Most Popular Crypto Slang Terms You Should Know

Crypto slang is like its own language for talking about digital money and transactions. If you’re new to crypto, you’ll hear a lot of acronyms and catchphrases. This article explains some of the most common ones in simple terms. Think of it as crypto terms for beginners, words you should know so you don’t feel lost in the crypto market. For example, many beginners ask things like “FOMO meaning in crypto?” or “LFG full form” when they see these terms related to blockchain networks on Twitter or forums. We’ll break down each term clearly and show real definitions from trusted sources.

Key Takeways

• Learn 20+ popular crypto slang terms used on Twitter, Discord, and Telegram, especially in relation to blockchain technology.
• Understand essential terms like FOMO, HODL, WAGMI, DEGEN, and more.
• Get clear definitions, real-world usage, and where each term came from.
• Use these terms to sound like a pro, spot red flags, and navigate crypto communities with confidence.
• Bonus tables included: quick meanings, do/don’t glossary, meme terms, and real-life examples.

Why Learning Crypto Slang Actually Helps You (More Than You Think)

Many crypto slang terms aren’t just memes — they reflect how the entire cryptocurrency and blockchain Understanding how the system works is crucial for anyone participating in cryptocurrency transactions. For example, when people say “gas fees are killing me,” they’re talking about the cost to run smart contracts on Ethereum, which is a type of blockchain that supports DeFi apps, NFTs, and newly minted cryptocurrency tokens.

Terms like “HODL,” “diamond hands,” or “rekt” describe what happens when people hold, lose, or stick with their cryptocurrency holdings through volatile price swings. These crypto terms are tied directly to the Understanding the mechanics of blockchain is essential for anyone looking to engage in the cryptocurrency market., where every transaction is stored on the blockchain and can’t be reversed.

Even more technical phrases like “rug pull” or “mint” originated from how smart contracts operate. For example, if a new crypto project promises crypto rewards via staking or NFT mints, and then disappears, users might say, “We got rugged.” That’s not just slang — it’s real risk in the crypto landscape.

Crypto Slang on Bitcoin and Ethereum Communities: What’s Trending

Bitcoin and Ethereum are more than coins — they’re entire cultures that shape the digital currencies landscape. And each community has its own crypto slang terms that evolve fast.

In the Bitcoin world, people commonly use slang like “stack sats” (meaning: buy and accumulate small units of Bitcoin), “HODL,” and **“not your keys, not your coins.” These are more than memes — they reflect a deep belief in self-custody and the long-term value of a digital currency. particular crypto In the cryptocurrency market, an asset can refer to any digital currencies that hold value.

Ethereum users, on the other hand, are immersed in a faster, DeFi-driven culture. You’ll hear slang like:

• “Gas wars” – when people fight over limited NFT mints, driving fees through the roof.
• “Blum code” – a recent trend where early users share invite codes to gain whitelist spots and access crypto rewards.
• “Airdrop farming” – tracking usage of wallets and dApps in hopes of receiving free cryptocurrency other than Bitcoin from developers.

These slang terms spread quickly via Crypto Twitter (CT) and reflect the mindset of the crypto traders behind each type of crypto. In both communities, new phrases emerge weekly — often driven by market events, price of a crypto, or viral meme coins.

How Crypto Twitter Changes Slang Overnight

If you’re trying to navigate the crypto landscape with confidence, understanding the slang used on X (formerly Twitter) is crucial. This is where most crypto developers, influencers, and degens hang out — and they constantly invent new terms you should know.

Here’s how fast it moves:

• “Cope” replaced “FOMO” to describe regret after missing a pump.
• “Floor is lava” became shorthand in NFT communities when prices were rising so fast that even touching the “floor price” burned.
• “Jeet” — now a go-to insult for someone who sells a coin too early and misses the 10x move.

These slang terms aren’t static. In fact, most of them have a shelf life of a few months unless they tap into a deep part of crypto culture. One week, “WAGMI” is everywhere. The next, people are mocking it as overused. Staying updated is part of the game if you want to keep your edge — and keep your crypto Investing in cryptocurrency can be safe and growing if you understand the amount of cryptocurrency you are willing to risk.

Essential Cryptocurrency Terms and Phrases Every Beginner Should Know

For anyone starting their The crypto journey is filled with key terms that can help navigate the cryptocurrency market., here are some terms to help you avoid mistakes and sound like you know what you’re doing:

• Crypto wallet: A digital tool used to store your cryptocurrency holdings. There are different types of cryptocurrency wallets, including hot wallets (software) and cold wallets (offline).
• Private key: A secret code that proves you own the wallet. If you lose it, you lose access to your funds. Hence the phrase: “Not your keys, not your coins.”
• Cryptocurrency exchange: A platform to buy or trade crypto. Some types of cryptocurrency exchanges allow instant trading, others focus on peer-to-peer swaps. A cryptocurrency exchange that allows direct trades between users is often decentralized (DEX).
• KYC (Know Your Customer): A process where exchanges verify your identity. It’s required on most centralized platforms before you can withdraw large amounts or use fiat.
• Token: A type of crypto that often runs on a blockchain like Ethereum. Tokens can represent anything — from voting rights in a DAO to a piece of a game item.
• Bag: If someone says “I’m still holding this bag,” they mean they’re still holding onto their particular crypto coin, possibly at a loss.

Top 20 Most Popular Crypto Slang Terms in 2025

FOMO

FOMO stands for “Fear Of Missing Out,” a common feeling in the crypto market. In crypto, it describes the panic feeling you get when prices start rising fast and you worry you’ll miss a big opportunity. It makes people buy impulsively as the market goes up. If you see a coin “going to the moon” and you buy just so you’re not left out, that’s FOMO related to the hype around certain cryptocurrencies. This word is used so much that people often search “fomo meaning crypto” online and the answer is always Fear Of Missing Out, a term used to describe the anxiety of missing out on cryptocurrency transactions. In practice, FOMO can cause big price swings in the crypto market because everyone jumps in at once.

DYOR

DYOR means “Do Your Own Research”. It’s a reminder to check things yourself before investing in a cryptocurrency exchange. In crypto slang, when someone says DYOR, they’re telling you not to trust hype alone. They want you to look into the project or coin yourself. In everyday terms, DYOR is just good advice. It means “don’t just follow the crowd; read up and understand what you’re buying.” For example, before trusting a new token, people might say, “Seriously, DYOR read the whitepaper and check the team,” instead of jumping in blind.

SAFU

SAFU stands for “Secure Asset Fund for Users”. It started as a term used by Binance, a big crypto exchange, to reassure users after a hack. “SAFU” basically means your funds are (supposedly) safe. Crypto traders joke, “funds are safu” when they want to feel secure about their cryptocurrency wallet. So when someone says something is “SAFU,” they mean there’s an emergency fund or insurance in place to protect users. In slang, you might see people say “everything’s SAFU” after a scare, meaning don’t worry. It’s not magic, just a meme from an old Binance Tweet,  but it’s common slang now.

OG

OG is short for “Original Gangster.” In crypto and NFT terms, it refers to early adopters or original versions of something. Think of it as “old school” in a positive way, especially when referring to traditional cryptocurrencies. For example, if someone says “OG Bitcoin holder,” they mean a person who bought Bitcoin in the early days. Or “OG NFT” might mean one of the first NFTs in a collection. It’s slang to give respect: OG = someone who’s been there since the beginning.

WAGMI / NGMI

These are opposites. WAGMI stands for “We’re All Gonna Make It,” and NGMI stands for “Not Gonna Make It.” These came from crypto meme culture and often refer to different types of cryptocurrency. WAGMI is used when people feel confident and supportive, like “yes, we’ll all profit together.” NGMI is used sarcastically for someone who made a bad move or gave up,  it means “you won’t succeed.” For example, if someone sells a coin too early, others might say “NGMI” on Twitter. If the community is feeling hopeful, they shout “WAGMI!” to cheer everyone on. These are just short ways to talk about optimism or doubt in investments, especially in the volatile cryptocurrency market.

BTD

BTD stands for “Buy The Dip.” It’s a phrase encouraging investors to buy more when prices fall. In other words, when the market goes down, BTD means “this is a chance to buy crypto at a discount.” For example, if Bitcoin price drops suddenly, people might tweet “BTD!” meaning “buy now while it’s cheap.” The idea is the price will bounce back later. So BTD is slang for seizing a buying opportunity when others are panicking.

GM

GM is a simple one: it means “Good Morning.” Crypto Twitter loves to greet each other this way, especially when discussing new transactions. When traders log in early, it’s common to just say “GM” in a chat or tweet. It’s a friendly habit that helps build community. You’ll often see people reply with “GM” to each other as the first thing in the day, fostering a sense of community in the cryptocurrency market. It’s just a crypto way of saying good morning to everyone around the world.

10X or 100X

When crypto fans say a coin went “10X,” they mean it went up ten times in value. For example, if you buy a token at $1 and later it’s worth $10, that’s 10X. The term “100X” just means one hundred times. These phrases are shorthand for really big gains. People might say “This is a 100X project!” meaning they think its price could multiply by 100. It’s catchy slang but not guaranteed. The key idea is: “X” stands for times. So 10X means 10× your money. (Note: [45] specifically defines “10x’d” as up ten times.)

PVP vs PPP

PVP means “Player Vs Player,” and PPP means “Player Pump Player.” These terms describe different crypto community mindsets. In a PVP scenario, the game is a zero-sum one person’s gain is another’s loss. The first person to exit wins, and the last person in takes the losses, a common scenario in the cryptocurrency market. It’s called “Player Vs Player” because you’re basically competing. In contrast, a PPP community tries to make a rising tide that lifts all boats in the crypto market. Think of PVP as a fast-food joint (quick results, someone gets hurt) vs. PPP as a slow-cooked gourmet meal (everyone is satisfied in the end). PPP means the community tries to pump the token so all players profit together. Kyle Chasse’s article on this says PPP “aim[s] to ensure that every participant benefits” rather than having “the last person in become the exit liquidity”.

CT

CT stands for “Crypto Twitter.” This isn’t the official brand name (Twitter is now called X), but crypto people use CT to mean “the crypto community on Twitter.” It’s the crowds on Twitter (X) who tweet about crypto. If someone says “I saw that on CT,” they mean they saw it on Crypto Twitter. It’s a shorthand way to refer to all those crypto influencers and enthusiasts tweeting about crypto assets together.

LFG

LFG is short for “Let’s F—ing Go!” (yes, f—ing). It’s basically “Let’s go!” with extra excitement. Traders and meme-coin fans use LFG to cheer themselves on. For example, if a price is pumping, someone might shout “LFG!” as if pumping a fist. The full form (uncensored) is literally “Let’s fucking go.” It’s just hype and energy a rallying cry when you feel good about your crypto or you’re pumped for a launch.

FUD

FUD stands for “Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt.” It means people are spreading negative rumors or scary news about a coin to make others panic. In crypto slang, calling something FUD means “Don’t trust this scary story, it’s probably exaggerated.” If a tweet is labeled “FUD,” it’s usually negative hype meant to drive prices down. For example, false news about an exchange hack can create FUD, causing investors to worry. It’s essentially the opposite of FOMO. When markets are shaky, FUD can spread easily, shaking people’s confidence in their crypto assets.

REKT

Rekt (sometimes spelled “rekt”) means wrecked. It’s used to describe a situation when someone takes a really bad loss in the cryptocurrency market. If a trade goes horribly wrong and your investment tanks, you got rekt. In crypto chats you might see “I got rekt on that trade.” It’s just slang for “I lost a lot of money on this.” The word comes from “wrecked.” If you hear “don’t get rekt,” it means don’t lose too much.

PA

PA can mean a couple of things in the context of cryptocurrencies. One is per annum (interest rates), but more often you’ll see PA meaning “price action.” As one source notes, “PA can also stand for price action, a popular term used to describe market movements on Crypto Twitter. In that sense, PA is just how the price moves over time. For example, traders might say “good PA” to mean the price action looks good. It’s not a magical term it’s just shorthand for “watching the price chart.”

PnD

PnD stands for “Pump and Dump.” This is a type of cryptocurrency scam that exploits unsuspecting investors in the digital currencies space. In a pump-and-dump scheme, a group of insiders will hype a crypto coin (the “pump”), sending its price up. Then they all sell at the top (“dump”), crashing the price and leaving others with losses. In slang, “PnD” can be used generally to warn about any suspicious, rapid rise and fall. For example: “Watch out, this looks like a PnD” meaning “be careful, it might be a pump-and-dump.”

WL

WL means “whitelist.” In crypto projects or NFT drops, a whitelist is a list of approved participants. If you are on the WL, you get early access to buy or mint before the public. The term became popular in NFT communities, particularly in discussions about smart contracts. For example, “I got WL for the new mint” means “I’m on the whitelist and can mint early.” It’s just crypto jargon for “pre-approved list.”

DEGEN

“Degen” comes from “degenerate.” It’s slang for a gambler-like trader who chases high-risk, high-reward deals. Degens are the folks diving into new meme coins or risky tokens with little research, hoping to hit it big. The Webopedia crypto dictionary says degens buy on impulse, ignoring cautious analysis. It’s not always an insult, some wear it as a badge of honor. It just means you’re part of the wild, high-risk side of crypto culture, where understanding your private key is crucial.

HODL

HODL stands for “Hold On for Dear Life.” It started from a 2013 forum typo, but now it means “don’t sell your crypto in a panic”. In practice, it’s advice to keep holding a crypto asset through ups and downs. If you bought Bitcoin or any altcoin, and the price crashes, a hodler will say “HODL” instead of selling. It’s a rallying cry: have faith in the long-term value. The original meaning was a misspelling of “hold,” but now it’s fully slang. People also call themselves “hodlers,” meaning long-term holders of a coin.

IYKYK

IYKYK stands for “If You Know, You Know.” It’s used for inside jokes or information only insiders get. In crypto, someone might post “X happened last night… IYKYK,” implying only those in the know about the latest transactions will understand. It builds a sense of community: if you understand, you’re part of the club. The phrase surged on crypto Twitter and NFT circles. It means “this will make sense only to people who were paying attention.”

Trenches

“Trenches” is slang for the very early, risky stages of crypto projects and transactions involving new smart contracts. It’s where degens dwell, taking on high risk for potential big rewards. For example, meme-coin Telegram groups are often called “the trenches”. The swapped.com crypto slang guide explains trenches as the place “where degens gather, share alpha, and discuss the next high-conviction play”. In short, if you’re “in the trenches,” you’re deep in risky early-stage crypto work, hunting for big gains.

Jeet

Jeet is short for “Just Exit Early Trader”. It’s a slightly derogatory term for someone who panic-sells too soon. If a token pumps 5× and someone sells at 2× profit, others might call them a “jeet.” The idea is that they exited early and missed the rest of the move. According to MoonTober Dev, jeets sell impulsively even on small gains because they fear missing out on a particular cryptocurrency or just want quick profit. In forums, if you sell fast on a new crypto coin, chat might spam “jeet” to tease you. It’s like calling someone a quitter for not holding on a bit longer.

Final Thought

Slang is your passport into crypto culture — but use it with intention. Don’t just try to sound like everyone else. Try to understand the mood, the timing, and the message behind the words.

If you do it right, you won’t just be speaking the language — you’ll become part of the signal.

Say this: “WAGMI, just aped into this low cap.”

Not this: “I invested in a coin and I hope it goes up.”

Final Tip: How to Use Crypto Slang Like a Pro (and Not Look Like a Normie)

If you want to be taken seriously in the crypto world, learn to use these slang terms in the right context — not just to sound cool, but to build real trust and engagement in chats, forums, and on Crypto Twitter.

Here’s a quick checklist to sound like a crypto native and actually get value out of this lingo:

What is a jeet in crypto?

A jeet (“Just Exit Early Trader”) is someone who sells their crypto too soon, often on a small profit. The term is used to tease traders who “cash out” early instead of holding for bigger gains.

What is the full form of LFG in crypto?

LFG stands for “Let’s F—ing Go!” and is often used in crypto communities. It’s just an excited cheer, meaning “let’s go!” with enthusiasm. Traders shout LFG to hype themselves or the community when something good happens.

What’s the term commonly used in cryptocurrency?

The general word for digital money is “cryptocurrency,” often shortened to “crypto.” There isn’t one single “term” beyond that. Different contexts use different words (e.g. Bitcoin, blockchain), but “crypto” is the universal shorthand. (No specific source for this answer.)

What are the best keywords for crypto?

The sources don’t list SEO keywords, but common terms include “crypto,” “blockchain,” “bitcoin,” etc. In the context of slang, important keywords are covered above (like FOMO, HODL, etc.). There wasn’t a direct answer in the sources for this

What is crypto slang?

Crypto slang is the set of informal terms and acronyms people use in the crypto world. It includes things like HODL, FOMO, and many others mentioned above. It’s basically a special crypto vocabulary that investors and enthusiasts use to talk quickly about concepts.

What does trenches mean in crypto?

In crypto slang, “trenches” refers to the earliest, riskiest stages of a project. It’s where high-risk traders (degens) hang out and discuss brand-new coins. If someone says they’re “in the trenches,” they mean they’re deeply involved in a risky, early-phase investment.