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Crypto

How cryptocurrency, blockchain, wallets, and DeFi actually work. Educational only, never advice.

Cryptocurrency is digital money recorded on a blockchain — a shared ledger maintained by a network of computers rather than a single bank. Bitcoin and Ethereum are the largest examples. Transactions are verified by the network and grouped into blocks, and ownership is controlled by cryptographic keys held in a wallet.

This section explains how the technology works: what a blockchain is, how wallets and private keys secure funds, what "gas" fees and staking are, how stablecoins attempt to hold a fixed value, and what decentralized finance (DeFi) applications do. Crypto assets are highly volatile and can lose value quickly, and this material is educational only — never advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any asset.

If you are researching this space, focus first on understanding custody and security, since lost keys and scams are among the most common ways people lose funds.

Common questions

What is a blockchain?
A blockchain is a database shared across many computers that records transactions in linked blocks. Once recorded and confirmed by the network, entries are extremely difficult to alter, which is what lets the system operate without a central authority.
What is a crypto wallet?
A wallet stores the private keys that prove ownership of crypto assets and let you authorize transactions. "Hot" wallets are connected to the internet; "cold" wallets are kept offline for security.
What is a stablecoin?
A stablecoin is a cryptocurrency designed to track the value of another asset, usually the US dollar, through reserves or algorithms. The stability of any given stablecoin depends on how well that mechanism holds up.

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