Crypto & Finance Glossary
Your guide to understanding cryptocurrency and finance terminology. From Bitcoin basics to advanced DeFi concepts.
Showing 1–38 of 38 terms starting with "D"
D
Danksharding
blockchainThe full version of Ethereum's data scaling plan, which proto-danksharding (EIP-4844) partially implements.
DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization)
blockchainAn organization run by code and governed by token holders instead of a traditional management structure.
DApp (Decentralized Application)
blockchainAn application that runs on a blockchain rather than centralized servers.
Dark Pool
tradingA private trading venue where large orders are executed without showing up on public order books.
Data Availability
blockchainThe guarantee that transaction data is published and accessible to anyone who needs to verify it.
Data Availability Layer
blockchainA specialized blockchain or service that stores transaction data so anyone can verify it, without handling execution.
Data Availability Sampling (DAS)
blockchainA technique that lets nodes verify data availability without downloading all of it by randomly sampling small portions.
Dead Cat Bounce
tradingA temporary recovery in price during a larger downtrend.
Death Cross
tradingA bearish technical pattern where the 50-day moving average crosses below the 200-day moving average.
Decentralized
blockchainNot controlled by any single entity, authority, or server.
Decentralized Compute
aiA network of distributed GPU and CPU providers that offer computing power for AI training, inference, and rendering without relying on centralized cloud providers like AWS or Google Cloud.
Decentralized Identity (DID)
blockchainA system where you control your own digital identity using blockchain instead of relying on companies like Google or Facebook.
DeFi (Decentralized Finance)
defiFinancial services built on blockchain without traditional intermediaries.
DeFi Regulation
macroEmerging regulatory approaches to decentralized finance protocols.
Deflation
macroWhen prices across the economy decline over time, increasing money's purchasing power.
Degen
cryptocurrencyShort for 'degenerate gambler,' now used affectionately in crypto for someone who takes high-risk bets on new coins, yield farms, or NFTs.
Depeg
defiWhen a stablecoin or pegged asset loses its target price.
DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks)
cryptocurrencyCrypto projects that use token incentives to build real-world infrastructure like wireless networks, storage, and computing power.
Depth Chart
tradingA visual representation of all open buy and sell orders for an asset at different price levels.
Derivatives
tradingFinancial contracts whose value is based on an underlying asset.
Deterministic Wallet
blockchainA wallet that generates all its addresses from a single seed phrase using a mathematical formula.
Devnet
blockchainA development network used for early-stage testing of blockchain protocols and smart contracts.
DEX (Decentralized Exchange)
defiA cryptocurrency exchange that operates without a central authority, using smart contracts to facilitate trades.
DEX Aggregator
defiA tool that searches across multiple decentralized exchanges to find you the best price for a token swap.
Diamond Hands
tradingHolding an investment through extreme volatility without selling.
Difficulty Adjustment
blockchainAn automatic recalibration of how hard it is to mine a new block, ensuring consistent block times regardless of how much mining power joins or leaves the network.
Distribution Phase
tradingWhen smart money sells their holdings to retail investors at high prices after a big run-up.
Diversification
traditional-financeSpreading investments across different assets to reduce risk.
Dividend
traditional-financeA portion of a company's profits distributed to shareholders.
DNS Hijacking
cryptocurrencyAn attack where hackers redirect a legitimate website's domain to a malicious server.
Dollar Cost Averaging (DCA)
tradingInvesting a fixed amount at regular intervals regardless of price.
Dollar Index (DXY)
macroA measure of the U.
Double Spend
blockchainAn attack where someone spends the same cryptocurrency twice.
Dump
tradingA sudden, significant price drop usually caused by large sell-offs.
Dusting Attack
cryptocurrencySending tiny amounts of crypto (dust) to many wallet addresses to track and de-anonymize them.
Dutch Auction
cryptocurrencyA sale where the price starts high and gradually decreases until someone buys.
dYdX
defiA decentralized exchange focused on perpetual futures trading.
DYOR
cryptocurrencyDo Your Own Research.
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