A

• Account: A unique space on a blockchain network accessed via a public-private key pair or a recovery phrase. It holds tokens and enables transactions.

• Address: An alphanumeric string or QR code used to send/receive cryptocurrency on a blockchain.

• Altcoin: Any cryptocurrency other than Bitcoin.

• Automated Market Maker (AMM): A protocol enabling decentralized trading by using liquidity pools instead of traditional order books.

B

• Block: A unit of data containing transactions, cryptographically linked to form a blockchain.

• Block Reward: Incentives (in cryptocurrency) given to miners or validators for adding a block to the blockchain.

• Blockchain: A decentralized, immutable digital ledger that records transactions across multiple nodes.

• Bridge: A tool enabling the transfer of assets between different blockchain networks.

C

• Centralized Exchange (CEX): A platform managed by a third party for buying/selling cryptocurrencies (e.g., Coinbase).

• Cold Wallet: An offline wallet used for securely storing cryptocurrencies.

• Consensus Mechanism: Protocols like Proof of Work (PoW) or Proof of Stake (PoS) used to validate transactions on a blockchain.

• Cross-Chain: Technology enabling interoperability between two separate blockchains.

D

• Decentralized Exchange (DEX): Peer-to-peer platforms for trading cryptocurrencies without intermediaries.

• Decentralized Finance (DeFi): Financial services built on blockchain technology without centralized control.

• DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization): Blockchain-based organizations governed by smart contracts and token holders.

• dApp (Decentralized Application): Applications running on a blockchain, offering transparency and decentralization.

E

• ERC-20: A standard for fungible tokens on Ethereum.

• ERC-721: A standard for non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on Ethereum.

• Etherscan: A popular blockchain explorer for Ethereum, used to view transactions and account balances.

F

• Fiat Currency: Government-issued currency like USD or EUR that is not backed by a physical commodity.

• Fork: A change in the blockchain protocol that creates two separate chains.

G

• Gas Fee: The cost paid to execute transactions or smart contracts on a blockchain network.

H

• Hashing: The process of converting input data into a fixed-length cryptographic output.

• Hot Wallet: A cryptocurrency wallet connected to the internet, suitable for frequent transactions.

I

• ICO (Initial Coin Offering): A fundraising method where new cryptocurrencies are sold to investors.

L

• Layer 2 Solution: Scalability solutions built on top of blockchains to improve transaction speed and reduce costs (e.g., Polygon).

M

• Mainnet: The fully operational version of a blockchain where real transactions occur.

N

• NFT (Non-Fungible Token): Unique digital assets representing ownership of items like art or music, stored on a blockchain.

O

• Onchain: Refers to data or transactions recorded directly on the blockchain and visible to all nodes.

P

• Private Key: A secure key granting access to an account and its funds. It must be kept confidential.

S

• Smart Contract: Self-executing contracts with predefined rules written in code stored on the blockchain.

T

• Tokenomics: The study of the supply and demand dynamics of cryptocurrencies or tokens.