A practical crypto glossary
The words behind the tracker.
Plain-language definitions, with a deeper guide one click away. Start with the term you need—not an alphabet of unexplained jargon.
Altcoin
A broad label used here for a cryptocurrency other than Bitcoin. It does not describe a single risk profile or technical mechanism. Native network assets, governance tokens, and receipt tokens all need more specific identification. Start with the actual role and representation rather than assuming the category explains the asset.
Read the related guideNative coin
An asset native to a network rather than a token issued through a separate token contract or program. A research record should state that classification explicitly. Keep native balances distinct from wrapped or receipt representations that may refer to related economic exposure.
Read the related guideToken identifier
A network-aware reference that distinguishes the intended asset. Depending on the network and asset type, it may include a contract or mint address. A ticker is a display label, not a reliable unique key. Preserve complete identifiers even when an interface abbreviates them.
Read the related guideMint address
The address identifying a token’s mint account in Solana’s token model. The mint is distinct from an owner’s token account. Use the complete address when verifying an issued token and record the source that establishes its relationship to the project.
Read the related guideToken account
In the Solana context discussed here, an account recording units of a particular mint for an owner. A displayed balance needs an explicit discovery scope: one account, several accounts, or a broader total. Do not assume the owner’s address and token-account address are interchangeable.
Read the related guideCirculating supply
A provider’s estimate of units classified as circulating under its methodology. Record the definition and observation time before comparing it with another source. Uncertainty in the supply input carries into any market-cap calculation that uses it.
Read the related guideMarket capitalization
A calculation commonly formed by multiplying reference price by circulating supply. It is not a total of invested cash and does not establish the amount available to sellers. The result inherits the definitions and uncertainties of its inputs.
Read the related guideFully diluted valuation
A reference-price calculation using a broader supply basis, often maximum or total supply depending on the asset and provider. Make that denominator explicit. The result is a scenario-like valuation measure, not a prediction that all units will trade at today’s reference price.
Read the related guideLiquidity
The ability to transact under particular conditions, including quantity and price. It is venue- and size-dependent. Reported activity over an earlier time window does not establish current executable depth for a new order.
Read the related guideTrading volume
Reported completed trading activity over a specified window. Its interpretation depends on venue coverage, units, and methodology. Keep the window and source with the figure rather than treating a large volume number as a complete quality or liquidity assessment.
Read the related guidePrice impact
The effect of an order on execution price relative to the relevant market state. Compare trade size with available liquidity, not merely with an asset’s market capitalization. Price impact is not simply another name for a platform fee.
Read the related guideSlippage
The difference between an expected execution result and the result that occurs. A tolerance setting, where supported, defines a condition in a particular workflow; it is not necessarily an amount charged automatically. Understand the interface’s implementation before interpreting the number.
Read the related guideInternal transfer
A movement between locations inside the chosen ownership boundary. It changes location but does not automatically create income or a new investment. Match the records and account for any separate fees rather than counting both sides as independent gains.
Read the related guideReference value
An estimate obtained by applying a chosen reference price to a quantity. Label the source, currency, and timestamp. The estimate is not guaranteed sale proceeds and should not conceal a missing price, uncertain balance, or liquidity limitation.
Read the related guideRead-only tracking
A workflow focused on reading information rather than authorizing asset movements. The label does not remove privacy concerns: address associations and account history can still be sensitive. Review exact capabilities and storage practices rather than relying on the label alone.
Read the related guideToken approval
A permission associated with a specified spending or token-interaction capability in a particular network workflow. Understand the asset, spender, scope, and revocation process. Disconnecting a website interface is not necessarily equivalent to changing permissions already recorded onchain.
Read the related guideSeed phrase
Recovery material used by some wallets to restore access to signing keys. It is not a portfolio import format or something a research website needs. Keep it out of websites, support emails, screenshots, and public or shared research records.
Read the related guideGovernance token
A token associated with participation in a documented governance mechanism. Examine what that mechanism actually permits and distinguish proposals from implemented changes. Governance involvement does not independently establish investment suitability or financial benefits for holders.
Read the related guideLiquid staking token
A token representing a liquid-staking position under a specific protocol arrangement. Identify the representation and its relationship to the underlying asset. Avoid adding a receipt and the same underlying exposure twice when constructing a holdings total.
Read the related guideAPI
An application programming interface: a defined way for software to request or exchange information. The usefulness of an altcoin API depends on its identifiers, units, timestamps, coverage, and error states—not just whether it returns valid JSON.
Read the related guideData provenance
The record of where information came from, when it was observed, and how it was transformed. Preserve field-level sources when combining providers. A normalized record should not erase the evidence needed to reproduce or correct a mapping decision.
Read the related guideStale data
An observation older than the freshness rule required for its intended use. A new network response can still carry an old measurement. Retain the original observation time and status instead of relabeling a last-known value as current.
Read the related guideOnchain transaction
A transaction recorded or processed by a blockchain network. Its status, execution details, and resulting movements need to be distinguished. The record does not automatically establish real-world ownership, intent, or the profitability of an economic activity.
Read the related guideWatchlist
An organized list of research interests. A useful entry has verified identity, a question, evidence, and a review or archive condition. A watchlist is not necessarily a portfolio, and adding an entry does not establish ownership or an intention to buy.
Read the related guide