Crypto
A shorthand term for cryptocurrency - digital currencies secured by cryptography and operating on decentralized networks.
What is Crypto?
Crypto is a shorthand term commonly referring to cryptocurrency, which is a digital currency secured by cryptography and operating on a blockchain without a central authority. It encompasses peer-to-peer payment systems that enable instant transactions globally, bypassing traditional intermediaries like banks.
More broadly, crypto can denote the field of blockchain technology and digital assets. In financial contexts, it primarily means digital assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum. In 2025, the crypto ecosystem includes over 25,000 coins and tokens, with applications in payments, DeFi, NFT, and tokenized real-world assets.
Related Terms
Based Rollup (L1-sequenced)
A based rollup is a layer-2 scaling solution for Ethereum that uses the layer-1 blockchain's validators for transaction sequencing, enhancing decentralization and alignment with Ethereum's security model.
Circuit Breaker
A mechanism to pause trading in a prediction market to prevent rapid price distortions from herd behavior or manipulation.
Ethereum Foundation
A non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the development and ecosystem of the Ethereum blockchain without controlling it.
Hash
A fixed-length string generated by a cryptographic function to uniquely represent data in the Bitcoin blockchain.
Fixed Income Security
Debt instruments providing regular interest and principal repayment, like bonds.
Dot Plot
A chart released quarterly by the Federal Reserve showing anonymous projections from FOMC members for future federal funds rates.