Digital Signature

Blockchain

A distributed, immutable digital ledger that records transactions across a network of computers without a central authority.

Distributed Ledger Technology

A digital system for recording, sharing, and synchronising data across multiple sites without a central administrator.

Consensus Mechanism

The method by which a distributed network agrees on the current state of the ledger and validates transactions.

Proof of Work

A consensus mechanism requiring computational effort to validate transactions and create new blocks, used by Bitcoin.

Proof of Stake

A consensus mechanism where validators are selected based on the amount of cryptocurrency they hold and stake.

Delegated Proof of Stake

A consensus mechanism where token holders vote for delegates who validate transactions on their behalf.

Byzantine Fault Tolerance

The ability of a distributed system to reach consensus despite some nodes acting maliciously or failing.

Merkle Tree

A hash-based data structure that efficiently verifies the integrity and consistency of large sets of data.

Hash Function

A mathematical function that converts input data of any size into a fixed-size output, used extensively in blockchain security.

Cryptographic Hash

A one-way function producing a fixed-length output that is computationally infeasible to reverse or find collisions for.

Public Key Cryptography

An encryption system using mathematically linked key pairs — a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption.

Decentralised Application

An application that runs on a decentralised peer-to-peer network rather than a single centralised server.

A technical standard for implementing fungible tokens on the Ethereum blockchain.

A self-sovereign identity framework where individuals control their own digital identity credentials without centralised authorities.

A DeFi strategy where users provide liquidity to protocols in exchange for token rewards and interest.

A blockchain-based token that provides access to a specific product, service, or platform functionality, rather than representing ownership or investment rights.

A cryptocurrency token that grants holders voting rights on protocol decisions and changes.

A blockchain architecture that separates execution, consensus, settlement, and data availability into independent layers, enabling specialisation and improved scalability.

A mechanism that allows users to stake cryptocurrency while receiving a liquid derivative token representing their staked position, maintaining capital flexibility during the lock-up period.

The guarantee that all data required to verify blockchain transactions is accessible to network participants, a critical requirement for the security of rollup-based scaling solutions.