Glossary

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A

Airdrop: The free distribution of tokens or coins to community members.
Algorithm: A set of mathematical rules for performing computations (e.g., in mining).
AMM (Automated Market Maker): An automated protocol for swapping tokens without an order book (DEX). AMMs use mathematical formulas and liquidity pools to determine token prices, enabling instant trades without traditional market makers. Popular examples include Uniswap, SushiSwap, and ErgoDEX.
Ambassador: A community member who officially promotes the project (e.g., Ergo Ambassador).
AML (Anti-Money Laundering): Measures to prevent money laundering through cryptocurrencies.
Analytics: Analysis of blockchain data, prices, transactions, and more.
API (Application Programming Interface): A programming interface for interacting with the blockchain or services.
Ape: A person who impulsively invests in a token/coin (crypto slang/meme).
ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit): A specialized chip designed for mining (e.g., ASIC-resistant means resistant to ASICs).
ASIC Resistance: The property of an algorithm that makes it difficult for ASIC devices to mine efficiently (important for Ergo).
Autolykos: The unique, ASIC-resistant mining algorithm of the Ergo blockchain.

B

Babel Fees: Ergo's feature that allows users to pay transaction fees in native tokens
Bitcoin (BTC): The first and most well-known cryptocurrency, a decentralized digital currency that operates on a blockchain and enables peer-to-peer transactions.
Block: A collection of transactions bundled together and added to the blockchain as a permanent record.
Example: Example: 'A new block is mined every two minutes on Ergo.'
See also: Blockchain, Mining, Node
Blockchain: A digital ledger that records transactions across multiple computers in a decentralized and transparent manner, providing secure and tamper-proof records.
Blockchain Pruning: A feature allowing nodes to discard unnecessary historical data while maintaining security.
Blockchain Resilience: The ability of a blockchain to withstand various challenges and continue to operate effectively.
Blockchain Security: Measures and protocols put in place to protect a blockchain from various threats and vulnerabilities.
Block Size: The maximum size of a block in a blockchain
Bounties: Specific tasks or projects listed by the Ergo community that developers can work on for rewards. Bounties are a way to encourage contributions to the platform.
Bridge: A protocol or platform that enables the transfer of digital assets between different blockchain networks.
Example: Example: 'Rosen Bridge connects Ergo to Cardano and other chains.'
See also: Cross-chain, Rosen Bridge
Burn: The process of permanently removing cryptocurrency tokens from circulation, usually by sending them to an unspendable address.
Example: Example: 'The project burned 1 million tokens to reduce supply.'
See also: Mint, Token

C

Censorship Resistance: The ability of a blockchain to resist attempts at censorship.
CEX (Centralized Exchange): A cryptocurrency exchange operated by a centralized company or authority, which holds custody of users' funds.
Example: Example: 'You can buy ERG on a CEX like KuCoin.'
See also: DEX, Custodial
Clone the Repository: The process of creating a local copy of the documentation repository from the GitHub repository.
Codebase: The collective source code of a software project. Developers can contribute to Ergo's codebase by making improvements or adding new features.
Coins: Standalone cryptocurrencies with their own blockchains
Coin Mixer (Mixer): A service that combines and mixes cryptocurrency transactions to enhance privacy and make tracing transactions difficult.
Cold Wallet: A cryptocurrency wallet that is not connected to the internet, providing enhanced security for storing funds offline.
Example: Example: 'For long-term storage, use a cold wallet.'
See also: Hot Wallet, Seed Phrase, Hardware Wallet
Collective Growth: The idea that the Ergo community, through collaborative efforts and contributions, can collectively advance the platform's development and success.
Community-curated Wiki: A comprehensive resource hub available in multiple languages where community members contribute information and resources to make Ergo more accessible globally.
Community Marketing: The practice of promoting and raising awareness of Ergo within the community, often through collaborative efforts, discussions, and content creation.
Core Developer: A developer responsible for the fundamental components and protocols of the Ergo blockchain.
Counter to Centralization: Ergo's stance against the centralization of banking and the misuse of money, aiming to provide individuals with more control over their financial interactions.
Created for Regular People: An ideology stating that Ergo is designed to serve ordinary individuals and protect their interests rather than favoring large entities. This includes preventing centralization in mining and enabling regular people to participate in the network through running full nodes and mining with a small probability.
CLI (Command-Line Interface): A text-based interface that allows users to interact with software or a blockchain node by typing commands.
Example: Example: 'You can use the Ergo CLI to manage your node.'
See also: API, SDK, GUI
Community Fund: A pool of resources or tokens set aside to support community initiatives, development, and ecosystem growth.
Example: Example: 'The Ergo Community Fund supports new dApp development.'
See also: Bounty, Ambassador, Foundation
Consensus: The process by which a blockchain network agrees on the state of the ledger and validates transactions.
Example: Example: 'Ergo uses PoW consensus with the Autolykos algorithm.'
See also: Proof-of-Work, Proof-of-Stake, Validator
Cross-chain: The ability to transfer assets or data between different blockchain networks.
Example: Example: 'Cross-chain swaps let you move assets between Ergo and Cardano.'
See also: Bridge, Interoperability, Rosen Bridge
Custodial: A service or wallet where a third party holds and manages users' funds on their behalf.
Example: Example: 'CEXs are custodial, while Ergo wallets are non-custodial.'
See also: Non-custodial, CEX, Wallet

D

DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization): An organization governed by rules encoded as smart contracts, with decisions made by token holders or community members.
Example: Example: 'The project is managed by a DAO, where token holders vote on proposals.'
See also: DApp, DeFi, Governance
DarkFund0: A fund dedicated to supporting privacy applications within the Ergo ecosystem.
Decentralization: The distribution of control and decision-making across a network of participants rather than being controlled by a central authority. A core principle of Ergo's design.
Decentralized Governance: Ergo's approach to making decisions about changes to the blockchain, ensuring community-driven leadership.
DeFi (Decentralized Finance): A movement to create open, permissionless financial services using blockchain technology and smart contracts.
Example: Example: 'Spectrum Finance is a DeFi protocol on Ergo.'
See also: DApp, DEX, Yield Farming
Development Environment: The setup on your local system that allows you to build and test documentation changes before contributing.
Development Reward Program: A program that recognizes and rewards significant contributions made to the development and improvement of Ergo's repositories, including its codebase and technical infrastructure.
Development Server: A local server that allows you to view and interact with the documentation changes you are making.
DEX (Decentralized Exchange): A cryptocurrency exchange that allows users to trade directly with each other on-chain, without intermediaries.
Example: Example: 'You can swap tokens on a DEX without an account.'
See also: AMM, Liquidity Pool, CEX
Difficulty Adjustment Algorithm (DAA): Rules governing how the mining difficulty of Ergo is adjusted over time.
Directory Structure: The organization and hierarchy of files and directories within the documentation repository.
Discord Server: An online platform where developers and community members can engage in discussions and collaborate on Ergo-related projects and/or channels.
Documentation Repository: A centralized location, often hosted on platforms like GitHub, where educational content and documentation related to Ergo are stored and managed.
Dust: Tiny, negligible amounts of cryptocurrency that are not practical to spend due to transaction fees.
Example: Example: 'My wallet has a lot of dust from old transactions.'
See also: Transaction, Wallet
DYOR (Do Your Own Research): A common phrase in crypto encouraging users to research projects and risks before investing.
Example: Example: 'Always DYOR before buying any token.'
See also: FOMO, Degen, Scam

E

Emission: The process and schedule by which new coins or tokens are released into circulation on a blockchain.
Example: Example: 'Ergo's emission will complete by 2045.'
See also: EIP, Mining, Treasury
Empowerment: The act of enabling and supporting community members to take an active role in the growth and innovation of the Ergo ecosystem.
Ergo Improvement Proposals (EIPs): A set of guidelines and standards used for proposing and implementing continuous improvements to Ergo.
Ergo Forum: A platform for discussions and communication within the Ergo community.
Ergo Foundation ('EF'): A non-profit, community-driven entity focused on promoting the development and adoption of Ergo.
ErgoScript: The smart contract language used on the Ergo blockchain, based on Scala and designed for security and expressiveness.
Ergo's Social Contract: The set of main principles that should be followed in the Ergo protocol, defining its core values and guiding philosophy.
Ergo Summit: An event or conference focused on Ergo blockchain-related topics.
ERGs: The native token of the Ergo blockchain, used as a unit of value and for various purposes within the Ergo ecosystem.
Enthusiast: An individual who has a strong interest in Ergo and its technology but may not necessarily be a developer or marketer.
Extended UTXO (eUTXO) Model: A blockchain accounting model that extends Bitcoin's UTXO model with support for complex smart contracts and data registers.
EIP (Ergo Improvement Proposal): A formal document proposing changes or improvements to the Ergo protocol, standards, or ecosystem.
EVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine): The runtime environment for smart contracts on the Ethereum blockchain.
Finality: The point at which a blockchain transaction is considered irreversible and permanently recorded.
Faucet: A service that dispenses small amounts of cryptocurrency for free, usually for testing or onboarding new users.
Flip: A slang term for selling an asset quickly for a profit, often after a short holding period.
Flippening: A hypothetical event where one cryptocurrency overtakes another in market capitalization or importance.
FOMO (Fear of Missing Out): A psychological phenomenon where people feel anxious about missing potential gains, leading to impulsive buying.
Fork: A change to a blockchain's protocol that creates a new version of the chain, which can be either backward-compatible (soft fork) or not (hard fork).

F

Fair Competition: Ensuring a level playing field for all projects and participants within the blockchain ecosystem.
Farming: A process in which cryptocurrency holders provide liquidity to DeFi protocols and receive rewards in return.
Fiat: Government-issued currency, such as the US Dollar or Euro, that is not backed by a physical commodity like gold or silver.
Financial Activities: The various financial transactions and operations conducted by the Ergo Foundation to support the ecosystem's development.
FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt): A tactic used to spread negative or misleading information to create fear and uncertainty among cryptocurrency users or investors.
Future of Finance: The vision of Ergo as a blockchain platform that plays a pivotal role in the future of decentralized finance (DeFi).
Foundation: A non-profit organization that supports the development, promotion, and governance of a blockchain ecosystem.

G

Gas: A unit of measurement for the computational effort required to execute transactions and smart contracts on a blockchain.
Genesis Block: The very first block of a blockchain, from which all subsequent blocks are derived.
Good Whale Fund: A fund that supports initiatives and projects related to the Ergo blockchain.
Grassroots Finance: A financial system that prioritizes the inclusion of everyday individuals and small businesses, aligning with Ergo's vision.
GM (Good Morning): A friendly greeting used in crypto communities, especially on social media and chat platforms.
Governance: The process and structure for making decisions about the development and management of a blockchain project.
GUI (Graphical User Interface): A visual interface that allows users to interact with software using graphical elements like buttons and menus, rather than text commands.
Gwei: A denomination of Ether (ETH), equal to one billion (1,000,000,000) wei. Used to price gas fees on Ethereum.

H

Hall of Fame: A section featuring notable contributors to Ergo's development.
Hard Fork: A type of blockchain fork that is not backward-compatible, resulting in a split and the creation of a new chain.
Hardware Wallet: A physical device used to store cryptocurrency offline securely.
Hash: A mathematical function that converts input data into a fixed-size string of characters, used to ensure data integrity and secure transactions.
Hash rate: The computational power of a blockchain network, measuring the speed at which miners or validators can solve complex mathematical problems.
HODL: A slang term meaning to hold onto cryptocurrency rather than sell, regardless of market volatility.
Hot Wallet: A cryptocurrency wallet connected to the internet, used for frequent transactions and easy access.
Howey Test: A legal framework used to determine whether a financial instrument qualifies as an 'investment contract' under US securities law.

I

Incentives: Mechanisms designed to encourage specific behaviors, such as mining or developing on the Ergo network.
Infographic: A visual representation of information or data designed to make complex concepts more understandable.
Interface: A user-friendly platform or program that allows users to interact with a system or application.
Interoperability: UTXOs are well-suited for off-chain and sidechain protocols, enabling seamless integration with various solutions beyond the main blockchain, promoting interoperability.
Internal Promotions: The process of filling roles, such as paid community manager positions, from within the existing Ergo community based on demonstrated skills and contributions.

J

Just in Time Costing (JITC): A specific update introduced in Ergo's Node V5, designed to enhance block capacity and transaction processing speed.
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation): A lightweight data-interchange format that is easy for humans to read and write, and easy for machines to parse and generate.
Example: Example: 'The Ergo node API returns data in JSON format.'
See also: API, SDK, CLI

K

KYA (Know Your Assumptions): It emphasizes the importance of understanding the underlying assumptions and principles in various contexts, such as cryptocurrencies, decentralized finance (DeFi), and decision-making processes, to make informed choices and decisions
KYC (Know Your Customer): A process used by businesses and financial institutions to verify the identities of their customers.
Example: Example: 'Most CEXs require KYC before you can withdraw funds.'
See also: AML, CEX, Custodial

L

Layer 0 (Network or Peer-to-Peer Layer): The base layer of Ergo's scalability model, responsible for network communication and peer-to-peer interactions.
Layer 1 (Core Blockchain Layer): The core blockchain layer of Ergo's scalability model, where the main blockchain transactions and consensus mechanisms operate.
Layer 2 (Off-chain Layer): The off-chain layer in Ergo's scalability model, typically used for scaling solutions that reduce the burden on the main blockchain by moving certain operations off-chain.
Light Nodes: Nodes in the Ergo network that support light clients and allow for trustless contract execution on common devices.
Lightweight Clients: Clients that interact with the blockchain with minimal data and computational resources.
Liquidity: The ease with which assets or tokens can be bought or sold without affecting their market price.
Liquidity Provider: A liquidity provider is someone who deposits tokens into a liquidity pool. Liquidity providers take on price risk and are compensated with trading fees.
Liquidity Pool: A pool of funds locked in a smart contract to enable trading and provide liquidity on decentralized exchanges (DEXs).
Logarithmic Space Mining: A feature allowing the existence of light miners who can bootstrap using block headers without downloading the entire blockchain, enhancing network scalability.
Long-term Collaboration: The potential for individuals who actively engage with the Ergo community to establish ongoing partnerships and collaborations with the Ergo Foundation.
Layer 0: The base network or peer-to-peer layer in a blockchain, responsible for communication and data propagation.
Example: Example: 'Layer 0 ensures all nodes can communicate reliably.'
See also: Layer 1, Layer 2, Network
Layer 1: The core blockchain layer where consensus, transaction validation, and state management occur.
Example: Example: 'Ergo's Layer 1 uses the eUTXO model.'
See also: Layer 0, Layer 2, Consensus
Layer 2: An off-chain or secondary protocol built on top of a Layer 1 blockchain to improve scalability and reduce costs.
Example: Example: 'Lightning Network is a Layer 2 solution for Bitcoin.'
See also: Layer 0, Layer 1, Sidechain
Lightning Network: A Layer 2 payment protocol built on top of Bitcoin to enable fast, low-cost transactions.
Example: Example: 'Lightning Network enables microtransactions on Bitcoin.'
See also: Layer 2, Bitcoin, Payment Channel
Logarithmic Mining: A mining approach that allows light miners to bootstrap using block headers without downloading the entire blockchain.
Example: Example: 'Logarithmic mining enables mining on devices with limited storage.'
See also: Mining, Light Node, Layer 0

M

Major Changes: Indicates substantial updates or additions that require setting up a local development environment for documentation changes.
Malware: Malicious software designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to computer systems.
Market Maker ('MM'): A participant in the financial market who provides liquidity by buying and selling assets.
Memory-Hard Mining Proof of Work: A PoW algorithm designed to be memory-intensive, ensuring decentralization.
Mempool (Memory Pool): It is a data structure that holds pending transactions in a blockchain network before they are confirmed.
Miner-Adjustable Parameters: Parameters that miners can modify to influence the network's scalability, including block size and transaction size, affecting throughput and computational load.
Minor Changes: Refers to small edits or updates that can be made directly through the GitHub interface, typically for minor corrections or improvements.
Mining: The process of obtaining ERG tokens by solving computational problems using hardware and electricity.
Mining Pool: A collective group of miners who combine their computational resources to increase the chances of earning cryptocurrency rewards.
Miners: Individuals or entities who validate transactions and add new blocks to the Ergo blockchain.
Miner Extracted Value (MEV): The total value that miners (or validators) can extract from block production, often by reordering, including, or excluding transactions.
Example: Example: 'MEV bots profit by reordering transactions in a block.'
See also: Mining, Block, DeFi
Miner Fee: Fees that are rewarded to miners for confirming the transactions.
Mixing: A process that obscures the origin and destination of cryptocurrency transactions for increased privacy.
Multi-Stage UTXO Model: Ergo's extended UTXO model, detailed in a peer-reviewed paper, enables the implementation of Turing-complete smart contracts, offering advanced scripting capabilities.
Mainnet: The primary, live blockchain network where real transactions take place and have real value.
Example: Example: 'Ergo's mainnet launched in July 2019.'
See also: Testnet, Genesis Block, Emission
Mixer: A privacy tool that combines multiple cryptocurrency transactions to obscure their origin and destination.
Example: Example: 'ErgoMixer helps users protect their financial privacy.'
See also: Privacy, Ring Signature, Sigma Protocol
Merkle Tree: A data structure used in blockchain technology to efficiently verify the integrity of large datasets by creating a hierarchical tree of cryptographic hashes.
Moon: A slang term for a cryptocurrency's price rising dramatically, often used with the phrase 'to the moon!'.
Example: Example: 'ERG is going to the moon!'
See also: Pump, FOMO, Meme
NFT (Non-Fungible Token): A unique digital asset stored on a blockchain, representing ownership of art, collectibles, or other items.
Example: Example: 'Ergo supports NFTs for art and gaming.'
See also: Token, Mint, Marketplace
NGMI (Not Gonna Make It): A meme and slang term for someone who is making poor decisions or is unlikely to succeed in crypto.
Example: Example: 'Selling the bottom? NGMI.'
See also: GM, WAGMI, Meme

N

Nascent Project: A project that is in its early stages of development and growth.
Native Asset: A cryptocurrency or digital token that is unique to a specific blockchain.
Network Fee: A fee paid by users to include their transactions in a blockchain network and incentivize miners or validators.
Non-Custodial Wallet: A cryptocurrency wallet where the user has full control (ownership) over their private keys and funds without relying on a third party.
Non-Interactive Proofs of Proof-of-Work (NIPoPoWs): A technology that allows users to make and verify transactions confidently with minimal data, making it accessible to any device.

O

Open Model: Ergo operates on an open model where contributions from the community are encouraged and highly regarded. This model emphasizes inclusivity and collaboration.
Open Source: Software or technology that is publicly accessible and can be freely examined, modified, and distributed.
Order: A transaction a user submits to a DeFi protocol.
Orderbook: An order book system is similar to what you will see on traditional centralized exchanges. It shows buyers and sellers with amounts and the value of bids on one table.
Output: When performing a swap, this is the range of expected output you will receive depending on slippage.

P

Payment Request: A formal request submitted by a developer who has completed a task or project, requesting payment for their work.
Permissionless: Refers to the philosophy that the Ergo protocol should be open and inclusive, allowing anyone to join the network and participate in the protocol without requiring preliminary actions
Phishing Scam: A fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive information like usernames, passwords, and financial details by posing as a trustworthy entity.
Privacy: Refers to the right to keep personal information and activities confidential and secure from unauthorized access or disclosure. In blockchain, privacy technologies protect user data and transaction details.
Plasma: A scaling solution for blockchain networks that creates child chains connected to a main blockchain, enabling faster and cheaper transactions while maintaining security.
Privacy Tools: Features and technologies, like Sigma protocols and ErgoMixer, used to enhance user privacy.
Proof-of-stake (PoS): A consensus mechanism in which validators are chosen to create new blocks and secure a blockchain network based on the number of tokens they hold and 'stake.'
Proof of Work (PoW): A consensus algorithm used by Ergo and many other blockchains, where miners compete to solve complex mathematical puzzles to validate transactions and create new blocks.
Proprietary IP: Intellectual property that is owned by a specific entity and not freely available to the public.

Q

R

Raffle: A fundraising initiative where participants purchase tickets for a chance to win prizes.
Resource: Additional reading materials, articles, documentation, and videos related to Ergo's eUTXO model and its advantages.
Review: The process in which the Ergo team evaluates the work submitted by a developer to ensure it meets the specified criteria and quality standards.
Reward Allocation: The process of assigning bounties or rewards to contributors based on the quality and impact of their contributions.

S

Scalability: Another advantage of the UTXO model is its inherent support for parallel transaction processing, simplifying network scalability. It is also more compatible with stateless client solutions.
Scripting Language: A programming language used to specify the rules for spending cryptocurrency. ErgoScript is designed to support various features like ring signatures, atomic swaps, and more.
Security Audit: A comprehensive assessment conducted to evaluate the security of certain components or aspects of Ergo. The goal is to identify vulnerabilities, weaknesses, and potential risks in the system.
Seed Phrase: A set of words used to back up and restore a cryptocurrency wallet; it is crucial for wallet recovery.
Sharding: A scaling technique that divides the blockchain into smaller, parallel chains to increase throughput while maintaining security.
Shared Figma Graphic Space: A collaborative platform where community members can work together on visual content and design projects related to Ergo.
Sidechain: A separate blockchain connected to the main blockchain, allowing for different features and scalability.
State Channel: A scaling solution that allows parties to conduct off-chain transactions while maintaining the security guarantees of the main blockchain.
Sigma Protocols: A set of cryptographic protocols forming the backbone of Ergo's smart contracts. They enable efficient zero-knowledge proofs, enhancing privacy and trustlessness.
SigCAN (Sigmanaut Candidate): An individual who has applied to the Sigmanauts Program and is in the initial stage of becoming a Sigmanaut, where they can showcase their skills and contributions.
Sigma-Protocols: Efficient zero-knowledge proofs used in Ergo for advanced privacy options.
Sigmanaut Programme: A program aimed at transitioning responsibilities from the Ergo Foundation to the Ergo community.
Sigmanauts: Members of the Ergo community who actively participate and contribute to the platform's growth and development.
Smart Contracts: Self-executing contracts with the terms of the agreement directly written into code. Ergo's eUTXO model allows for the creation and execution of smart contracts, enabling complex operations securely and efficiently.
Soft-Fork: An upgrade that requires some nodes to update but is backward compatible.
Staking: The act of holding and locking up cryptocurrency tokens in a wallet to support network operations and earn rewards.
State Bloat Management: Strategies to address the growth of blockchain state size (state bloat), which can impact scalability, including persistent updatable storage and a Storage Rent Fee to reduce network pollution.
Storage Rent: A mechanism that requires users to pay for the storage their data occupies on the Ergo network, providing miners with a consistent income stream.
Submit a Pull Request: The process of proposing and sharing your documentation changes with the maintainers by creating a pull request on GitHub.

T

Technical Infrastructure: The underlying technology and architecture that supports Ergo's blockchain and ecosystem.
Telegram: A messaging service where community members engage in discussions and collaborate on various aspects of Ergo and projects on Ergo
Tokens: Digital assets that exist and function within the frameworks of an existing blockchain network rather than having their own separate blockchain.
Tokenomics: The study of the economic aspects of cryptocurrency tokens, including their distribution, circulation, and usage.
Tor (The Onion Router): A network that enables anonymous communication and web browsing by routing internet traffic through a series of servers and relays.
Transaction: An exchange of data or value between participants on a blockchain network, typically involves the transfer of cryptocurrency.
Transaction Size: The size limit for transactions in the mempool, which miners can adjust to balance transaction processing capacity and the computational load on nodes.
Transparency Report: A document that provides a comprehensive overview of financial activities and expenditures, ensuring openness and accountability.
Treasury: The funds set aside by the Ergo Foundation to support the growth and development of the Ergo ecosystem.
Turing-Complete: A property of a computational system that can simulate a Turing machine, indicating that it can perform any computation that a Turing machine can, given enough resources.
TVL (Total Value Locked): A measure of the total funds (cryptocurrency) locked in a specific protocol or smart contract in the DeFi ecosystem.
Two Categories of Participation: The Growth and Creative categories within the Sigmanauts Program, each catering to different strengths and skills of community members.

U

UI Fee: Fees that the UI provider is rewarded with.
UTXO (Unspent Transaction Output) Model: A foundational concept in blockchain technology where transactions create outputs, which can later be used as inputs in new transactions. UTXOs represent ownership of cryptocurrency and are spent entirely in each transaction.

V

Validator: A participant in a blockchain network responsible for validating transactions and maintaining the integrity of the network.
Venture Capitalist (VC): An investor or firm that provides capital to startups and small businesses, usually in exchange for an allocation of the project's tokens at a significantly lower price.
Velvet Fork: A blockchain upgrade mechanism that introduces new features without requiring all nodes to upgrade, maintaining backward compatibility while enabling new functionality.
VPN (Virtual Private Network): A service that masks your IP address and encrypts internet connections to enhance online privacy and security.

W

Weak Blocks: Block candidates with lower proof-of-work difficulty that serve as temporary placeholders, enabling faster transaction confirmations and optimizing network bandwidth, improving scalability.
Web3: The next generation of the internet, aiming to create a more decentralized and user-centric web experience using blockchain technology.
White paper: A document that explains the concept, technology, and implementation details of a cryptocurrency or blockchain project.

X

Y

Yield: Earning returns on cryptocurrency holdings, often through staking, liquidity provision, or lending.
Yield Farming: A process in which cryptocurrency holders provide liquidity to DeFi protocols and receive rewards in return.

Z

Zero-Knowledge Proofs: Cryptographic methods that allow one party to prove the truth of a statement to another party without revealing any additional information. Ergo uses zero-knowledge proofs for privacy and security.
zk-SNARK: Zero-Knowledge Succinct Non-Interactive Argument of Knowledge - a cryptographic proof system that allows one party to prove they know a secret without revealing the secret itself.
zk-STARK: Zero-Knowledge Scalable Transparent Argument of Knowledge - a cryptographic proof system that provides transparency and quantum resistance without requiring a trusted setup.
ZK-rollup: A layer 2 scaling solution that aggregates multiple transactions into a single proof, enabling faster and more scalable blockchain transactions while maintaining security and decentralization.