Skip to content
Live

Glossary

Glossary

Plain-language definitions of the terms we use.

A

AltcoinAny cryptocurrency other than Bitcoin.

B

Bear marketA decline of 20% or more from a recent high. BridgeA protocol that moves assets between blockchains.

C

Cold storageKeeping private keys on a device that never touches the internet.

D

DeFiDecentralised finance: financial services built on smart contracts. Dividend yieldAnnual dividends divided by share price.

E

ETFAn exchange-traded fund: a basket of assets that trades like a share.

G

GasThe fee paid to execute a transaction on a blockchain.

H

HalvingA scheduled cut in Bitcoin's block reward.

I

Index fundA fund that tracks a market index rather than picking stocks.

P

P/E ratioShare price divided by earnings per share.

S

StablecoinA token designed to hold a steady value, usually pegged to a currency. StakingLocking tokens to help secure a network in exchange for rewards.

Y

Yield curveA chart of bond yields across maturities.