A
AIRDROP
A free distribution of NFTs or cryptocurrencies, under specific conditions, issued either by the creators of a new NFT project, by an artist, a platform or a brand wanting to thank their communities by a reward.
ALPHA
Another way to talk about “insider information’’.
AMA
Short form of “Ask Me Anything’’.
APE IN
The act of getting into an NFT project without having done enough research before.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE – AI
A set of the techniques used to create machines and programs capable of simulating human intelligence”.
ASSET
A digital resource able to be exploited. An asset can be a stock, a cryptocurrency, an NFT, etc.
AUGMENTED REALITY FOR THE WEB – WEBAR
It refers to a technology offering the Augmented Reality experiences directly on the web, in direct loading, from a web browser, without the need for the user to go through a mobile or tablet app.
AUGMENTED REALITY – AR
The incrustation of virtual elements in a real environment visible with devices such as augmented reality glasses or a Smartphone.
B
BEARISH
Thinking a project won’t last long and will lose value with time.
BLOCKCHAIN
A Database relying on a decentralized system based on cryptography, which lists transactions organized in a sequence of blocks, with each transaction validated by series of calculations. Known as tamper-proof and the basis of cryptocurrencies, they can establish smart contracts as well.
BTD
Short form of “Buy The Dip’’ which means buying in a project after the price has lowered.
BULLISH
Thinking a project will gain value with time.
C
COLLECTIBLES
Set of diverse and varied tokens which can be collected, resold, etc. One of the most popular NFTs collectibles include cryptokitties whose objective was to gather cats with atypical physical traits.
CREATE-TO-EARN
A concept in which users create their own NFTs and sell it in the market through a game or a dedicated platform.
CRYPTOCURRENCY
Digital alternative to traditional currency introduced by the cryptocurrency named bitcoin in 2009. It uses blockchain technology.
D
DAO
Decentralized Autonomous Organization, refers to a type of governance within the Web. It allows owners of a crypto-currency token to vote on the direction of a project.
DApp
Decentralized Application, an app using the blockchain system.
DOXXED
The reveal of an unknown team behind a Web3 project.
DeFi
Decentralized finance, a set of financial protocols using the blockchain system. Opposed to the Traditional Finance represented by banks, brokers, loan organizations, and usual savings systems, DeFi aims at performing the same functions but in a decentralized way.
DIGITAL TWIN
Virtual copies of physical products, assets, or systems that share their data with the original physical version. This can be applied to any object imaginable and each digital twin includes the assets that represent systems, products or services, processes of firms and any other physical things that can be modeled digitally using virtual reality or 3D modeling technology.
DIRECT-TO-AVATAR
The act of selling goods or products straight to the user’s avatar which allows the brand to sidestep the need of intermediaries. Those products are usually digital wearables.
DROP
A put on sale by an artist, a platform or a brand of a work or a collection in crypto.
DYNAMIC NFT
A Non-Fungible Token (NFT) with encoded smart contract logic that enables it to automatically change its metadata based on external conditions.
DYOR
Short form of “Do Your Own Research’’.
E
ENGAGE-TO-EARN
Also called “contribute-to-earn’’, it is a concept in which users get a reward for participating (by commenting, liking for example) in some activities related to a project and sharing the value around them. The reward can take the form of cryptocurrencies or NFTs.
ENS
Ethereum Name Service. It is a crypto domain address which can be purchased and own for good. It can be used for a long wallet address or a crypto website. The common domain names are .eth, .bitcoin, .crypto, .sol for Solana.
ERC
Ethereum Request for Comment.
ERC-721
Standard automatically assigned to NFT, it refers to the non- fungibility characteristic representing a unique token. The main standard of an NFT will be based on a set of unique token information such as its popularity, its age, its degree of rarity.
ERC-1155
This standard allows a faster creation and transfer of a multitude of tokens at the same time. It often refers to the next generation of multi-token standard.
ERC-4337
This is an Ethereum standard based on the principle of account abstraction. In a simplified way, account abstraction allows to set up a recovery logic for a user who has lost his private key
ETHEREUM
Standard automatically assigned to NFT, it refers to the non- fungibility characteristic.
F
FLIP
The act of buying an NFT and selling it right after rather than holding, in order to make instant profits.
FLOOR PRICE
The lowest price of an NFT in a collection, used to measure the value of the NFT collection.
FOMO
Short form of “Fear Of Missing Out’’, an emotional factor which can lead someone to buy into a project without thinking first.
FUD
Short form of “Fear Uncertainty and Doubt’’.
G
GAS FEE
A transaction fee for a crypto transaction, especially on Ethereum blockchain.
GENESIS
First work or first collection deposited by an artist or a brand on a platform. The “Genesis” are particularly sought after.
GEN-Z and GEN ALPHA
Gen-Z refers to the demographic cohort born after the Millennials, typically starting in the late 1990s and continuing through the early 2010s, while Gen Alpha refers to the demographic cohort born after Gen Z, typically starting in the mid-to-late 2010s and continuing through the 2020s.
H
HODL
A voluntary misspelling of Hold meaning “Hold On for Dear Life’’. It makes it clear that someone won’t sell their NFTs.
HOLD-TO-EARN
A concept in which a user by merely holding tokens, gets thereafter passive income.
I
IMX
A Immutable X, an NFT marketplace, the first layer 2 Ethereum.
L
LAYER 1
The first layer or entity of the blockchain independent and autonomous of any other blockchain. It is a layer that is built on the foundations of the blockchain, in other words the network and internet protocols.
LAYER 2
Second layer or entity of a blockchain, however, totally dependent on the first layer. This second layer allows the main blockchain to be relieved of certain specific operations by providing features and optimizations such as scalability or modularity. As an example, Ethereum blockchain has Polygon blockchain as layer 2.
LG
Short form of “Let’s Go’’ used to give credits to an NFT project.
LOOKS RARE
Meaning a project isn’t valuable enough, cause rarity is key with NFTs.
M
MARKETPLACE
Platform where NFTs can be bought and sold. Transactions related to NFTs take place on these platforms.
McDONALDS
Having a back up plan in case things don’t go well with a crypto investment.
MEATSPACE
Refers to the physical world or meaning In Real Life (IRL).
METAVERSE
The web transformation into an immersive virtual and persistent 3D place. It is an online universe, accessible to everyone with an infinity of interactions.
METAMASK
A popular crypto wallet on Ethereum Blockchain.
MINT
The act of forging or creating an NFT and registering it on a blockchain. It is the same principle with minting a coin in real life.
MOONING
Refers to the fast increase in value of a token or an NFT.
MOVE-TO-EARN
A gamification concept in which a user earns cryptocurrencies by simply walking, jogging or running.
MULTISIG
Meaning “Multi-signature wallet’’, a wallet requiring multiple signatures to validate a transaction.
MFA
Short form of “not financial advise’’.
MFMI
Short form of “not gonna make it’’ for an NFT project which won’t last long.
N
NFT
Non-fungible token, a unique digital tamper-proof property which cannot be interchanged and is certified through the Blockchain.
O
OPENSEA
The most popular NFT marketplace, but especially Ethereum, Solana and Polygon NFTs.
P
PAPER HANDS
The fact of selling tokens under pressure.
PFP PROJECT
Short form of “profile picture project’’, as these can of NFT collection are used as profile pictures on social media.
PHANTOM
A crypto wallet based on Solana blockchain.
POLYGON
A layer 2 Blockchain built on top of Ethereum and which gas fees are very low.
PLAY-TO-EARN
A gamification concept in which users get a reward for playing in a game. The reward can take the form of cryptocurrencies or assets they can invest or use on multiple platforms. “P2E’’ is its short form.
PROBABLY NOTHING
Meaning ironically “probably something important’’.
PROOF OF AUTHORITY (PoA)
A Blockchain consensus mechanism based on identity as a stake and which provides fast transactions’’.
PROOF OF STAKE (PoS)
A Blockchain protocol which aims at reaching a distributed consensus.
PROOF OF HISTORY (PoH)
A Blockchain protocol based on a reliable ordering of transactions recorded to the ledger to solve the issue of agreement on time.
PROOF OF WORK (PoW)
Known as the oldest Blockchain protocol, it aims at repelling denial-of-service attacks or other abuses of service such as spam in a client-server environment.
PUMP AND DUMP
A manipulation consisting of artificially raising the price of a token’s project by making false statements, with the aim of reselling them, when bought at a low price, but having a high capital gain.
R
RIGHT-CLICK AND SAVE AS
Refers to people who don’t understand the NFT value.
ROAD MAP
A public, comprehensive plan for a Web3 project that aims at providing the utility and vision of a project over a defined period.
RUG PULL
Refers to an NFT or token project that went wrong because the team members behind the project left after receiving funds from investors.
S
SHARDING
Splitting an NFT into multiple pieces sothat a group of people can buy it.
SHILLING
When someone promotes an NFT project on social media as a marketing strategy.
SKINS
An asset in the form of appearance a game character can take on to change its look without an impact on the game progression.
SMART CONRACTS
An extremely important feature added to the Ethereum blockchain, which allowed the advent of NFTs. The smart contract allows the creation of applications, small programs using the Ethereum infrastructure and thus benefiting from its immutability, decentralization and security.
SOLANA
A popular NFT Blockchain with low fees and fast transactions which uses Proof of History as the consensus mechanism.
SOUL-BOUND TOKEN
A digital identity token that is non-transferrable representing a person or entity’s characteristics, features, traits or achievements.
STABLE COIN
Refers to a cryptocurrency hooked to a fiat currency.
STAKING
A way to get passive income in crypto by keeping locked up tokens on a Blockchain for a given period of time.
T
TO THE MOON
Used to refer to a project that is increasing in value.
TOKEN
A digital token exchangeable on a blockchain. A digital asset used to raise funds in the crypto-currency world and giving access to a right of use and not to shares of the capital.
TOKEN-GATING
Limiting and granting access to a content, a product, a community or an event with a token or an NFT.
U
UTILITY TOKEN
A digital asset offering specific services to its owners. It can be a domain name for example.
V
VIRTUAL REALITY – VR
The simulation of a user’s physical presence in an artificial environment with devices such as VR headset. It allows the user to interact and move in a virtual universe.
W
WAGMI
Short form of “we are all going to make it’’, used in a crypto community to grow confidence over a project.
WALLET
A digital wallet on computer or mobile in which a user stores cryptocurrency or NFTs.
(DIGITAL) WEARABLE
What an avatar can wear as garment or clothing in a digital environment such as a Metaverse.
WEB3
The third generation of the Internet where online services and platforms move to a model based on blockchains and cryptocurrencies. It means that infrastructure is decentralized, and anyone in possession of a token associated with that infrastructure has some control over it.
WEN LAMBO
Refers to people waiting for their crypto to gain value enough to afford to buy a Lamborgini.
WHALE
Someone owning an incredible amount of NFTs and millions dollars wallet.
WHITEPAPER
A document giving exhaustive details over the functionality and purpose of a Web3 project, often written by developers or founders.