Bitcoin Glossary

51% Attack

A situation where a single entity or group controls more than 50% of the computing power in a blockchain network, giving them the ability to manipulate transactions and data on the network

Address

A string of alphanumeric characters that is used to receive or send bitcoins.

Address reuse

The practice of using a Bitcoin address multiple times for incoming transactions. This can result in decreased privacy and security risks

Airdrop

The distribution of free cryptocurrency tokens or coins to a large number of users, typically as a promotional or marketing effort by a project or company.

Altcoin

Any cryptocurrency other than Bitcoin.

ASIC

Application-specific integrated circuit, a specialized hardware designed specifically for Bitcoin mining

ASIC Boost

A technology used in ASICs to increase hash rate and energy efficiency in Bitcoin mining

ATH

All-Time High, the highest price a particular cryptocurrency has ever reached.

Atomic Swap

A peer-to-peer exchange of cryptocurrency between two parties without the need for a central exchange

Bagholder

A term used to describe an investor who holds onto Bitcoin even as its value drops.

Bear Market

A market condition where prices are falling or expected to fall, often resulting in a decrease in trading volume and investor confidence.

Bear/Bearish

An investor who is pessimistic about Bitcoin’s future and expects its value to decrease.

Bitcoin

A digital currency created in 2009 by a pseudonymous individual or group using the name Satoshi Nakamoto. It is decentralized, meaning it is not controlled by any central authority

Bitcoin Address

A unique identifier used to send and receive bitcoins on the Bitcoin network. It is a string of alphanumeric characters that begins with the number 1 or 3

Bitcoin Mining Difficulty Spike

A sudden increase in the difficulty level of Bitcoin mining, which can impact the profitability and sustainability of mining operations

Bitcoin Mining Energy Consumption

The total amount of energy consumed by Bitcoin mining operations, which has become a topic of concern in recent years

Bitcoin Mining Environmental Impact

The environmental impact of Bitcoin mining, caused by the energy consumption and carbon emissions associated with mining operations

Bitcoin Mining Innovation

The development of new technologies and processes to improve the efficiency, sustainability, and profitability of Bitcoin mining

Bitcoin Mining Regulation

The process of regulating Bitcoin mining activities, which varies by country and region

Bitcoin Network Hash Rate

The total amount of computing power dedicated to Bitcoin mining across the entire network

Block

A group of Bitcoin transactions that have been verified and added to the blockchain

Block Explorer

A tool that allows users to view and explore the contents of the blockchain network

Block Header

The first part of a Bitcoin block that includes metadata such as the version number, timestamp, and previous block hash

Block Height

The number of blocks that have been added to the blockchain since its inception

Block Interval

The time it takes for a new block to be added to the blockchain network

Block Reward

The amount of Bitcoin awarded to a miner for successfully creating a new block, currently 6.25 BTC

Block Size

The maximum amount of data that can be stored in a single block on the blockchain

Blockchain

A decentralized ledger that records all Bitcoin transactions, maintained by a network of nodes

BTC

Bitcoin’s ticker symbol.

Bull Market

A market condition where prices are rising or expected to rise, often resulting in an increase in trading volume and investor confidence.

Bull/Bullish

An investor who is optimistic about Bitcoin’s future and expects its value to increase.

Byzantine Fault Tolerance

The ability of a blockchain network to resist and recover from malicious attacks and failures by faulty nodes

Centralized Exchange

An exchange that is operated by a single entity or company, often with a centralized order book and custody of user funds.

Cloud Mining

A form of Bitcoin mining where users can rent mining hardware and receive a share of the mining rewards

Cloud Mining Contract

An agreement between a user and a cloud mining provider to rent mining hardware and receive a share of mining rewards

Cloud Mining Profitability

The expected return on investment for a cloud mining contract, taking into account mining fees and other costs

Cloud Mining Scams

Scams involving fake cloud mining providers or fraudulent contracts that promise unrealistic returns

Cold Storage

A method of storing cryptocurrency offline to protect it from cyber attacks and theft

Confirmation

The process by which transactions are verified by the Bitcoin network and added to the blockchain.

Consensus

The agreement of all network participants to verify and validate transactions on the blockchain

Consensus Algorithm

The set of rules and procedures by which the blockchain network reaches consensus on the validity of transactions and the addition of new blocks to the blockchain

Cross-Chain

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

Cross-chain bridge

A mechanism that allows the transfer of assets between different blockchain networks

Cross-chain interoperability

The ability of different blockchain networks to interact and transact with each other, enabling users to move assets and data across multiple chains

Cryptocurrency

A digital or virtual currency that uses cryptography for security and operates independently of a central bank

Cryptography

The science of secure communication used to protect data and information on the blockchain

Cryptojacking

The unauthorized use of someone else’s computer to mine cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.

DAO

Decentralized Autonomous Organization, a digital organization that operates autonomously on the blockchain without the need for human intervention

DAO Attack

A situation where a malicious actor exploits vulnerabilities in a DAO to steal cryptocurrency or manipulate transactions on the blockchain

DAO token

Tokens that are used to represent voting power and decision-making in a DAO, they are tradable and can be transferred between users

DApp

Decentralized Application, an application that runs on the blockchain network and is governed by smart contracts

Decentralization

The principle of distributing control over a system or network among multiple parties, as opposed to centralizing it in one entity or organization.

Decentralized

The absence of a central authority controlling the blockchain network, making it more secure, transparent, and resilient

Decentralized Exchange

An exchange that operates on a decentralized blockchain network, allowing users to trade cryptocurrencies without the need for a central intermediary or authority.

Decentralized exchange (DEX)

An exchange that operates on a decentralized blockchain network, allowing peer-to-peer trades without the need for an intermediary or trusted third party

Decentralized finance (DeFi)

A movement that aims to provide financial services through decentralized technologies, such as blockchain and smart contracts, without relying on traditional financial institutions

DeFi

Decentralized Finance, a financial ecosystem built on the blockchain that offers traditional financial services such as lending, borrowing, and trading without the need for intermediaries

DeFi yield farming

A practice where users leverage liquidity pools and staking protocols to earn higher than normal returns on their cryptocurrency holdings

DEX aggregator

A platform that aggregates liquidity and trading pairs from multiple decentralized exchanges into a single interface, enabling traders to access deeper liquidity

Difficulty

A measure of how difficult it is to find a valid hash for a Bitcoin block

Difficulty Adjustment

A mechanism in Bitcoin mining that adjusts the difficulty level of mining to ensure that new blocks are created every 10 minutes on average

Difficulty Target

The level of difficulty that a block’s hash must meet to be considered valid and added to the blockchain

Distributed Ledger

A database that is spread across a network of computers, where each participant has a copy of the same information

Double Spending

The act of spending the same cryptocurrency twice by exploiting a loophole in the blockchain network

Dump

When a large number of Bitcoin is sold off all at once, causing the price to drop.

ERC-20

A technical standard used for creating and managing smart contracts on the Ethereum blockchain, which is widely used for issuing new tokens and coins.

Escrow

A smart contract that holds cryptocurrency in a secure account until certain conditions are met

Exchange

A marketplace where Bitcoin can be bought and sold.

Fiat Currency

Government-issued currency that is not backed by a physical commodity like gold.

Flash loan

A type of unsecured loan offered on some DeFi platforms that allows users to borrow large sums of cryptocurrency for a very short period of time

FOMO

Fear of missing out. Refers to the feeling of anxiety or regret that one may experience if they do not invest in Bitcoin when its price is rapidly increasing.

Fork

A change in the rules of the blockchain protocol that results in the creation of a new blockchain

Forking

The act of creating a new blockchain by copying and modifying the existing blockchain’s code

FUD

Fear, uncertainty, and doubt. Refers to the spread of negative information or rumors about Bitcoin, often with the intention of causing its price to drop.

Full Node

A node on the Bitcoin network that stores a complete copy of the blockchain and validates all transactions

Gas

The fee paid for processing a transaction on the blockchain, usually in the form of cryptocurrency

Gas Fee

The amount of cryptocurrency paid to miners for processing transactions on the blockchain

Gas fees

The fees paid by users for each transaction or smart contract execution on the Ethereum network. The fees are expressed in Ether (ETH)

Gas Limit

The maximum amount of gas that a user is willing to pay for a transaction on the blockchain

Gas Price

The amount of cryptocurrency paid per unit of gas for a transaction on the blockchain

Gas Station Network

A network of relayers that help users pay for gas fees on the blockchain network

Gas Token

A type of token on the blockchain that can be used to pay for gas fees, but its value is not tied to any particular cryptocurrency

Governance proposal

A proposal submitted by users of a DAO or DeFi protocol that seeks to make changes to the protocol or project

Governance token

A token that gives holders voting rights and governing power in a DAO, allowing them to participate in the decision-making process for the project as a whole

Halving

An event that occurs approximately every four years, where the block reward for mining Bitcoin is cut in half, reducing the supply of new Bitcoin

Hard Fork

A type of fork in the blockchain where the new rules implemented by the fork are not compatible with the old rules, resulting in the creation of a new blockchain network

Hash

A cryptographic function that takes input data and produces a fixed-size output, used in Bitcoin mining to create a block’s hash

Hash Function

A mathematical function used in Bitcoin mining to convert input data into a fixed-length output (hash)

Hash Rate

The speed at which a mining rig can perform hash calculations, measured in hashes per second (H/s)

Hash Rate Distribution

The distribution of hashing power across the Bitcoin network, which can impact the security and decentralization of the network

Hash Rate Fluctuation

The variability in the hash rate of the Bitcoin network, which can impact the difficulty level of mining and the profitability of mining operations

Hashcash

A proof-of-work system developed by Adam Back that inspired the creation of Bitcoin mining

Hashing Power

The amount of computing power dedicated to Bitcoin mining, measured in hash rate

Hashrate

The rate at which a mining machine can solve mathematical problems on the Bitcoin network. It is measured in hashes per second (H/s) or terahashes per second (TH/s)

HODL

A term used to describe the act of holding onto Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies for the long-term, despite market fluctuations

ICO (Initial Coin Offering)

Similar to an IPO (Initial Public Offering) in the traditional stock market, an ICO is a fundraising method used by startups to raise funds through the sale of new cryptocurrencies or tokens.

Immutable

The characteristic of the blockchain that makes it impossible to alter or delete previously recorded transactions

Immutable Ledger

A digital record on the blockchain that cannot be altered or deleted once it is added

Initial Coin Offering (ICO)

A type of crowdfunding campaign where a new cryptocurrency is offered to investors in exchange for funding

Interoperability

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

KYC

Know Your Customer is a regulatory policy used by exchanges and other financial institutions to verify the identity of their customers for security and compliance purposes

KYC (Know Your Customer)

The process of verifying the identity of users in order to comply with anti-money laundering laws and regulations.

Layer-1

The underlying blockchain layer, where the core consensus mechanism is implemented

Layer-2 scaling

A solution to improve the scalability of a blockchain by adding a secondary layer on top of the existing blockchain, enabling faster and cheaper transactions

Lightning Network

A layer two network built on top of the Bitcoin blockchain. It is designed to facilitate fast and cheap transactions by utilizing payment channels between users

Liquidity mining

An incentivization program offered by some DeFi protocols to reward users with tokens for providing liquidity to a liquidity pool

Liquidity pool

A smart contract-based pool that enables decentralized exchanges to provide liquidity for traders in a trustless and automated manner

Market Cap

The total value of a cryptocurrency, calculated by multiplying the current price per coin or token by the total number of coins or tokens in circulation.

Merkle Proof

A cryptographic proof used to verify the inclusion of a particular transaction in a block on the blockchain

Merkle Tree

A data structure used in Bitcoin mining to efficiently verify the integrity of transactions included in a block

Mining

The process of adding transactions to the blockchain by solving complex mathematical problems using computational power

Mining Algorithm

The mathematical algorithm used in Bitcoin mining to create a block’s hash, currently SHA-256

Mining Centralization

The concentration of mining power in the hands of a few large mining pools, which can pose a risk to the security and decentralization of the Bitcoin network

Mining Difficulty

The level of computational effort required to mine a new Bitcoin block

Mining Difficulty Retargeting

The process of adjusting the difficulty level of Bitcoin mining to maintain a consistent block creation rate

Mining Difficulty Spike

A sudden increase in the difficulty level of Bitcoin mining, which can impact the profitability of mining operations

Mining Farm

A large-scale operation with multiple mining rigs used to mine Bitcoin

Mining Farm Budgeting

The process of creating and managing a budget for a mining operation, including hardware and software costs, energy consumption, and maintenance costs

Mining Farm Cooling

The process of cooling a large-scale mining operation to prevent overheating and maximize energy efficiency

Mining Farm Disaster Recovery

The process of developing and implementing a disaster recovery plan for a mining operation to minimize downtime and data loss in the event of a disaster

Mining Farm Downtime

The time during which a mining operation is not functioning due to maintenance, repairs, or other factors

Mining Farm Expansion

The process of expanding a mining operation to increase hash rate and profitability

Mining Farm Fire Suppression

The process of implementing fire suppression systems in a mining operation to prevent and minimize fire damage

Mining Farm Management

The process of managing and optimizing a large-scale mining operation for maximum efficiency and profitability

Mining Farm Monitoring

The process of monitoring the performance, energy consumption, and security of a mining operation to ensure optimal operation and profitability

Mining Farm Optimization

The process of optimizing a mining operation for maximum hash rate and profitability, including hardware and software optimization, cooling, and power management

Mining Farm Power Management

The process of managing the energy consumption of a mining operation to minimize costs and environmental impact

Mining Farm ROI

Return on investment for a mining operation, calculated by comparing the revenue earned from mining to the cost of equipment, energy, and maintenance

Mining Farm Scalability

The ability of a mining operation to scale up or down in response to changes in Bitcoin mining difficulty or market conditions

Mining Farm Security

The process of securing a mining operation against theft, hacking, and other security threats

Mining Fee

A fee paid by a Bitcoin user to a mining pool for participating in the pool’s mining activities

Mining Firmware Upgrade

The process of upgrading the firmware on mining hardware to improve performance and energy efficiency

Mining Hardware Failure

The risk of hardware failure in mining rigs, which can result in lost mining revenue and increased maintenance costs

Mining Hardware Optimization

The process of optimizing mining hardware for maximum hash rate and energy efficiency

Mining Income

The total revenue earned by a miner from mining rewards and transaction fees

Mining Location

The physical location of a mining operation, which can impact the cost of electricity and the environmental

Mining Malware

Malicious software that targets mining rigs to steal mining rewards or compromise the security of the mining operation

Mining Node

A node on the Bitcoin network that participates in the mining process and validates new blocks

Mining Payout

The amount of Bitcoin earned by a miner from mining rewards and transaction fees that are paid out to their wallet

Mining Pool

A group of miners who combine their computing power to increase their chances of finding a Bitcoin block and sharing the rewards

Mining Pool Dominance

The concentration of hash power in a few large mining pools, which can pose a risk to the security and decentralization of the Bitcoin network

Mining Pool Fee

A fee paid by mining pool participants to the pool operator for managing the pool and distributing rewards

Mining Pool Fees

The fees charged by mining pools for participating in mining activities, which can impact the profitability of mining operations

Mining Pool Hash Rate Distribution

The distribution of hash power across different mining pools, which can impact the profitability and decentralization of the Bitcoin network

Mining Pool Membership

The process of joining a mining pool to contribute hash power and earn a share of mining rewards

Mining Pool Payouts

The process of distributing mining rewards and transaction fees to participants in a mining pool

Mining Pool Rewards

The combination of block rewards and transaction fees earned by a mining pool for successfully mining a new block

Mining Pool Security

The process of securing a mining pool against hacking, theft, and other security threats

Mining Power

The amount of computing power dedicated to Bitcoin mining, measured in hash rate

Mining Power Consumption

The amount of energy consumed by mining hardware, which can impact the profitability of mining operations and the environmental impact of Bitcoin mining

Mining Profitability

The ratio of mining revenue to mining costs, used to determine the profitability of a mining operation

Mining Protocol

The set of rules and processes that govern the Bitcoin mining process, including the difficulty adjustment and block validation processes

Mining Reward

The combination of the block reward and transaction fees earned by a miner for successfully mining a new block

Mining Rig

A specialized computer system designed for Bitcoin mining, typically consisting of multiple high-powered graphics processing units (GPUs) or ASICs

Mining Rig Maintenance

The process of maintaining mining hardware to ensure optimal performance and prevent hardware failure

Mining Software

Software used to control and manage the mining hardware, including setting the mining pool and configuring mining parameters

Mining Software Upgrade

The process of updating mining software to ensure compatibility with the latest blockchain changes and improvements

Mining Validation

The process of verifying the blockchain and ensuring that all blocks and transactions are valid and accurate

Moon

A slang term used to describe a significant increase in the price of Bitcoin.

Multisig

A feature that requires multiple parties to sign off on a transaction before it can be executed on the blockchain

Multi-signature

A feature that enables multiple users to have control and authorization over a single Bitcoin wallet or transaction

Multi-Signature (Multi-Sig)

A security feature that requires multiple signatures (from different parties) to authorize a Bitcoin transaction.

NFT

Non-Fungible Tokens are unique digital assets that represent ownership or proof of authenticity of a piece of art, music, video, or other creative work

Node

A computer connected to the Bitcoin network that maintains a copy of the blockchain

Node operator

A person or entity that runs a full node on the Bitcoin network. They play an important role in maintaining and validating the network

Nonce

A random number added to a block’s header to create a unique hash

Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)

Unique digital assets that represent ownership of a particular item, such as artwork or collectibles, on the blockchain

Off-chain Transactions

Transactions that occur outside the blockchain network and are settled later on the blockchain

On-chain Transactions

Transactions that are recorded on the blockchain and are publicly visible to all network participants

Oracle

An external source of data that is used to inform a smart contract on the blockchain. Oracles are used to obtain real-world data such as price feeds, weather data or other market data

Oracles

Third-party agents that provide external data to the blockchain to execute smart contracts and other functions

Oracles-as-a-service

A service that provides third party oracles to blockchain networks for accessing external data, making smart contract-based decision-making more efficient and accurate

Permissioned

A blockchain network that requires permission or authorization to access and participate in the network

Permissionless

The ability of anyone to participate and access the blockchain network without any restrictions or permission

Pool Hash Rate

The total hash rate contributed by all miners in a mining pool

Privacy coin

A category of cryptocurrencies that aim to provide increased privacy and anonymity for their users. Examples include Monero, Zcash, and Dash

Privacy Coins

Cryptocurrencies that use advanced privacy features to keep transactions and user identities anonymous

Private Key

A secret code that is used to access and control the funds associated with a particular address on the blockchain

Proof of Authority

A consensus algorithm that uses a group of trusted validators to validate transactions and add new blocks to the blockchain

Proof of Burn

A consensus algorithm that requires miners to burn a certain amount of cryptocurrency to validate transactions and add new blocks to the blockchain

Proof of Capacity

A consensus algorithm that requires miners to prove that they have a certain amount of available storage space to validate transactions and add new blocks to the blockchain

Proof of Elapsed Time

A consensus algorithm that randomly selects a validator node to validate transactions and add new blocks to the blockchain, based on the amount of time the node has been idle

Proof of Stake

A consensus algorithm that requires participants to stake a certain amount of cryptocurrency to validate transactions and add new blocks to the blockchain

Proof of Stake (PoS)

A consensus algorithm used by some cryptocurrencies, where users stake or “lock up” their coins to validate transactions and earn rewards.

Proof of Work

The consensus algorithm used in Bitcoin mining, where miners must solve a cryptographic puzzle to create a new block and validate transactions

Proof of Work (PoW)

A consensus algorithm used by some cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, to validate transactions and add new blocks to the blockchain.

Proof-of-authority (PoA)

A consensus algorithm where validators are pre-selected and approved by a central authority to validate transactions on a blockchain

Proof-of-history (PoH)

A novel consensus mechanism that aims to provide a timestamping service for a blockchain, ensuring that transactions are processed in a chronological order

Proof-of-space and time (PoST)

A consensus algorithm that requires miners to prove that they have allocated a specific amount of storage space and time to mining

Proof-of-stake (PoS)

An alternative consensus algorithm used by some cryptocurrencies that rewards users for holding and staking their tokens, rather than mining

Proof-of-work (PoW)

A consensus algorithm used by Bitcoin that requires miners to solve complex mathematical problems to validate transaction blocks

Public Key

A unique identifier that is used to receive funds on the blockchain

Pump and dump

A manipulative scheme where an individual or group artificially inflates the price of a cryptocurrency and then sells it for profit, causing the price to crash.

Rebase token

A type of token that aims to maintain a stable purchasing power by periodically adjusting its supply based on market demand

Rekt

Slang term used to describe significant losses incurred from investing in Bitcoin.

Reward

The amount of Bitcoin awarded to a miner who successfully creates a new block

Rug pull

A type of scam where the creators of a cryptocurrency project pull out their funds or liquidity from the project, resulting in a collapse of its price and a loss of value for investors

Satoshi

The smallest unit of Bitcoin, equivalent to 0.00000001 BTC.

Satoshi Nakamoto

The pseudonym used by the anonymous creator of Bitcoin, whose true identity remains unknown.

Sats

Short for Satoshi, the smallest unit of Bitcoin.

Schnorr Signatures

Schnorr signatures are a type of digital signature that can be used in Bitcoin transactions. They are more efficient than the current signature scheme used in Bitcoin (ECDSA) and can help to reduce transaction fees and improve privacy.

Seed phrase

A set of 12,18 or 24 words that represent the private key to a Bitcoin wallet. It is used for backup and recovery purposes and should be kept secure

Segregated Witness (SegWit)

Segregated Witness is a protocol upgrade that separates the signature data from the transaction data in a Bitcoin block. This helps to increase the block size limit without increasing the actual block size, which can improve transaction throughput and lower fees.

SegWit

Segregated Witness

Sharding

A technique used to improve the scalability of the blockchain by dividing the network into smaller, more manageable pieces called shards

Shill

A person who promotes or recommends Bitcoin without disclosing their own vested interest in it.

Sidechain

A separate blockchain that is connected to the main blockchain network and is used to conduct specialized transactions or experiments

Signature

A unique digital signature generated by a user to verify their identity and authorize transactions on the blockchain

Smart contract

A self-executing contract with the terms of the agreement directly written into computer code. Smart contracts are often used on the Ethereum network for decentralized applications (dapps)

Smart Contract Platform

A blockchain network that enables the creation and execution of smart contracts, often providing developers with tools and infrastructure for building decentralized applications (dapps).

Smart Contracts

Self-executing contracts with the terms of the agreement between buyer and seller being directly written into lines of code

Smart Property

Physical assets that are represented on the blockchain as digital tokens with programmable rules and conditions

Smart Token

A type of token on the blockchain that can execute predefined commands, such as buy or sell, on its own

Soft Fork

A type of fork in the blockchain where the new rules implemented by the fork are backward compatible with the old rules, resulting in the continuation of the existing blockchain network

Solo Block Found

A term used to describe when a miner successfully mines a new block on their own

Solo Mining

The process of mining Bitcoin alone, without joining a mining pool

Stablecoin

A cryptocurrency that is pegged to a stable asset, such as a fiat currency or a commodity, to maintain a stable value

Staking

The process of holding and locking up cryptocurrency tokens in a wallet to help support the operation of a blockchain network, and receiving rewards in return

Stratum Protocol

A protocol used to facilitate communication between mining pools and miners

Tangle

A distributed ledger technology that is an alternative to blockchain and is used by IOTA

Taproot

Taproot is a proposed Bitcoin protocol upgrade that aims to improve privacy and flexibility by enabling complex smart contracts to be executed off-chain. It is expected to be activated in 2022.

Timestamp

The date and time at which a transaction is recorded on the blockchain

To the moon

A slang term used to express an optimistic view that Bitcoin’s value will continue to rise significantly.

Token

A unit of value that represents a particular asset or utility on a blockchain

Token Standards

Predefined sets of rules and protocols that govern the creation, distribution, and management of tokens on the blockchain

Tokenization

The process of converting physical assets, such as real estate or art, into digital tokens on the blockchain

Tokenomics

The economic and financial principles underlying a cryptocurrency or token, including its distribution, supply, demand, and utility within a given ecosystem.

Transaction Fee

A small amount of Bitcoin paid by the

Transaction malleability

A potential issue in the Bitcoin network where a transaction ID can be changed, causing confusion or delays in transaction processing.

Transaction Validation

The process of verifying that a Bitcoin transaction is valid and can be included in a block

Unspent Transaction Output (UTXO)

The output of a Bitcoin transaction that has not yet been spent and can be used as an input for a new transaction.

UTXO

UTXO stands for Unspent Transaction Output. It refers to the amount of Bitcoin that has been received by an address and has not yet been spent. UTXOs are used in Bitcoin to track ownership of coins and to verify the validity of transactions.

Wallet

A software program or hardware device that stores a user’s Bitcoin, used to send and receive Bitcoin transactions

Wallet Address

A unique identifier used to receive or send cryptocurrency on the blockchain

Weak hands

Investors who are easily swayed by market fluctuations and sell their Bitcoin quickly.

Web3

The next generation of the internet, powered by blockchain technology and decentralized applications

Whale

A term used to describe a person or group that holds a large amount of Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies

White Paper

A document that outlines the technical specifications and goals of a particular cryptocurrency.

Whitelist

A list of approved users or addresses that are authorized to participate in a particular blockchain network, often used to prevent fraudulent or malicious activity.

Whitepaper

A document that outlines the technical and conceptual details of a blockchain project, including its features, benefits, and architecture

Work

The data that a miner must hash to create a block’s hash, includes the block header and the nonce

Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC)

A tokenized version of Bitcoin that runs on the Ethereum network, allowing Bitcoin to be used in DeFi applications

Wrapped token

Tokens that represent other cryptocurrencies or assets, wrapped in additional smart contract logic to facilitate their use in DeFi applications

Zero-knowledge Proof

A cryptographic technique that allows one party to prove to another party that they know a particular piece of information without revealing the information itself

Zero-Knowledge Protocol

A type of cryptographic protocol that enables parties to prove the authenticity of information without revealing the information itself