FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt)
A strategy of spreading negative, misleading, or exaggerated information to create fear and drive down the price of a cryptocurrency. FUD can originate from competing projects, media, regulators, or market manipulators. The term is also used casually to dismiss any bearish news or criticism.
“When China announced crypto mining bans, some called it FUD, but Bitcoin's hash rate temporarily dropped 50% before miners relocated to other countries.”
Whale
An individual or entity that holds a very large amount of a particular cryptocurrency — enough that their trades can meaningfully move the market price. Whale activity is closely monitored by traders, as large buy or sell orders can signal market direction or trigger cascading liquidations.
Bear Market
A prolonged period of declining prices, typically defined as a drop of 20% or more from recent highs, accompanied by widespread pessimism and negative investor sentiment. Crypto bear markets can be especially severe, with drawdowns of 70-90% from all-time highs.
DYOR (Do Your Own Research)
The practice of thoroughly investigating a cryptocurrency project before investing, including analyzing its team, technology, tokenomics, competitive landscape, community, and potential risks. DYOR is both a personal responsibility mantra in crypto and a disclaimer often used by influencers to absolve themselves of liability for their recommendations.