Sending cryptocurrency is a swift and straightforward process that has some key advantages over traditional banking methods. But what exactly makes them so quick and easy? The underlying blockchain technology and its decentralized architecture.

Because most blockchains are decentralized there’s no intermediaries, unlike traditional banking. Cryptocurrencies also have other features that make sending and receiving coins highly convenient. A few of these features include:

Wondering how to send crypto to your friend or invest in that NFT you’ve been eyeing for the longest time? Read our 101 guide to find out.

How to Send Crypto: A Checklist for First-Timers

In telecommunications and software engineering, a "node" refers to a more extensive interconnected network component. In crypto, however, a node is one of the components that run a blockchain's algorithm to verify and authenticate each transaction.

A blockchain is essentially a digital distributed ledger that records all cryptocurrency transactions. As the name implies, each blockchain is a series of "chained" blocks. 

Every blockchain is made of nodes. Nodes are generally computer systems that contain a copy of a blockchain's primary protocol and its entire transaction history. Due to decentralization, any individual can run a node anywhere in the world as long as they’re connected to a decentralized blockchain network and have the required resources.

Read on to find out the various types of nodes, their functions, and what you can do if you want to run a node.

Blockchain nodes are the building blocks of the crypto ecosystem. Find out why nodes are so important and how they keep crypto decentralized and running.

What’s a Blockchain Node?

While NFTs (non-fungible tokens) like CryptoKitties and CryptoPunks were popular among early Ethereum users, it wasn't until the 2021 crypto bull run that more people learned about these unique tokens. Estimates suggest NFT trading volumes exploded by 21,000% during 2020-2021, and one of the biggest beneficiaries of this NFT boom was OpenSea. 

To this day, OpenSea commands a high percentage of trading volume in the NFT ecosystem. Chances are many of the NFT collections you've seen on social media are on this market. But what is OpenSea, and what makes it so popular?

OpenSea allows users to buy, sell, and mint NFTs. Learn what OpenSea is, why it is important, and how it impacts the NFT ecosystem.

What Is OpenSea? A 101 Guide

To combat high volatility and increase participation in a larger community, crypto projects are incorporating price stability directly into their digital assets, bringing about a whole new subset of cryptocurrencies in stablecoins. 

As their name suggests, stablecoins are intended to be volatility-minimized assets whose price mirrors fiat currencies such as the U.S. dollar. To fully understand the potential of stablecoins and how they work in tandem with more volatile cryptocurrencies, we need to dive a little deeper.

An easy way to learn about different types of stablecoins and how they work. Subscribe to the Worldcoin blog for more cryptocurrency stories.

What Are Stablecoins and How Do They Work?

What Are Stablecoins, and How Do They Work?

Smart contracts aren’t a new concept. In fact, the term "smart contract" was coined in 1994 by computer engineer and cryptographer Nick Szabo. To answer “what is a smart contract,” Szabo said, “A smart contract is a computerized transaction protocol that executes the terms of a contract."

“I call these new contracts ‘smart’ because they are far more functional than their inanimate paper-based ancestors,” Szabo said. “No use of artificial intelligence is implied. A smart contract is a set of promises, specified in digital form, including protocols within which the parties perform on these promises.”

Based on his work with cryptocurrency and digital contracts, many authors and journalists speculate that Szabo is Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous inventor of Bitcoin (BTC). 

Wondering what is a smart contract? Read all about smart contracts and learn how they keep the crypto world transparent and reliable in this definitive guide.

What Is a Smart Contract?

Staying (fully informed) on crypto can be challenging. Not only does the news surrounding cryptocurrency change by the minute, but it can also be difficult to determine reputable crypto resources. Many crypto influencers spread information online without proper fact-checking.

While there are no objective best crypto news websites, a few publications have gained credibility in the industry. If you’re interested in the Web3 ecosystem, you should know how to pick reliable sources for crypto updates. 

Crypto enthusiasts rely on objective sources to stay informed on Web3. Following high-quality crypto news websites can ensure all articles are fact-checked.

How to Find the Best Crypto News

Cryptocurrency, potentially representing the future of making transactions, includes digital currencies. It uses blockchain technology. Unlike traditional currencies such as the U.S. dollar, Bitcoin and many other cryptocurrencies utilize mining to secure the network and introduce inflation. 

Let’s dive deep into this topic to understand this in detail.

Crypto mining is a complex subject and sometimes controversial. Learn what it’s all about and how it works.

What Is Crypto Mining?

You’ve probably heard of Bitcoin and Ethereum. You might have also come across terms such as NFTs (non-fungible tokens) and stablecoins online. But what are these?

They’re all different types of crypto. What initially started as a medium of exchange in Bitcoin has now become an entire world on its own. Crypto is now pushing the evolution of the internet itself in Web3 and the metaverse.

Let’s look at how these differ from each other and what their real-life applications are.

Bitcoin isn’t the only form of crypto. Learn about the different types of crypto in our easy-to-understand guide.

Types of Crypto You Should Know

Blockchain wasn't meant to be separated from the broader economy. Although cryptocurrencies challenge many aspects of traditional finance, blockchain’s use cases would be highly limited if it couldn't interact with the outside world. But how would it be possible to import off-chain data without sacrificing blockchain's decentralization? 

Enter blockchain oracles. These advanced services tackle the thorny issue of importing reliable off-chain data into Web3. Many recent developments in DeFi (decentralized finance) would be impossible without high-quality decentralized blockchain oracles. So what is an oracle in blockchain, and how does it work in cryptocurrency?

Oracles promise to connect blockchains with non-blockchain data. To better appreciate the enormous potential of Web3, dive into the world of blockchain oracles.

The Ultimate Guide to Blockchain Oracles

Buying and selling products may seem straightforward: Pay the posted price to get the desired item. However, many complicated procedures are involved, and can include finding, transferring, and processing every economic exchange. These extra steps often result in "transaction costs" that can increase the final price. 

While transaction costs may not be easy to spot in day-to-day purchases, they significantly impact the economy. Learn what transaction costs are to better assess financial decisions.

Transaction costs are fees associated with transferring goods and services. So what are transaction costs, why do they exist, and how do they influence economic activity?

What Are Transaction Costs? A Beginner-Friendly Guide

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