Glossary
Node
A copy of a blockchain running on a machine, keeping its own ledger in sync with the network.
A node stores the chain's history and verifies every block it receives against the rules of the protocol. Running one means you are not trusting anyone else's account of what happened.
Light nodes keep headers and fetch the data they need. Full nodes store the complete chain, and archive nodes keep every historical state, which is what chain analysis tooling depends on.
It is rarely necessary. A hardware wallet and a public block explorer cover the security needs of almost every user, and the operational cost of running a node is only justified by infrastructure and analysis use cases.
Related terms
Airdrop
Free tokens distributed to wallet addresses, usually to reward early users of a protocol.
AMM
Automated Market Maker — a protocol that prices assets with a formula instead of an order book.
APR vs APY
APR is the yearly rate without compounding; APY includes compounding and is always higher.
ATH
All-Time High — the highest price an asset has ever traded at.
Bear Market
A prolonged decline, conventionally 20% or more from recent highs.
Bull Market
A prolonged rise driven by new demand, easy credit and rising confidence.