Bitcoin Terms and Crypto Glossary

Visual snapshots that bring bitcoin terms to life.

  • Cryptocurrency
    Digital money that is created and managed through computer code.

  • Bitcoin
    The first and most well-known cryptocurrency; like digital gold.Wallet
    A digital place where you can store your cryptocurrencies.

  • Blockchain
    A special kind of digital bookkeeping that keeps a record of all transactions.

  • Mining
    The process of earning new cryptocurrency by solving computer puzzles.

  • Decentralized
    No single person or government controls it; it’s shared by many computers.

  • Exchange
    A place where you can trade one cryptocurrency for another or for regular money.

  • Altcoin
    Any cryptocurrency other than Bitcoin; like different types of digital money.

  • Token
    A type of digital asset created on a blockchain, often representing ownership of something.

  • Public Key
    Like a username; it’s your address for receiving cryptocurrencies.

  • Private Key
    Like a password; it’s what you need to access and control your cryptocurrencies.

  • Smart Contract
    A computer program that automatically executes the terms of a contract when certain conditions are met.

  • Fiat Currency
    Regular money issued by governments, like dollars or euros.

  • ICO (Initial Coin Offering)
    A way for new cryptocurrencies to raise initial funding, like a digital fundraiser.

  • HODL
    Holding onto your cryptocurrencies instead of selling them, despite market fluctuations.