C++
An advanced programming language that extends C and is widely used for blockchain infrastructure, cross-platform software, and high-performance applications.
Call Options
A financial contract that gives the buyer the right—but not the obligation—to purchase an asset at a predetermined price before a set expiration date. Used in both traditional and crypto derivatives trading.
Candlesticks
A visual charting method showing price movements over time. Each “candle” displays four data points: open, close, high, and low. Candlestick charts are commonly used in 3Commas bots and technical analysis tools.
Capital
Funds or resources used to invest, grow, or support a venture. In crypto, capital often refers to your available trading balance on exchanges.
Capital Efficiencies
A measure of how effectively capital is used to generate returns. In DeFi, protocols strive for high capital efficiency by minimizing idle collateral and maximizing yield.
Capital Funds
Investment sources—either debt or equity—used to launch or expand businesses. In crypto, capital funds can support token development, protocol growth, or ecosystem grants.
Capitulation
When traders sell off their holdings at a loss, usually due to panic or exhaustion in a downtrend. Capitulation often signals the end of a bearish phase.
Casascius Coin
A physical coin embedded with a tamper-evident seal that holds Bitcoin in cold storage. Popular in early Bitcoin history as collectibles with private keys hidden inside.
Cascading Liquidations
A rapid series of forced sell-offs triggered by margin calls or falling collateral value. Common in leveraged crypto markets, this can cause dramatic price drops across the board.
Cash
The most liquid form of money, typically in physical form. In crypto, “cash” may refer to fiat balances used for on/off-ramping digital assets.
CashToken
An extension of Bitcoin Cash that supports smart contracts and tokenized assets, enabling both fungible and non-fungible token functionality on the BCH network.
Casper (Ethereum)
A project to shift Ethereum from Proof of Work to Proof of Stake. Casper lays the foundation for Ethereum’s sustainable consensus under ETH 2.0.
Cathie Wood
The founder and CEO of ARK Invest, known for bullish predictions on disruptive technologies, including crypto, AI, and blockchain innovation.
CeDeFi
A hybrid model combining the regulated structure of centralized finance (CeFi) with decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols. It allows institutions to engage in DeFi with compliance safeguards.
Censorship
The suppression or alteration of information, speech, or transactions. In crypto, censorship concerns fuel demand for decentralized, permissionless systems.
Censorship Resistance
A system design where no entity can prevent participation or block transactions. Key feature of public blockchains like Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Central Bank
The monetary authority of a country, responsible for managing interest rates, issuing currency, and maintaining financial stability.
Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)
A government-backed digital version of fiat currency. Unlike decentralized crypto, CBDCs are issued and controlled by central banks.
Central Ledger
A single, authoritative record of transactions maintained by one entity. Central ledgers are the opposite of distributed ledgers used in blockchain.
Central Limit Order Books (CLOBs)
A trading system that matches buy and sell orders based on price and time priority. CLOBs are used in both traditional finance and centralized crypto exchanges.
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
The core component of a computer responsible for executing instructions. Early crypto mining was done via CPUs before GPUs and ASICs became standard.
Centralized
A system where one entity or server holds control over data or processes. Centralized models contrast with decentralized structures found in blockchain.
Centralized Exchange (CEX)
A crypto exchange operated by a company that manages order matching, custody, and liquidity. Examples include Binance, Coinbase, and OKX—all integrable with 3Commas.
Centre (Consortium)
The entity formed by Coinbase and Circle to manage USDC (USD Coin), ensuring compliance, audits, and operational standards for the stablecoin.
Certificate of Deposit (CD)
A traditional savings product that locks funds for a fixed term in exchange for higher interest rates. In crypto, similar structures exist as staking or fixed-yield protocols.
Chain Reorganization
An event where a blockchain node switches to a different chain fork, typically one with more accumulated proof-of-work. This can temporarily reverse recent blocks.
Chain Split
Occurs when a blockchain forks into two separate chains due to disagreement over protocol rules. Notable examples include Bitcoin vs Bitcoin Cash and Ethereum vs Ethereum Classic.
Change
In UTXO-based systems (like Bitcoin), “change” is the leftover amount returned to a sender’s wallet after spending coins in a transaction.
Change Address
The wallet address that receives the change from a crypto transaction. Often auto-generated for privacy in wallets like Bitcoin Core.
Changpeng Zhao (CZ)
Founder and former CEO of Binance, one of the world’s largest centralized exchanges. Known as CZ, he played a major role in shaping the crypto trading landscape.
Chargeback
A reversal of funds initiated by the payer, often via credit or debit card. Crypto transactions are irreversible, making chargebacks impossible without third-party involvement.
Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME)
One of the largest U.S. financial exchanges offering futures and options contracts. The CME plays a critical role in institutional crypto trading through Bitcoin and Ethereum derivatives.
Chunk (NEAR)
In NEAR Protocol, a chunk represents a portion of a block produced in a sharded environment. Each shard processes transactions in parallel and bundles them into chunks.
Cipher
A mathematical algorithm used to encrypt and decrypt data. Ciphers form the backbone of blockchain security, enabling secure wallet access and transaction signing.
Ciphertext
Encrypted data that cannot be read without the correct decryption key. Used to protect sensitive information during blockchain transmissions.
Circle
A fintech firm and co-creator of USD Coin (USDC), a leading U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoin. Circle manages issuance and compliance for USDC in collaboration with Coinbase.
Circulating Supply
The number of tokens currently available in the market, excluding locked or burned assets. It’s one of the key metrics used to determine market cap.
Client
A software program that communicates with a blockchain network to send transactions, validate data, or run nodes. Wallets like MetaMask and full-node implementations are clients.
Close
The final price of an asset at the end of a specific trading interval (e.g., 1-hour, daily). Candlestick charts display this as part of the OHLC data.
Cloud
A system of remote servers used to store, manage, or process data. In blockchain, cloud infrastructure is often used for node hosting, API calls, and analytics.
Cloud Mining
The process of renting hash power from remote data centers to mine cryptocurrencies without owning physical hardware. Popular for convenience, but high risk of scams.
Co-Signer
An individual or entity with partial control over a multi-signature wallet. Transactions may require their approval for additional security or shared custody.
Code
The set of instructions written in programming languages that powers applications, smart contracts, and protocols in crypto.
Code Repository
A collaborative hub (like GitHub) where developers store, track, and manage codebases. Many blockchain projects are open-source and hosted in public repos.
Coin
A cryptocurrency that operates on its own native blockchain (e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum). Coins are typically used for payments, staking, or protocol governance.
Coin Mixer
A service or protocol that anonymizes crypto transactions by mixing funds from multiple users. Used to improve privacy, though often scrutinized by regulators.
Coin-Margined Trading
A type of derivatives trading where the margin and settlement are done in cryptocurrency (like BTC or ETH), rather than stablecoins or fiat.
Coinbase
In blockchain mining, a coinbase refers to the first transaction in a block where the miner receives their block reward.
Coinbase Transaction
The special transaction that creates new coins and distributes mining rewards to the block producer. It does not come from a previous input.
Cold Storage
A method of storing cryptocurrencies offline to prevent unauthorized access. Cold storage includes hardware wallets, paper wallets, and air-gapped systems.
Cold Wallet
A wallet not connected to the internet. Ideal for long-term storage of crypto assets with minimal exposure to hacks or phishing.
Collaborative Venture Building (CVB)
A model where multiple partners co-develop a product or company. In crypto, this might involve DAOs, incubators, or protocol alliances working on shared goals.
Collateral
Assets pledged to secure a loan. In DeFi, collateral is deposited into smart contracts to mint stablecoins or access credit lines.
Collateral Cap
A protocol-level risk control that limits the maximum exposure of any single asset used as collateral, reducing systemic risk.
Collateral Factor
A percentage that defines how much of an asset’s value can be borrowed. For example, an 80% collateral factor means you can borrow up to 80% of your deposit’s worth.
Collateral Margin
The investor’s own capital used to meet margin requirements in leveraged trading, with the rest borrowed from the broker or exchange.
Collateral Tokens
Tokens accepted as collateral in lending and borrowing systems. Their value determines how much you can borrow against them.
Collateralization
The process of locking up assets to secure a loan or mint a synthetic asset. Common in DeFi for stablecoins like DAI.
Collateralized Debt Obligation (CDO)
A structured financial product combining various debt instruments. In crypto, experimental CDO-like instruments are emerging for risk pooling.
Collateralized Debt Position (CDP)
A smart contract-based vault where users lock collateral to mint a stablecoin. Example: users lock ETH to generate DAI in MakerDAO.
Collateralized Mortgage Obligation (CMO)
A type of mortgage-backed security divided into tranches. Rare in crypto, but similar logic may appear in tokenized real estate or asset pools.
Collateralized Stablecoin
A stablecoin backed by reserve assets (crypto, fiat, or commodities). These reserves can be on-chain (e.g., ETH) or off-chain (e.g., USD held by a custodian).