Not Your Keys, Not Your Coins

The practice of holding and managing your own crypto without relying on an exchange, bank, or third party. You control the private keys, which means you control the assets.

Your master key. A list of 12–24 words that can recover your entire wallet. Treat it like your life savings depend on it, because they probably do.

The address people send crypto to. Safe to share, unlike your private key. Think of it as your wallet’s street address.

A secret string of characters that proves you own and control your crypto. It’s the only way to access your wallet and move your funds.

A real-time list of buy and sell orders on an exchange. It shows who’s willing to pay what, and how much liquidity is available at each price level.

A crypto wallet that requires multiple private keys to approve a transaction. It’s a smart setup for teams, DAOs, or treasuries where no single person should have full control.

A crypto wallet app that lives on your phone, giving you fast, flexible access to your assets wherever you are.

A physical device that stores your private keys offline, keeping them out of reach from most online threats. Your crypto itself still lives on the blockchain, this just controls access to it.

The most common type of Ethereum wallet, controlled by a private key. It’s not a smart contract, it’s just you and your keys.

The next evolution of the internet, built around decentralization, user ownership, and open systems. It’s powered by blockchains, tokens, and smart contracts,

A tool, either digital or physical, that lets you store, manage, and interact with your crypto.

Also called a “seed phrase.” The 12–24 words that back up your crypto wallet. Lose it and that’s game over. Write it down. Offline. Twice.

A scannable version of your wallet address that makes sending and receiving crypto easier and less error-prone.

A physical piece of paper with your wallet’s private and public keys printed on it. Super secure if done right, but lose it and your crypto’s gone forever.

Non-custodial means you control your crypto. Not a bank, exchange, or third-party gatekeeper.

Turning data into unreadable code so only people with the right key can see it. It's how wallets, messages, and transactions stay private.

A software application or physical device that stores your crypto and allows you to send, receive, and manage digital assets.

The process of turning encrypted gibberish back into readable info. You need the right key, or you’re locked out.

A crypto wallet managed by a third party, usually an exchange. You don’t hold the private keys, they do.

Refers to who holds and controls your crypto. If your assets sit on an exchange or with a third party, that’s custodial.

Storing your crypto entirely offline, away from internet threats. Typically involves hardware wallets or paper backups.

Your crypto “wallet address.” It’s a long string of letters and numbers where others can send you coins. Don't confuse it with your private key, it’s public-facing and safe to share.