# Common Terms Glossary

A quick-reference guide to the terms you'll encounter most often when using GDex Pro and exploring the wider crypto world. Organized alphabetically.

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**Address** Your wallet's unique public identifier on the blockchain — similar to a bank account number. It's safe to share so others can send you tokens. Example: `0x742d35Cc6634C0532925a3b8D4C9C2e6e4b6e42F`

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**Altcoin** Any cryptocurrency other than Bitcoin. Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), and BNB are all altcoins. The term comes from "alternative coin."

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**Blockchain** A shared, tamper-proof digital ledger that records every transaction ever made. Once data is added to the blockchain, it cannot be changed or deleted. The blockchain is maintained by thousands of computers worldwide, not any single company.

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**Bridge** A tool that lets you move tokens between different blockchains. For example, moving USDC from the Ethereum network to the Solana network. GDex Pro has a built-in [Bridge feature](https://docs.gemach.io/gemach-dao/products/gdex-pro/features/bridge-functionality).

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**CEX (Centralized Exchange)** A crypto exchange run by a company that holds your funds on your behalf — like Coinbase, Binance, or Kraken. Convenient for beginners, but you don't control your private keys. Compare with DEX.

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**Collateral** Crypto that you lock up as security when borrowing. If you borrow against collateral and the value drops too much, the protocol may liquidate (sell) your collateral to cover the loan.

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**DeFi (Decentralized Finance)** Financial services — trading, lending, borrowing, earning interest — that run on the blockchain via smart contracts, without banks or brokers. See [🏦 What is DeFi?](https://docs.gemach.io/gemach-dao/getting-started/getting-started/what-is-defi)

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**DEX (Decentralized Exchange)** A trading platform where you swap tokens directly from your own wallet, without handing custody to a company. GDex Pro is a DEX aggregator — it finds the best prices across multiple DEXes automatically.

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**ETH** The native token of the Ethereum blockchain. Used to pay for transaction fees ("gas") on Ethereum and widely used across DeFi.

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**Gas Fees** Small transaction fees paid to the validators who process and secure blockchain transactions. Gas fees vary depending on network congestion — they're usually measured in very small amounts (e.g., fractions of a cent on Solana, or a few cents on Ethereum during quiet periods).

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**GMAC** Gemach DAO's native governance token. Holding GMAC gives you access to premium features on GDex Pro and a vote in Gemach's governance decisions. Available on Ethereum (Uniswap), Arbitrum (Curve), and Solana (Orca).

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**Governance** The process by which token holders vote on decisions about a protocol's future — like changing fees, adding new features, or managing the treasury. Holding GMAC gives you a governance vote in Gemach DAO.

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**Liquidity** How easily a token can be bought or sold without significantly moving its price. A token with high liquidity has many buyers and sellers at any moment. Low liquidity means large trades can cause the price to move dramatically (see: Slippage).

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**Liquidation** When a borrower's collateral value falls too low relative to their loan, the protocol automatically sells the collateral to cover the debt. This is a risk of borrowing in DeFi.

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**Market Cap** Short for "market capitalization" — the total value of all tokens in circulation. Calculated as: current price × circulating supply. Used to compare the relative size of different cryptocurrencies.

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**Memecoin** Community-driven tokens often inspired by internet culture, memes, or humor. They can be highly volatile — rising and falling very quickly. GDex Pro's [Memescope feature](https://docs.gemach.io/gemach-dao/products/gdex-pro/features/meme-scope-feature) helps you monitor and filter memecoins.

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**Network / Chain** The underlying blockchain a token runs on (e.g., Ethereum, Solana, BNB Chain). Different networks have different speeds, fees, and token standards. GDex Pro supports multiple networks simultaneously.

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**Private Key** A secret code (a long string of characters) that gives you full control over your wallet and funds. Never share it with anyone. If someone has your private key, they have your crypto. See [👛 What is a Crypto Wallet?](https://docs.gemach.io/gemach-dao/getting-started/getting-started/what-is-a-wallet)

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**PNL (Profit and Loss)** A measure of how much you've gained or lost on a trade or portfolio position. GDex Pro shows PNL in your Portfolio section.

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**Seed Phrase (Recovery Phrase)** A set of 12 or 24 random words that acts as a backup for your wallet. If you lose access to your wallet app, you can restore your wallet on any device using the seed phrase. Store it offline, never share it.

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**Self-Custody** The practice of holding your own private keys and controlling your own funds, rather than trusting a third party (like an exchange) to hold them for you. "Not your keys, not your crypto."

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**Slippage** The difference between the price you expected for a trade and the price you actually got. Slippage happens when the market moves between the time you submit a trade and when it executes. GDex Pro lets you set a slippage tolerance to protect against large unexpected price changes.

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**Smart Contract** A self-executing program that lives on the blockchain. Smart contracts automatically carry out transactions when pre-defined conditions are met — no human intervention needed. They are the foundation of all DeFi protocols.

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**SOL** The native token of the Solana blockchain. Used to pay transaction fees on Solana. Solana is known for its speed (thousands of transactions per second) and very low fees.

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**Stablecoin** A cryptocurrency designed to maintain a stable value, usually pegged 1:1 to the US dollar. USDC and USDT are the most common stablecoins. Useful for holding value without the volatility of other tokens.

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**Swap** The act of trading one token for another through a DEX. On GDex Pro, you can swap tokens instantly across multiple blockchains.

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**Token** A digital asset that exists on a blockchain. Tokens can represent currency, governance rights, ownership, or utility within a specific platform. See [💰 What is Cryptocurrency?](https://docs.gemach.io/gemach-dao/getting-started/getting-started/what-is-cryptocurrency)

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**Wallet** Software (or hardware) that stores your private keys and lets you interact with the blockchain — sending, receiving, and managing your tokens. See [👛 What is a Crypto Wallet?](https://docs.gemach.io/gemach-dao/getting-started/getting-started/what-is-a-wallet)

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**Web3** The vision of a decentralized internet built on blockchain technology, where users own their own data and assets. DeFi, NFTs, and DAOs are all part of Web3.

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**Web3Auth** An authentication system that lets you sign into Web3 apps using your existing Google or Apple account, automatically creating a wallet for you. GDex Pro uses Web3Auth to make onboarding easy for beginners.

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**Yield** Returns earned on crypto you've deposited into a DeFi protocol — similar to interest on a savings account, but often higher and variable. [GVault](https://docs.gemach.io/gemach-dao/products/gvault) is Gemach's yield product.

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**Didn't find what you're looking for?** The full GDex Pro [FAQ](https://docs.gemach.io/gemach-dao/products/gdex-pro/help-and-support/faq) and [Troubleshooting guide](https://docs.gemach.io/gemach-dao/products/gdex-pro/help-and-support/troubleshooting) cover platform-specific questions in more detail.
{% endhint %}