Skip to content
Learn · Level

Beginner guides

No experience needed — plain-English guides to the core ideas.

807 guides
Crypto coin next to a computer

All beginner guides

Newest first · page 16 of 27.

Dark navy scene with glowing gold bar charts, blank coins and a card terminal on the right, and an empty dark left half behind the title.Buying & ExchangesBeginnerCentralized crypto exchanges: what they are and how they workA centralized crypto exchange is a company-run platform to buy, sell, and store crypto. You do not control the keys, and withdrawals can be frozen.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 The title What is a 51 percent attack appears over a dark mining rig with a blank glowing screen and faint block chain shapes.BlockchainBeginnerWhat is a majority attack on a blockchain?A majority attack is when one miner or pool controls most hash rate and rewrites blocks. It can double-spend but cannot steal coins from wallets.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 A dark scene of mining machines with glowing cyan fans and cables on the right, title on the left.BlockchainBeginnerHow to compare ASIC miners for a home setupCompare ASIC miners by algorithm, hashrate, efficiency, watts and noise, then add electricity, cooling and maintenance to the cost for your home.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 The title How to calculate mining profitability above dark mining machines with glowing cyan accents.BlockchainBeginnerHow to calculate mining profitability before you spendMining profit is the value of the coins you mine minus electricity, pool, and hardware costs, based on current network data and a current exchange rate.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 Staking lockup risk title over dark server racks with glowing cyan cables on a navy background.BlockchainBeginnerStaking lockup risk: why staked crypto is stuckStaking lockup risk means staked crypto cannot be sold during unbonding, so its price can fall before the network releases it. The wait varies by network.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 The title Can you mine cryptocurrency with a GPU? over a dark navy scene of a graphics card glowing cyan on the right.BlockchainBeginnerCan you mine cryptocurrency with a GPU?Yes, a GPU can mine proof-of-work coins, but Bitcoin needs ASICs, Ethereum ended GPU mining in 2022, and the IRS taxes mining income in the US.4 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 The title What are Bitcoin transaction fees for miners? and the Bitcoin logo over a dark navy background with rows of glowing mining rigsBitcoinBeginnerBitcoin transaction fees: what miners get and why you payBitcoin transaction fees are payments miners collect for confirming a transaction in a block; the fee follows transaction size, not amount sent.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 How to assess a staking provider title over a dark desk with a blank-screen hardware wallet, steel plate, padlock and shield in cyan light.BlockchainBeginnerHow to assess a staking provider before you stakeAssessing a staking provider means comparing custody, validator performance, slashing risk, and exit terms before you send coins. Check key control.2 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 The title sits over rows of dark mining machines with glowing cyan fans and cables on the right, against a dark navy background.BlockchainBeginnerWhat Is Mining Pool Centralization?Pool centralization is when a few mining pools control most of a proof-of-work network's hash rate. It can affect which transactions get processed.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 The title Why do staking rewards change? over a dark navy background with a glowing cyan glass block joined by threads of lightBlockchainBeginnerWhy staking rewards change and what drives themStaking rewards change because a quoted rate is an estimate, not fixed interest; network rules, validators, and platform terms all shift it over time.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 The title What is a staking reward rate appears over dark server racks with glowing cyan blue accents on a navy background.BlockchainBeginnerWhat is a staking reward rate and how does it work?A staking reward rate is the variable percentage a proof-of-stake network pays for staked crypto, and validator fees and the total staked move it.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 The title What is a validator in proof of stake over glass blocks linked by cyan light on a dark navy background.BlockchainBeginnerWhat Is a Validator in Proof of Stake?A proof-of-stake validator proposes blocks and votes on them, locking up crypto it can lose for breaking rules. Ethereum requires a 32 ETH deposit.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 The cover shows the title How does proof of stake secure a blockchain? over a dark background with glowing server racks on the right.BlockchainBeginnerHow proof of stake secures a blockchainProof of stake secures a chain by making validators risk locked coins they lose if they cheat, then slashing misbehavior and finalizing by vote.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 The title 'What is delegated staking?' over a dark navy scene with glowing cyan server racks on the right and an empty dark left half.BlockchainBeginnerDelegated staking: how it works and what you ownDelegated staking assigns staking rights to a validator while you keep ownership. Rewards come after commission, and slashing can cut the tokens you delegated.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 A cover with the title What is validator slashing over dark server racks, cables and a glass block lit by cyan light.BlockchainBeginnerValidator slashing: what it is and who pays the priceValidator slashing destroys some or all of a validator's staked crypto for attacks or conflicting blocks. Delegators can lose part of their stake.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 The title How does proof of work secure a blockchain? over a dark navy background with steel cubes linked by glowing cyan lines and a padlock.BlockchainBeginnerHow proof of work secures a blockchainProof of work secures a blockchain by making miners spend computing effort, so changing old blocks means redoing every later block and network agreement.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 A dark desk with a mining rig and glowing cyan accents, with the title How to recognize a mining investment scam.BlockchainBeginnerHow to recognize a mining investment scamA mining investment scam promises big returns, then blocks withdrawals or simply vanishes. Verify the seller and the wallet address before you send.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 A glass vault, blank coins and paper glow lime green on the right of a dark navy background, with the guide title on the left.Crypto BasicsBeginnerHow a stablecoin differs from a bank depositA stablecoin is different from a bank deposit: it has no FDIC insurance, and you redeem it through its issuer instead of withdrawing at a bank.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 Title over rows of dark mining machines with glowing cyan fans and cables, set in a dim server room.BlockchainBeginnerCloud mining: what it is and the risks it carriesCloud mining rents a provider's hardware to earn crypto, and the biggest risk is a provider that scams you or shuts down before paying. Payouts can shrink.4 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 The title What are tokenized deposits? over a dark navy scene of blank metal tokens and a glass ledger block lit by lime green light.Crypto BasicsBeginnerWhat are tokenized deposits? Bank money on a ledgerA tokenized deposit is a bank deposit recorded on a blockchain ledger. The money stays a bank liability; much public work has been in pilots.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 Title over a dark desk with a hardware wallet, steel plate and padlock glowing lime green on the right.Crypto BasicsBeginnerHow a nonprofit can accept crypto donationsA nonprofit can accept crypto donations through its own wallet or a donation processor, then record each gift's fair market value and send donor receipts.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 The title What happens to miners after a Bitcoin halving? with the Bitcoin logo over rows of dark mining machines glowing orangeBitcoinBeginnerWhat happens to Bitcoin miners after a halving?After a Bitcoin halving, miners earn half the new bitcoin per block, so some shut down while others wait for difficulty to adjust and rely more on fees.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 The title over rows of dark mining machines with glowing fans and cables on a dark navy background.BlockchainBeginnerCrypto mining costs: what matters mostElectricity is usually the largest recurring cost of crypto mining, but hardware, pool fees and cooling also decide whether a rig breaks even.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 How do crypto debit cards work? title over a dark desk with a card terminal and blank card in lime green and navy.Crypto BasicsBeginnerCrypto debit cards: how they work and what to set upCrypto debit cards convert crypto to dollars at checkout or when you load. You verify identity, link a balance, and keep tax records for each conversion.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 The title How are Bitcoin miners paid appears with the Bitcoin logo over rows of dark mining machines with glowing orange fans and cables.BitcoinBeginnerHow Bitcoin miners are paid: block rewards and poolsBitcoin miners are paid newly issued bitcoin plus transaction fees for each block they confirm. Most join a pool that pays by shares and thresholds.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 The title What is mining difficulty? over rows of dark mining machines with glowing cyan fans and cables on the right.BlockchainBeginnerWhat is mining difficulty and why does it change?Mining difficulty measures how hard it is to find a valid new block, and a proof-of-work network adjusts it to keep new blocks arriving at a steady pace.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 The title 'What is a Bitcoin mining pool?' with the Bitcoin logo over rows of dark mining machines glowing orange.BitcoinBeginnerBitcoin mining pools: what they are and how they workA Bitcoin mining pool combines miners' computing power and shares rewards. Payout methods set each miner's cut. The IRS taxes rewards as income.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 A dark navy background with a glowing lime green terminal and blank metal coins on the right, the title overlaid.Crypto BasicsBeginnerBlockchain micropayments: how small crypto payments workA blockchain micropayment is a small crypto transfer, often on a second layer such as Bitcoin's Lightning Network. Check the network before you send.4 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 Title What is a central bank digital currency over a dark vault with glowing accents, blank banknote paper and coins on the right.Crypto BasicsBeginnerCentral bank digital currency: what it is and how it worksA central bank digital currency is digital cash from a central bank, not a crypto coin. The Federal Reserve has studied one but the US has not issued it.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026 The title What is a block subsidy appears over rows of mining machines with glowing fans and cables in a dark navy scene.BlockchainBeginnerBlock subsidy: what it is and how miners earn itA block subsidy is new cryptocurrency a proof-of-work network pays to miners for adding a block. Bitcoin cuts its subsidy in half about every four years.3 min read · Updated Oct 6, 2026