Turning the page.
Bringing the next chapter into view…
From your first block to the finer details. Explore the ideas, people, and systems behind the market—one useful explanation at a time.
Follow a transaction from a key to a shared ledger.
Begin with BlockchainExplore contracts, liquidity, borrowing and the risks between them.
Begin with Smart contractUnderstand what a price, valuation or sentiment indicator can tell you.
Begin with Market capitalizationLearn custody, permissions and how to assess what you sign.
Begin with Hardware walletConnect the original ideas to the incidents that changed the industry.
Begin with A Cypherpunk's ManifestoSeparate technical standards, issuer claims and legal frameworks.
Begin with Howey testAn OTC or FX habit of confirming a quote after the client hits it. Controversial in crypto RFQ.
Launchpad is a market sector used to group crypto assets with similar use or design.
Layer 0 (L0) is a market sector used to group crypto assets with similar use or design.
Layer 1 (L1) is a market sector used to group crypto assets with similar use or design.
Layer 2 (L2) is a market sector used to group crypto assets with similar use or design.
Lending/Borrowing Protocols is a market sector used to group crypto assets with similar use or design.
Controlling a larger position than the cash posted as margin. Gains and losses both scale.
An instruction to buy or sell only at a chosen price or better. It may rest unfilled.
A derivative whose profit or loss changes proportionally with the underlying price change for a fixed position size, before fees and funding.
Tokens unlock smoothly over time rather than in one cliff.
Forced close of a leveraged position when margin falls below maintenance. The venue seizes collateral to pay the loss.
Hundreds of millions in forced closes within hours, a recurring headline in leverage-heavy markets.
A map of estimated leverage liquidation levels, used to hunt squeezes.
The mark price at which a leveraged position is force-closed.
How easily size can be traded without moving the price much. Deep books and pools mean better liquidity.
A wick through obvious stops that fills liquidations or stop orders before reversing.
Contractual period when insiders cannot sell. Separate from on-chain vesting schedules.
A position that profits if price rises.
Forced selling of leveraged longs that cascades price down. Common on perpetual futures venues.
A forced sell cascade when longs are liquidated into a falling tape.
The count or notional of retail longs versus shorts on a venue. A crowded side is fuel for a squeeze.
Definitions offer a starting point. Detailed readings include the sources behind the explanation.