Crypto Crash Course

Cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana, are digital assets that run on decentralized peer-to-peer networks called blockchains.

Ethereum is the second-largest cryptocurrency network by market capitalization after Bitcoin.

NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, are one-of-a-kind digital assets.

DEX is short for decentralized exchange, a cryptocurrency trading platform not maintained by a centralized company.

The nuts and bolts of cryptocurrency investments are similar to those of other asset classes, like stocks or gold.

While cryptocurrencies are notorious for their volatility, a cluster of them called stablecoins promises an escape from the chaos.

Oracles are programs that feed smart contracts with real-world data.

Cryptocurrency wallets safeguard digital assets like Bitcoin, Ether, or NFTs.

Cardano is the name of the blockchain that houses ADA, a long-time, top-10 cryptocurrency by market capitalization.

USD Coin, also known as USDC, is a cryptocurrency pegged to the U.S. dollar.

Bitcoin is the first and largest cryptocurrency network.

If Bitcoin’s white paper is the foundational text for crypto, Web3 is the broader philosophy that has emerged from it.

While the term “metaverse” once described an obscure fictional dystopia, today it refers to an all-encompassing virtual world in which users play, work, and socialize.

Proof-of-work—aka cryptocurrency mining—has been around since the 1990s, but Bitcoin’s creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, popularized the concept in Bitcoin’s 2008 whitepaper as a process for securing blockchains.

Staking refers to the locking up of cryptocurrency in order to help secure a network and earn rewards.

Smart contracts bring blockchains to life by letting users create and run on-chain programs.

While stockbrokers trade on stock exchanges, cryptocurrency traders primarily buy and sell tokens on cryptocurrency exchanges.

Avalanche is a newer blockchain network that competes with the likes of Ethereum and Solana.

Cryptocurrencies are governed by a set of rules called "tokenomics," which refers to the monetary policies baked into each token or coin.

Blockchains are distributed computer networks that support cryptocurrencies.

You’ve heard the horror stories and many of them are true.

DeFi refers to a suite of decentralized financial applications built on blockchains.

Cryptocurrencies are often tied to ambitious blockchain projects that try to aspire to remake the world’s financial and computer systems. But there’s an entire class of cryptocurrencies that derive their value primarily from Internet jokes or popular culture: memecoins.

Bitcoin isn’t the only blockchain—there are thousands—and they aren’t compatible. Enter bridges.

Solana is a popular blockchain that supports decentralized applications and tokens.

Blockchains are composed of layers, a metaphor that helps explain how blockchains can take a load off each other.

The most popular NFT project is called Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC).

Proof of stake is a method of validating cryptocurrency transactions.

XRP is a top-10 cryptocurrency that runs on the XRP Ledger, a blockchain network launched in 2012 by U.S.-incorporated payments company Ripple.