Crypto glossary
Short definitions, each with what it means for you if you have been scammed.
B
- Block explorer
- A free website for looking up any transaction or wallet on a blockchain.
- Blockchain
- A public record of every transfer of a cryptocurrency, kept by thousands of computers and impossible to edit.
- Bridge (cross-chain bridge)
- A service that moves value from one blockchain to another, for example from Ethereum to Tron.
H
- Hop
- One move of money from one wallet to another.
K
- KYC (know your customer)
- The identity checks an exchange runs on its customers, such as a passport and a selfie.
M
- Mixer (crypto mixer, tumbler)
- A service that blends many people's crypto together so it is hard to tell whose money came out where.
S
- Seed phrase
- The 12 or 24 words that unlock a crypto wallet. Whoever has them owns the money.
- Stablecoin
- A crypto coin meant to stay worth one dollar, such as USDT or USDC. Its issuer can usually freeze it.
T
- Transaction hash (TxID)
- The unique ID of one crypto payment: a long string of letters and numbers.
- TRC-20
- The type of token used on the Tron network. 'USDT TRC-20' means USDT on Tron.
W
- Wallet address
- The public 'account number' you send crypto to. It is safe to share; your seed phrase is not.