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Cryptocurrency — definition & meaning

A digital asset like Bitcoin, secured by cryptography on a blockchain.

A cryptocurrency is a digital asset recorded on a blockchain, such as Bitcoin or Ethereum, that is not issued by any central bank.

Crypto markets trade 24/7 and can be extremely volatile, with very large swings in short periods. They can be bought on exchanges or traded via CFDs; either way the risk of large, fast losses is high.

The information on Trding.io is for general information only and is not investment advice. Trading involves a real risk of losing money, and most retail traders lose. Never trade money you cannot afford to lose.

Related terms

Volatility
How much and how quickly a price moves over time.
CFD (contract for difference)
A leveraged contract to exchange the price change of an asset, without owning it.
Blockchain
A shared, tamper-resistant digital ledger behind cryptocurrencies.
Bitcoin
The first and largest cryptocurrency, launched in 2009.
Forex (FX)
The global market for trading one currency against another.
Currency pair
Two currencies quoted together, showing the price of one in the other.

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