Knowing crypto slang is important, especially if you are a serious trader. If you are not familiar with the trending and widely used crypto slang in the blockchain sphere, gobble up this list of popular crypto slang terms — blockchain buzzwords that will help you know crypto in a better way.
HODL
The first slang on our list is HODL, which means “hold on for dear life.” It was originally used by a Bitcointalk online forum user and trader, GameKyuubi, in 2013. He accidentally typed HODL for HOLD in a post during a bitcoin price dip, referring to holding Bitcoin instead of selling it. This term became a popular buzzword during market dips, and HODLER is the word used to label investors who hold crypto.
FUD
Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt— FUD — kicks in when you are uncertain about the crypto/stock market, putting yourself in fear and doubt. This is more like a pessimistic viewpoint that would result in panic selling and a price drop.
FOMO
“Fear of Missing Out” is another crypto slang term that has been broadly used to insinuate the feeling of anxiety or fear over being out of the loop, especially when you see other investors earning profits from a particular crypto or hear price hypes surging. This term was coined by Patrick J. McGinnis in 2004.
DYOR
“Do Your Own Research” is a common and familiar term used in all fields besides crypto. Often used to denote the importance of doing thorough research before taking investment decisions in cryptocurrency.
Pump and dump
A catchphrase practiced by crypto project developers who typically pump the price of a coin using manipulative techniques and then sell off their assets at the peak. They artificially inflate the price, putting other traders at a loss.
Bull
Bull is a popular term used in both crypto and stocks, meaning a situation where the price of coins is surging or is expected to surge. You have probably come across “bull run” or “bullish Bitcoin”. The word also describes a person who is optimistic about the price of coins.
Bear
Bear, on the other hand, is a person who is pessimistic about the market. When a coin follows a downtrend or is expected to fall, we call this situation a “bear run” or “bearish”.
The terms Bull and Bear are connected to the animals; bull pushes their horns upward, indicating an upward trend, while bear strikes its paws downwards, representing falling prices.
Whale
As the name suggests, a whale is a person or an entity that buys a huge amount of a particular crypto, making significant changes in the market when they sell or buy coins.
Bagholder
This term reflects the behavior of investors who hold a coin that has significantly lost its value. He just holds the bag without selling, whereas other investors earn income after trading the coin. They are clinging to the bag full of losses.
Bitcoin Maximalist
Someone who believes that Bitcoin is worth all the coins and is the only true cryptocurrency. They firmly believe that all other coins are either scams, useless, or inferior. A bitcoin maximalist sticks to the concept that Bitcoin is the future of money.
ATH
Do you remember Bitcoin tapped $109,469 in January 2025? That peak price point is Bitcoin’s All-Time-High or ATH. In short, ATH is the highest price a crypto has ever achieved in its history.
Airdrop
Usually used by blockchain startups, an airdrop is the process of distributing free tokens or coins to the wallets of early supporters of a project. The sole purpose of this strategy is to promote the project by raising awareness and building hype and community. Airdrop is a reward for the early birds.
Shill
What would you call a person who intentionally promotes a cryptocurrency to raise demand and drive its price high? Yes, Shill is the crypto lingo to denote such enthusiasts. They ultimately work to hook the attention of other investors to pump their own bags. Their promotion captions may sometimes go positive or shady.
REKT
If you have ever faced a huge financial loss due to a wrong investment decision, then you are a REKT. This term has roots in the word “wrecked”, meaning very badly damaged.
Flippening
Flippening is a hypothetical concept when a particular coin overtakes a leading coin in market capitalization. For instance, Ethereum flippens Bitcoin, taking the first position as the most valued cryptocurrency.
Moon
To the moon, or simply moon, depicts the moment when a crypto is expected to rise or is rising. It is an optimistic strategy that lets investors drive their interest in a cryptocurrency.
Ape
If you do not focus on DYOR, then you are exactly Apeing. Ape is a term that refers to a person who does not perform proper research on a trending asset before investing in it. This crypto slang is correlated with FOMO, as investors involved in spring fears of being left out of gaining profits. Interestingly, Spring is more interlinked with Degen culture — impulsive behavior.
Cryptosis
A person who has a keen passion and interest to learn and investing in cryptocurrency and other digital assets is called a Cryptosis. The term also explains the person’s irresistible appetite for seeking knowledge of the latest crypto news, market dynamics, and everything that blooms in the market. A cryptosis prefers talking excessively about crypto.
Normie
Normie is a contrary version of cryptosis. A person who has little or no connection with the crypto world. Normies usually prefer hanging with traditional finance and keep away from crypto discussions.
BTD
Buy The Dip strategy circulates when the price of a coin goes down. This art of trading saves your money when you buy the crypto for a lower price, with the potential to earn more returns when the price goes up.
Weak Hands
A classic crypto slang term indicating investors who cannot handle volatility. They become panicked when signs of a price drop reflect, often selling their assets quickly. Weak hands cannot ride through market swings due to the intense fear of loss.
As crypto continues to evolve in quite new ways, even more buzzwords are likely to emerge in the future. Besides, language also takes new forms with each generation, opening ways for novel, trendy, and culturally relevant words.
