Node

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.

Digital Signature

A cryptographic mechanism that verifies the authenticity and integrity of digital messages or documents.

Zero-Knowledge Succinct Non-Interactive Argument of Knowledge — a compact zero-knowledge proof requiring no interaction between prover and verifier.

A collection of funds locked in a smart contract that provides liquidity for decentralised trading and lending.

A digital asset on a blockchain that represents ownership of a regulated financial instrument such as equity, debt, or revenue share, subject to securities laws.

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.

A decentralised exchange protocol that uses algorithmic pricing instead of traditional order books.

An uncollateralised loan in DeFi that must be borrowed and repaid within a single blockchain transaction.

Physical or traditional financial assets such as real estate, commodities, and securities that are represented as digital tokens on a blockchain for improved liquidity and accessibility.

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