crypto
Crypto (noun) means Digital money that exists only as records on a computer network, kept secure by mathematics rather than issued or guaranteed by a government or bank. Example: “He keeps a small amount of crypto on an exchange and the rest offline.”
How to Use Crypto
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMoney that only exists on computers and is kept safe by clever maths.
"Crypto" is the everyday short form; "cryptocurrency" is the fuller, more formal word. Cryptographers sometimes object to the newer sense, since "crypto" long meant cryptography in their field.
Crypto is normally uncountable: say "some crypto" or "a lot of crypto", not "three cryptos". For individual currencies, use "coins" or "tokens".
Trace the full origin ↓Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
He keeps a small amount of _____ on an exchange and the rest offline.
Etymology
A shortening of cryptocurrency, itself from crypto- (from Greek kruptos, hidden) plus currency, so named because the system relies on cryptography.
Synonyms
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Related Words
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between crypto and blockchain?
Crypto usually means the digital money itself, while a blockchain is the shared record-keeping system that money runs on. Every cryptocurrency uses some kind of blockchain or similar ledger, but blockchains can also be used to record things that are not money, such as ownership or supply-chain data.
Is crypto the same thing as Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is one cryptocurrency, the first widely used one, described in a 2008 whitepaper published under the name Satoshi Nakamoto. "Crypto" is the general category, which now covers thousands of different currencies and tokens.
Why is it called crypto?
Because the system depends on cryptography, the mathematics of encoding information. Cryptographic signatures prove who owns what and stop the same coin being spent twice, without a bank checking the records.