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Cryptocurrencies

Crypto Definitions

Learn the language of the future! The Clutch team has worked tirelessly to collate definitions of the industry’s most commonly used terms. Click to learn more. 

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Blockchain

“Blockchain is a shared, immutable ledger that facilitates the process of recording transactions and tracking assets in a business network. An asset can be tangible (a house, car, cash, land) or intangible (intellectual property, patents, copyrights, branding). Virtually anything of value can be tracked and traded on a blockchain network, reducing risk and cutting costs for all involved.”

 

– IBM

Ethereum

Ethereum is a decentralized computing platform that uses ETH (also called Ether) to pay transaction fees (or “gas”). Developers can use Ethereum to run decentralized applications (dApps) and issue new crypto assets, known as Ethereum tokens.

 

– Coinbase

Smart Contracts

“Smart contracts are simply programs stored on a blockchain that run when predetermined conditions are met. They typically are used to automate the execution of an agreement so that all participants can be immediately certain of the outcome, without any intermediary’s involvement or time loss. They can also automate a workflow, triggering the next action when conditions are met.”

 

– IBM

NFT

“Non-fungible tokens or NFTs are cryptographic assets on blockchain with unique identification codes and metadata that distinguish them from each other. Unlike cryptocurrencies, they cannot be traded or exchanged at equivalency. This differs from fungible tokens like cryptocurrencies, which are identical to each other and, therefore, can be used as a medium for commercial transactions.”

 

– Investopedia

Cryptocurrency

“At its core, cryptocurrency is typically decentralized digital money designed to be used over the internet. Bitcoin, which launched in 2008, was the first cryptocurrency, and it remains by far the biggest, most influential, and best-known.”

 

– Coinbase

Proof Of Work

“Proof of Work (PoW) is the mechanism that allows the decentralized Ethereum network to come to consensus, or agree on things like account balances and the order of transactions. This prevents users “double spending” their coins and ensures that the Ethereum chain is incredibly difficult to attack or overwrite.”

 

– Ethereum

KYC

“KYC means Know Your Customer and is a standard due diligence process used by financial institutions and other financial services companies to assess and monitor customer risk and verify a customer’s identity. KYC ensures that a customer is who they say they are.”

 

– Plaid