The world of crypto has its own specialized vocabulary. Here’s a cheat sheet to get you started.

Altcoin

Any of the thousands of cryptocurrencies developed after Bitcoin.

Crypto

Common abbreviation for cryptocurrency.

Decentralized

A system that runs simultaneously on multiple computers in multiple locations, rather than one central computer.

Fork

Changes to an existing crypto that can result in the creation of a new one.

Halving

A built-in defense against inflation that occurs periodically to slow down the production of a cryptocurrency.

Hodl

Intentional misspelling of the word “hold,” refers to keeping crypto for a long time, regardless of market changes.

Mining

Process for producing units of a cryptocurrency. Like mining for gold, but instead of pickaxes, crypto miners use powerful computers to solve difficult math problems.

Volatility

How quickly and how much the value of crypto changes. Volatility can indicate risk. Bitcoin was really volatile yesterday. It went down $500 at breakfast and was up $750 by lunch.

Whale

Someone who owns a very large amount of crypto and can potentially affect the market through their decisions to buy, hold, and sell.