Glossary

Displaying 'c'

candlesticks
Candlesticks is a graphing technique used to show changes in price over time. Each candle provides 4 points of information: opening price, closing price, high, and low. Also known as 'candles' for short.
cash
Cash is physical form of a currency, such as banknotes or coins.
central ledger
A ledger maintained by a centralized agency (such as a bank) that records all financial transactions
central processing unit
Central Processing Unit, also known as a processor or CPU, is defined as the 'brains' of the computer, coordinating different components running on a computer. CPU clock speed is measured in gigahertz or GHz for short.
centralized
An organization structure in which a small number of nodes is in control of an entire network.
chain split
Another term used to describe Fork.
change
Bitcoin transactions are made up of inputs and outputs, in a system called Unspent Transaction Output. When you send bitcoins, you can only send them in a whole output, and the rest are sent back as change.
chargeback
A demand made by a credit-card provider for a retailer to make good on the loss on a fraudulent or disputed transaction, reversing said payment or money transfer after it was authorized.
cipher
The name given to the algorithm that encrypts and decrypts information.
circulating supply
The best approximation of the number of coins that are circulating in the market and in the general public's hands. *see Max Supply and Total Supply.
circulation
When referring to the Circulating Supply of a digital asset, this is a best effort approximation of the number of coins that can currently be traded since they are circulating in various markets or able to be traded by the owners.
client
Software that can access and process blockchain transactions on a local computer. A common application of this is a cryptocurrency software wallet.
close
Refers to the closing price; similar to the same term used in financial stocks.
cloud mining
Mining with remote processing power rented from companies operating outfits in countries like Iceland, where the electricity is abundant and cost-efficient, and the ambient temperature is cold year-round. Another term for this is mining contract.
co-signer
A person or entity that has partial control and access over a cryptocurrency wallet.
coin
A coin is a cryptocurrency that can operate independently.
coinbase
First designed in the Bitcoin system, a coinbase is a compulsorily-included transaction on a block, the output of which directs where to send the mining reward to. In the Bitcoin system, the coinbase has a 100 byte size input, where messages can be attached or used as an extra nonce.
cold storage
Offline storage of cryptocurrencies, typically involving hardware non-custodial wallets, USBs, offline computers, or paper wallets. *see Hot Storage.
cold wallet
A cryptocurrency wallet that is in cold storage, i.e. not connected to the internet.
confirmations
A transaction is only confirmed when it is included in a block on the blockchain, at which point it has one confirmation. Each additional block is another confirmation. Different exchanges require a different number of confirmations to consider a cryptocurrency transaction final.
consensus
Consensus is achieved when all participants of the network agree on the order and content of blocks and transactions contained in those blocks.
consortium blockchain
A privately-owned and -operated blockchain in which a consortium shares information not readily available to the public, while relying on the immutable and transparent properties of the blockchain.
correction
A correction is a (usually negative) reverse movement of at least 10% in a cryptocurrency or general market, to adjust for over- or under-valuations.
cpu
Central Processing Unit, also known as a processor or CPU, is defined as the 'brains' of the computer, coordinating different components running on a computer. CPU clock speed is measured in gigahertz or GHz for short.
crypto-jacking
The use of another party's computer to mine cryptocurrency without their consent.
cryptoasset
Cryptoassets leverage cryptography, consensus algorithms, distributed ledgers, peer-to-peer technology and/or smart contracts to function as a store of value, medium of exchange, unit of account, or decentralized application.
cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrency (often referred to simply as crypto) is an internet-based digital currency or digital asset designed to transact value as a decentralized medium of exchange from one person directly to another (peer to peer). Cryptocurrencies use strong cryptographic functions to ensure secure financial transactions between peers. Cryptocurrencies (like Bitcoin for example) utilize blockchain technology in order to enable decentralized and irreversible transactions between peers without requiring a bank.
cryptographic hash function
Cryptographic hashes produce a fixed-size and unique hash value from variable-size transaction input. The SHA-256 algorithm is an example of a cryptographic hash function.
cryptography
A field of study and practice to secure information, preventing third parties from reading information to which they are not privy.
current supply
The approximate total amount of coins in existence right now but may or may not all be currently in circulation for trading. This is also minus any coins that have been verifiably burned.
custodial
Usually referring to the storage of keys, in relation to wallets or exchanges, a custodial set-up is one in which private keys are being held by the service provider while they provide a login account. *see Non-custodial.
cypherpunk
An activist who advocates for the mass adoption and use of strong cryptographic solutions and privacy-enhancing technologies to enact social and political progress.