General
Blockchain fundamentals and topics that span every chain.
Articles that aren't tied to a single chain: wallets and security, DeFi and stablecoins, DAOs, AI and crypto, regulation, industry news and how blockchains work under the hood.
GeneralBeginnerA seed phrase is 12 or 24 words that act as the master key to your whole wallet — import them anywhere and you regain the same accounts. Lose it and funds are gone; expose it and they're stolen. Store it offline, and never give it to anyone.
#cryptography#security#wallets
GeneralIntermediateA bridge moves value between blockchains by locking an asset on one chain and minting a representation on another. They get hacked because they concentrate value and depend on flawless keys, contracts and proofs — as Ronin (~$600M) and Wormhole (~$320M) showed.
#bridges#scaling#security
GeneralBeginnerDeFi provides financial services — trading, lending, borrowing — through public smart contracts instead of banks. It's permissionless, non-custodial and composable, with borrowing secured by over-collateralisation rather than credit checks, and no safety net if code fails.
#basics#defi#stablecoins
GeneralBeginnerBoth are consensus mechanisms that decide who adds the next block without a central authority. Proof of work spends real-world energy on a hashing puzzle (Bitcoin); proof of stake locks up coins that can be slashed (Ethereum since 2022).
#consensus#mining#staking
GeneralBeginnerAn NFT is a unique token that records ownership of a specific item on a blockchain. The on-chain record of who owns which token is secure, but the image usually lives off-chain — and buying one gives you the token, not automatically the copyright or the file.
#basics#nfts#tokens
GeneralBeginnerA wallet stores the keys that control your coins, not the coins themselves. Custodial means a company holds those keys for you; self-custody means you hold them, with full control and full responsibility — captured by the phrase 'not your keys, not your coins'.
#basics#security#wallets
GeneralBeginnerDePIN networks use tokens to get people to run real hardware like hotspots, storage and GPUs. Contributors earn token emissions plus usage fees once the network can verify their work, often via burn-and-mint models.
#basics#mining#tokens
GeneralBeginnerIt means issuing a blockchain token backed by a legal claim on an off-chain asset like Treasuries, gold or loans. A custodian and legal wrapper hold the asset; the issuer mints tokens on deposit and burns them on redemption.
#defi#regulation#stablecoins
GeneralBeginnerA DAO runs its treasury and key decisions through smart contracts. Token holders vote on-chain with power read from a past block; if quorum and majority are met, the proposal waits in a timelock, then executes.
#daos#governance#smart-contracts
GeneralBeginnerProjects snapshot on-chain activity and let eligible wallets claim free tokens, often via a Merkle-proof contract. Scams use fake claim sites, malicious approvals, permit signatures, seed phrase requests or pay-to-claim fees.
#security#tokens#wallets
GeneralBeginnerTechnically yes: a wallet is just a key plus signing code, so an agent can hold and spend crypto. Legally, its operator owns the funds, and smart accounts, spending caps and human approval keep the risks in check.
#ai#security#smart-contracts
