A shared digital ledger that records every transaction across a network of computers, where entries can't be secretly changed or deleted.
Think of it like a Google Doc that everyone can view and verify, but no single person can go back and edit past entries.
Blockchain is the technology that makes crypto possible — it's why you can trust a system without needing a bank in the middle.
Watch out for projects that claim to use 'blockchain technology' but don't actually need it — sometimes it's just a buzzword used for marketing.
The first and most well-known cryptocurrency, created in 2009 as a digital form of money that works without banks or governments.
A program stored on a blockchain that automatically executes an agreement when specific conditions are met, without needing a middleman.
The main blockchain network itself — like Ethereum, Bitcoin, or Solana — that processes and finalizes transactions on its own.
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