The most important terms in cryptospace.

A security mechanism that requires two different confirmation steps to log in to an account. This provides additional protection, especially for online services.

An attack on a blockchain network in which a single person or group controls over half of the computing power. This allows them to influence or manipulate transactions.

A technical tool that enables different programs to communicate with each other. In the crypto industry, it is often used to access market data or online services.

A specially developed computer chip that has been optimized for the efficient mining of cryptocurrencies, as opposed to general computer hardware.

A unique digital identifier that serves as a destination for receiving cryptocurrencies - similar to an account number in banking.

An airdrop refers to the free distribution of tokens or coins to users, often as a marketing measure or to promote a blockchain. These tokens are distributed either to existing holders of a specific cryptocurrency or to participants who fulfill certain tasks (e.g. subscribing to newsletters, sharing social media). The aim is to generate awareness, strengthen the community and spread the token.

A digital currency whose value is regulated by an automatic system so that it adjusts to a specific currency, such as the US dollar, without resorting to traditional hedging.

The highest price ever achieved for an asset, be it a cryptocurrency, a share or an index.

The lowest price ever achieved for an asset, be it a cryptocurrency, a share or an index.

A period in which alternative cryptocurrencies gain particularly strongly in value and outperform Bitcoin in terms of appreciation.

All digital currencies that are not Bitcoin. They were developed to offer new functions or improvements compared to Bitcoin.

Taking advantage of price differences in different markets by buying an asset cheaply and selling it at a higher price elsewhere.

A technology that enables the direct exchange of cryptocurrencies between two parties without the need for an exchange or third party.

An independent review of the code and security measures of a crypto project or smart contract to uncover potential vulnerabilities.

The use of algorithms that automatically make buying and selling decisions based on predefined rules and market analyses.

A term for a large amount of cryptocurrencies held by an investor, especially if their value has fallen sharply.

An investor who holds on to a cryptocurrency or share despite a sharp fall in prices in the hope of an increase in value - this often leads to further losses.

The process by which a cryptocurrency transaction is added to the blockchain and recognized as valid by other participants.

The first and best-known cryptocurrency, which was developed in 2009 under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto and is based on blockchain technology.

A value that shows how high Bitcoin's share of the total market capitalization of all cryptocurrencies is in order to assess the market power of Bitcoin in comparison to altcoins.

An online tool that provides detailed information about transactions, addresses and blocks within a blockchain and is used to monitor network activity.

The reward that miners receive for adding a new block to the blockchain, usually in the form of the network's native cryptocurrency.

A decentralized digital register in which transactions are stored chronologically and unalterably to ensure security and transparency.

A decentralized digital register in which transactions are stored chronologically and unalterably to ensure security and transparency.

The problem of simultaneously achieving scalability, security and decentralization in a blockchain - often discussed because there are trade-offs here.

The number of blocks in a blockchain, counted from the first (genesis block) to the most recent block - an indicator of the length of the blockchain.

A technical analysis tool that works with a moving average and forms two price limits to recognize overbought or oversold market phases.

A method of storing cryptocurrencies by memorizing a private key or passphrase instead of storing them physically or digitally - but with a high risk of loss.

A term used in chart analysis to describe a sudden movement of the price above a resistance or below a support level, often interpreted as the start of a new trend.

A technology or platform that makes it possible to transfer assets or data between different blockchains.

A market phase in which prices are rising, often accompanied by optimism and a positive mood among investors.

The ability of a distributed network to continue to function correctly despite faulty or malicious participants - a central concept for blockchain systems.

A phase in which prices on the financial markets fall over an extended period, accompanied by a pessimistic mood among investors.

A platform for buying, selling and trading cryptocurrencies, either centralized (CEX) or decentralized (DEX).

A centralized trading platform for cryptocurrencies operated by an organization, as opposed to decentralized exchanges (DEX) where users trade directly.

A method for securely storing cryptocurrencies offline to protect them from hacking and theft.

An asset that is pledged as collateral for a loan or financial obligation - often used in the crypto world for DeFi lending or staking.

The ability to transfer or share transactions or information between different blockchains - essential for interoperability in the crypto ecosystem.

A long-lasting phase of falling or stagnating crypto prices, often accompanied by declining public interest.

An organization based on blockchain technology and controlled by smart contracts, without central management.

Programs that run on a blockchain and are organized decentrally so that no central authority has control over them.

A crypto trading platform that works without a central administration and allows users to trade directly with each other.

The process of extracting relevant information from large amounts of data - not to be confused with crypto-mining, where new blocks are created.

A fall in the general price level of goods and services, often caused by a reduction in the money supply or the volume of credit - the opposite of inflation.

The shift of power and control away from a central authority to a distributed network - a central principle behind Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

A term for investors who hold on to their investments despite high market volatility and are prepared to sit out losses in the hope of long-term gains.

An asset that only exists digitally and whose ownership or control is secured by technologies such as blockchain.

An online identity that a person, organization or device uses in digital interactions or transactions.

A signature created with a private key that confirms the authenticity and integrity of a message or transaction - a central security feature in blockchain technology.

A short-term drop in prices on the market.

An EIP is a proposal to improve the Ethereum network that is reviewed and possibly implemented by the community. These proposals can suggest technical improvements, new features or changes to the protocol.

An ERC-20 is a technical standard for Ethereum tokens that is used for smart contracts and facilitates the issuance of new tokens. This standard defines uniform rules for how tokens should function on the Ethereum blockchain.

An Ethereum token standard for non-fungible tokens (NFTs) that represent unique digital goods such as art or collectibles.

A scam in which developers of a crypto project disappear with investor money without delivering the promised product.

FOMO - Fear of missing out. Refers to the fear of missing out on a profitable investment, which often leads to hasty purchases.

FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt) is a strategy or tactic in which false or misleading information is disseminated to create uncertainty or doubt.

A website or app that gives away small amounts of cryptocurrency, often to help new users get started.

Traditional currencies such as the US dollar or euro, which are issued by governments and are not backed by physical assets such as gold.

A platform that enables the exchange of fiat currencies into cryptocurrencies.

An unsecured loan in the DeFi world that is borrowed and repaid within a single blockchain block.

A change to the blockchain protocol rules that leads to a new version - a hard fork is not backwards compatible, a soft fork is.

An unethical practice in which someone executes transactions with advance information before other market participants in order to profit from price changes.

A network node that stores a complete copy of the blockchain and helps to verify transactions.

The property of a currency where each unit is interchangeable and has the same value - important for traditional currencies and many cryptocurrencies.

Mining cryptocurrencies using graphics cards (GPUs) instead of specialized ASIC miners.

The financial return on an investment in cryptocurrencies.

A token that gives its owner voting rights in a decentralized project or DAO.

A wallet that can generate and manage multiple keys using a single seed phrase.

A trading strategy in which algorithms execute extremely fast transactions in order to profit from small price movements.

A term from the crypto community that originally came from a typo for "hold". It means holding cryptocurrencies for the long term, regardless of market fluctuations.

A mechanism in which the reward for mining new blocks is halved in order to reduce inflation - known from Bitcoin.

The period between two halvings - often influences market trends.

A permanent change to a blockchain protocol that results in a new, non-backward compatible version.

A physical device for the secure storage of crypto private keys, offline and therefore resistant to hacker attacks.

A process that converts data into a fixed character string - essential for blockchain security.

A strategy for hedging investments against possible losses, often using derivatives.

A number system with base 16 that is used in cryptography and computers to represent binary data.

A cryptocurrency wallet that is connected to the internet and used for everyday use. It is more convenient, but also more susceptible to hacker attacks than a cold wallet.

An ICO is a crowdfunding model in which new crypto projects sell their own tokens to raise capital for development.

A variant of the ICO in which the token sale is processed via a crypto exchange, which offers additional security and credibility.

A condition in which an asset cannot be sold quickly or easily due to a lack of buyers or sellers.

The fact that blockchain data cannot be changed or deleted ensures security and trust.

A temporary loss of value for liquidity providers in DeFi platforms when the prices of deposited assets change.

An increase in the general price level, which reduces the purchasing power of money over time.

The part of a blockchain transaction that specifies from which address and in what quantity cryptocurrency is sent.

The ability of different blockchain networks to communicate with each other and exchange values or information.

An identification process in which users have to prove their identity to financial service providers - serves to combat money laundering and fraud.

The process of creating crypto keys (public and private) that are used for security and encryption in blockchains.

The process by which all participants in a decentralized network agree on the current state of the blockchain and update it.

The science of encryption, which ensures that information can be stored and transmitted securely - an important component of blockchain systems.

The base layer of a blockchain, which comprises the main protocol and the network infrastructure.

Solutions that build on Layer 1 to increase scalability without overloading the main network - e.g. off-chain transactions.

The use of borrowed capital to increase investments - can increase profits, but also losses.

A layer 2 protocol for Bitcoin that enables fast and cost-effective transactions through payment channels.

An instruction to buy or sell an asset only at a certain price or better.

The forced sale of an asset when a position is no longer sufficiently covered - often relevant in margin trading.

A method where users are rewarded for providing liquidity in DeFi platforms.

A smart contract-based pool into which users deposit cryptocurrencies to provide trading liquidity.

A user who deposits their cryptocurrencies into a liquidity pool and receives transaction fees or rewards in return.

The ability of a market to process large transactions without triggering strong price movements.