer 2
In blockchain, a solution operating above a base network and using its security mechanisms. It can reduce costs or increase throughput. Not every separate network or sidechain qualifies; the security model matters.
Definition and sourcesMeme coin
A cryptoasset associated with an internet meme, joke or community. Popularity establishes neither utility nor price stability. This market label does not determine a particular asset's legal classification, which depends on features and jurisdiction.
Definition and sourcesMEV
Maximal Extractable Value: additional value obtainable through transaction inclusion and ordering within blocks. It involves different participants, not only validators. MEV mechanisms can affect other users' transaction conditions.
Definition and sourcesMEV-Boost
Software enabling Ethereum validators to receive offers from external block builders through relays. It operates under proof of stake, not ETH mining, and introduces additional operational dependencies.
Definition and sourcesMRV
An entry retained from the old glossary with uncertainty flagged. “Maximal Revenue Value” was not confirmed as a standard blockchain term. Ethereum documents MEV, Maximal Extractable Value. The abbreviations should not be treated as verified synonyms.
Definition and sourcesNFT
A non-fungible token identified within a system, often linked to metadata or a resource. Buying the token does not automatically transfer image copyright. Link persistence and permissions depend on the specific project.
Definition and sourcesSatoshi Nakamoto
The pseudonym of Bitcoin's author or authors and its white-paper author. The identity has not been publicly established. Speculation alone should not be presented as identifying a particular person.
Definition and sourcesSolana
A blockchain network supporting transactions and programs, with SOL as its native asset. It has its own architecture and consensus mechanisms. Costs and speed depend on network conditions; comparisons need shared criteria.
Definition and sourcesStablecoin
A cryptoasset designed to track a reference value, such as the US dollar. Stability depends on reserves, mechanics and redemption arrangements. The name guarantees neither a fixed market price nor safe savings.
Definition and sourcesStaking
Committing assets to secure a proof-of-stake network under its rules, directly or through a provider. Rewards are not guaranteed. Risks include penalties, asset losses and operator dependencies.
Definition and sourcesTether (USDT)
Tether USD₮, commonly USDT, is a token designed to track the dollar. Its issuer publishes reserve and redemption information. Issuer statements do not guarantee an unchanging market price or eliminate counterparty risk.
Definition and sourcesTokens
Digital units governed by a network or contract's rules. They can represent rights, access or assets. Meaning and risk depend on the project; a token is not automatically a company share.
Definition and sources