The most comprehensive dictionary online of blockchain and cryptocurrency-related buzzwords, from HODL to NFT, these are the terms you need to know

The world of cryptocurrencies is a vast and complex one. It can be intimidating to newcomers with its jargon-filled conversations, endless exchanges and tokens, and the constant need to update software. And that's without even mentioning blockchain!

If you're looking to start dabbling in crypto or simply want to understand the basics better, then read on for our comprehensive guide to the most common terms.

51% attack: A hypothetical situation where more than half of the computing power on a blockchain network is controlled by one person or group, thus allowing them to dictate which transactions are verified. This would allow them to prevent other users from completing confirmed transactions and cause havoc within the system, and double-spend coins.
51% attack protection: A protection mechanism implemented by several cryptocurrencies that require more than 50% of their total hashing power working together as one entity (which would make it difficult for attackers since they'd need even more resources and time) or if this threshold is below 100%, having an additional safeguard feature where at least 66% must agree with every transaction before sending, making them unable to double-spend anything without others noticing until these changes are made on the chain permanently.
AFK: Away From Keyboard; used on social media platforms like Twitter where users share their trading activity but only want to receive messages while they're logged into their account (and not away doing other things). AFKs usually trade for more extended periods of time than those who are active on their feeds.
Airdrop: An event where a blockchain project distributes free tokens or coins to the community.
Air gapping: The act of keeping digital information or machinery isolated from unauthorised access in order to enhance security.
Altcoin: Any cryptocurrency that is an alternative to Bitcoin.
AML: Anti-Money Laundering, a legal framework used by governments worldwide to stop financial crimes like money laundering, terrorist financing, fraud, and more.
ATH: All-Time High, the highest value reached by an asset at any point in its history.
Bag holder: A derogatory term to describe investors who are still holding certain assets that have dropped significantly in value since their purchase price.
Bearish: When investors or traders see a bearish trend, they expect a price to decrease and would recommend selling coins/tokens.
Bear market: A market in which prices fall and negative sentiment is rife; this could lead to a drop-off in demand while buyers wait for lower prices.
Bitcoin: The first decentralised cryptocurrency released in 2009.
Bitcoin maximalist: A person who defends bitcoin against all other crypto assets.
Blockchain: A type of decentralised public ledger which contains records/transactions and forms the basis for how many cryptocurrencies work, using cryptography to link together blocks in a chain so that each block is linked with the previous one chronologically, preventing any tampering or revisionist history from occurring since it would be recognised immediately by other users on the network.
Block height: When discussing blockchain networks such as BitcoinBTC), this term refers to how many blocks make up their total height/length starting from block #0, also called its genesis block, which was mined during the first round of updates to this network.
Block reward: A type of monetary incentive provided by cryptocurrencies whenever an individual mines a block successfully. Coins/Tokens are not created out of thin air. Still, rather they must have gone through mining first before being awarded as such since it requires computational resources and electricity costs to mine them effectively. This is how miners make their profits, doing the work necessary in ensuring proper security measures are put in place so that these tokens cannot easily be hacked or stolen from them.