P2P Bridge
A tool on decentralized exchanges (DEXs) allowing users to swap the same token across two different blockchains directly, without a third-party intermediary.
P2P DEX
A peer-to-peer decentralized exchange that enables direct, trustless cryptocurrency trading between users via smart contracts.
P2P Trading
A form of trading where users exchange crypto assets directly with one another, typically without relying on centralized systems.
Pair
A tradeable combination of two cryptocurrencies, such as BTC/USDT or ETH/BTC.
Paper Trading
Simulated trading that allows users to practice or test strategies using virtual funds, without risking real assets.
Paper Wallet
A printed document that contains a private key or seed phrase for storing crypto offline.
Parachain
An independent blockchain that runs in parallel within the Polkadot or Kusama ecosystem, benefiting from shared security and interoperability.
Participation Node
A type of node in Algorand’s network that engages in consensus by proposing and validating new blocks under Pure Proof of Stake (PPoS).
Passive Income
Revenue earned with little to no effort, such as staking rewards, interest on crypto lending, or yield farming returns.
Password Manager
A tool that securely stores login credentials and generates strong passwords for websites and apps.
Paul Le Roux
A former cartel boss speculated by some to be the real identity behind Bitcoin’s creator, Satoshi Nakamoto.
Payee
The individual or entity receiving payment in a transaction.
PayFi
An onchain system that merges traditional payment processing with decentralized finance infrastructure.
Peer-to-Peer (P2P)
A decentralized network model where each participant (peer) can interact directly without intermediaries.
Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Lending
A decentralized lending model in which crypto users lend or borrow assets directly, often secured by collateral.
Peg
A fixed exchange rate between two assets, often used to maintain stable value (e.g., 1 USDT ≈ 1 USD).
Pegged Currency
A digital asset whose price is tied to another asset, such as fiat (e.g., USD-pegged stablecoins).
Permissioned Ledger
A blockchain where access is restricted to approved entities, typically used in enterprise environments.
Permissionless
A system that allows anyone to join, use, and contribute without requiring prior approval.
Permissionless Market Creation
The ability for any user to deploy a market or trading pair without needing administrative permission.
Perpetual Contracts
Derivatives similar to futures contracts but without expiry, enabling indefinite long or short positions.
Perpetual Futures
Futures contracts with no expiration date, used for leveraged speculation or hedging in crypto markets.
Phishing
A form of fraud where attackers impersonate trusted entities to trick users into revealing private data.
Phone Phishing
Voice-based phishing scams (vishing) used to deceive victims over the phone into sharing sensitive information.
Physical Bitcoins
Tangible coins representing digital Bitcoin ownership, often engraved with a public/private key pair.
Platform
On CoinMarketCap, this refers to a token’s host blockchain, such as Ethereum or Solana. Also used to refer to crypto trading services.
Play-to-Earn (Play2Earn)
A gaming model where players earn real crypto or NFTs through gameplay and contributions to the virtual economy.
Player Payout
Automatic, real-time payments to gamers upon completing tournaments or meeting predefined objectives.
Plutus (Cardano)
The native smart contract language of Cardano, based on Haskell and optimized for formal verification.
Politeia (Decred)
A decentralized proposal system that lets Decred stakeholders participate in governance decisions and funding proposals.
Ponzi Scheme
A scam where early investors are paid using funds from new investors rather than actual profits.
Portfolio
A collection of financial assets held by an individual or entity, including cryptocurrencies.
Portfolio Tracking
The process of monitoring and analyzing the performance of assets in one’s investment portfolio.
Position Size
The amount of capital allocated to a specific trade. Critical for risk management and determining profit/loss exposure.
Post-Mine
Coins mined or distributed after a project's launch but before public mining begins.
Pre-IDO
A fundraising phase before an Initial DEX Offering, typically reserved for strategic investors.
Pre-Mine
The creation of a portion of a token’s supply before public release, often allocated to developers or early backers.
Pre-Sale
An early token sale conducted before the public offering, often with discounted prices for select investors.
Prediction Market
A market where users trade on the outcome of future events, using prices to indicate probability.
Price Impact
The difference between expected and actual price due to the size of the trade relative to market liquidity.
Private Blockchain
A blockchain controlled by a single entity, restricting access and write permissions to selected participants.
Private Key / Secret Key
A cryptographic key used to sign transactions and access funds; must be kept confidential.
Procedural Programming
A programming style based on sequences of instructions, often used in scripting and logic development.
Profit and Loss (P&L) Statement
A financial document that summarizes revenues, costs, and net income over a period.
Programmability
The ability of a system or network to be controlled and customized via code or smart contracts.
Programmable Privacy
Customizable privacy settings in decentralized apps, enabling users to manage data exposure.
Proof Market
A decentralized market for buying and selling cryptographic proofs, such as verifications or attestations.
Proof of Attendance Protocol (POAP)
A method for issuing NFT badges to users who attend digital or physical events, based on Ethereum's ERC-721 standard.
Proof of Personhood (PoP)
A system to verify that a participant is a unique human being, helping prevent Sybil attacks in decentralized systems.
Proof of Reserves (PoR)
A cryptographic audit proving that a custodian holds enough assets to match user balances.
Proof of Stake Authority (PoSA)
A hybrid consensus model that blends Proof of Stake with identity-based authority.
Proof of Work 2.0 (PoW 2.0)
An upgraded Proof of Work model that integrates zero-knowledge proofs for enhanced scalability and efficiency.
Proof-of-Authority (PoA)
A consensus model that replaces staking or mining with identity verification to validate transactions.
Proof-of-Burn (PoB)
A consensus mechanism where coins are permanently destroyed to prove commitment and gain participation rights.
Proof-of-Developer (PoD)
A method of verifying the identity or credentials of a cryptocurrency’s developer(s) to improve transparency and trust.
Proof-of-Donation
A blockchain feature that proves donations were made, often used for charity and community projects.
Proof-of-History (PoH)
A timestamping technique used by Solana that enhances speed and scalability through verifiable delay functions.
Proof-of-Immutability (PoIM)
A protocol guaranteeing that data written to the blockchain remains unchanged and tamper-proof.
Proof-of-Replication
A method by which storage providers prove that they’re storing unique copies of data.
Proof-of-Spacetime
A cryptographic technique used to prove that data was stored over a period of time, crucial for decentralized storage.
Proof-of-Stake (PoS)
A consensus algorithm that selects validators based on the amount of cryptocurrency they stake as collateral.
Proof-of-Time (PoT)
A consensus method where validators are selected based on stake and time-based reputation scores.
Proof-of-Validation (PoV)
A variation of Proof of Stake that emphasizes validator performance and trust for reaching consensus.
Proof-of-Work (PoW)
A consensus mechanism where miners solve complex puzzles to validate transactions and secure the network.
Protocol
A standardized set of rules that governs data exchange and consensus on a blockchain network.
Protocol Layer
The foundational layer of blockchain that defines core rules, such as consensus mechanisms and network structure.
Pseudonymous
Describes a person using a fake or alternate name to remain partially anonymous (e.g., Satoshi Nakamoto).
Public Address
The hash of a public key that serves as a destination for crypto transfers. Shared freely, unlike the private key.
Public Blockchain
An open blockchain anyone can join, read, write to, or verify (e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum).
Public Key
A cryptographic key used to encrypt data and receive cryptocurrency transactions.
Public Sale
The final phase of a token launch, when assets are offered to the general public.
Public-Key Cryptography
A system using paired keys (public/private) for secure communication and blockchain transactions.
Public-Key Infrastructure (PKI)
The full framework for managing digital certificates and encryption keys in secure communications.
Pump and Dump (P&D) Scheme
A market manipulation tactic where price is artificially inflated to attract investors, followed by a rapid sell-off.
Pure Proof of Stake (PPoS)
Algorand’s PoS consensus model where validators are chosen randomly and weighted by stake.
Put Option
A financial contract allowing the holder to sell an asset at a predetermined price within a specific timeframe.
Pyramid Scheme
A deceptive business model where participants recruit others to profit from their investment, not from product sales.