What crypto is and how it works. Read these in order to build a foundation.
Start hereBeginnerA crypto asset is a digital asset recorded on a blockchain — a public ledger that tracks balances and transfers without a central operator such as a bank. Prices are set by supply and demand and move a great deal.
6 min
Start hereBeginnerBitcoin is the first crypto asset, live since 2009, with a protocol-level cap of 21 million coins. It was the first system to settle transfers without an operator.
5 min
Start hereBeginnerEthereum is a blockchain that runs programs — smart contracts — as well as payments. Most DeFi and NFT activity happens on it.
5 min
Start hereBeginnerA blockchain groups transactions into blocks and chains them together. Altering an old record breaks every block after it, so tampering is detectable.
4 min
Start hereBeginnerIn Japan, first confirm the operator is registered with the FSA. Then compare on three things: whether it lists what you want, whether you trade on a brokerage or an order book, and the fees.
7 min
Start hereBeginnerA wallet does not hold coins — it manages keys. Your assets live on the blockchain, and whoever holds the key can move them.
6 min
Start hereIntermediateGas is the fee you pay to have a blockchain execute work. It depends on how heavy the work is and how busy the network is.
4 min
Start hereIntermediateDeFi is finance — swapping, lending, yield — delivered by smart contracts. No account is needed, but there is also nobody to call when something goes wrong.
6 min
Start hereBeginnerAn NFT is a token that records something as a unique, non-interchangeable item. It records ownership — it does not necessarily transfer copyright.
5 min
Start hereIntermediateStaking means committing coins to help run a Proof of Stake network in return for rewards. Rewards are not guaranteed and the coin's price risk remains.
5 min
Start hereIntermediateIn Japan, gains on crypto assets are in principle treated as miscellaneous income and taxed on an aggregate basis. Confirm your own situation with the tax office or a tax professional.
7 min
Start hereBeginnerMost losses come from tricking the user, not from breaking the cryptography. Never enter a seed phrase, and never leave approvals lying around — those two habits prevent most of it.
7 min
Start hereIntermediateWeb3 is the idea of putting data and rights on a blockchain rather than a provider's servers, so users can carry their account between services.
5 min
Start hereAdvancedA DAO runs decisions and treasury execution through smart contracts and token voting. It is transparent, but voting power concentrates and its legal status is unsettled.
5 min