NFTs can be minted using an online marketplace or directly on the blockchain

NFTs create a unique digital signature to prove ownership

NFTs create digital certificates for unique online collectibles, mainly on the Ethereum blockchain. Artists can leverage NFTs to verify their online works.

The acronym NFT stands for non-fungible token

NFTs have developed as a secure way to use cryptocurrencies and the blockchain to create unique digital art, allowing the owner to prove ownership of a specific digital item.

NFTs can be used for fractionalized ownership of assets

Non-fungible token is a term used to describe a unique digital asset whose ownership is tracked on a blockchain, such as Ethereum.

A beginner's guide to creating your own NFT

It took 12 hours and three different Apple devices, but this 30-something poet successfully minted her first NFT, and so can you. Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating an NFT.

Smart contracts are the foundational technology behind NFTs

Smart contracts use “if that, then this” logic to track the ownership of NFTs and record when they are bought and sold on the blockchain.

At their peak, some believed NFT royalties could create a new income source for artists

Non-fungible tokens’ role in the art world is evolving with experiments such as automated NFT royalties that generate income when an NFT is resold.

NFTs are unique assets that exist on the blockchain

This SNL skit accurately defines non-fungible tokens in a song and skit. They are cryptographic tokens that represent digital assets like art, and their value can be volatile.

The US Mint created a video to show kids how coins are made

The video, made simple for children (or anyone who wants an easy-to-understand 101 video about the process coins go through to get in your wallet), outlines the entire process that a coin goes through in its lifetime, from Congress voting on new coins, to how coins are stamped, to their journey to a Reserve Bank.

NFT trading volumes rose 700% in the third quarter of 2021

Non-fungible tokens, digital assets backed by smart contracts, gained mainstream recognition in 2021 as the digital assets’ popularity rose in tandem with investors’ appetite for risk. NFTs are unique and not divisible.

The biggest NFT projects that live on Ethereum include Bored Apes

Non-fungible tokens are primarily built on the Ethereum blockchain, though other blockchains host the tokens. NFT projects hosted on Ethereum include Bored Apes and plots of land in Decentraland.

Crypto exchanges are online platforms to buy, sell, and exchange cryptocurrencies

Crypto exchanges have grown alongside and fueled the boom in digital currencies. Popular exchanges like Coinbase, Kraken, and Binance each have separate features, fee structures, and more. You can learn how to begin with the platforms, how to carry out research, and when to be aware of the associated risks.

NFTs have been leveraged by brands to represent physical and digital items

The buzz around non-fungible tokens has faded since 2021 to 2022, when brands including Prada and Starbucks launched their own NFTs. While Prada’s NFTs were linked to limited-edition fashion items, Starbucks’ were part of a loyalty program.

Before the US Mint, people made currency in private mints

Around the year 1652, New England coinage was created at private mints. Historically, private mints were often located in places where governments did not meet the demand for currency. This article dives into the history of private mints, including the ones people can still visit today.

The future of the internet

Blockchain? Crypto? NFTs? Oh my. Gilles DC provides a simple breakdown of what Web3 is, what it involves, its connection with web currencies, and how you can begin your own explorations of this brave new world. Gilles promises to describe Web3 in one take, explain how the reader can take advantage of it, and how blockchain might build a better society as a result.

What are smart contracts?

Smart contracts are potentially one of the most useful tools associated with blockchain, and they can enable the transfer of everything from Bitcoin and fiat currency to goods transported around the world. Here’s what they do and why they’re likely to gain traction.

‘Mint marks’ are tiny letters on US coins that correspond to which mint location created them

As more mint branches opened up after Philadelphia (the first mint location), these “mint marks” helped hold each branch responsible for the quality of the coin. A coin minted in Philadelphia, for instance, would have the letter “P” on it. Some mint marks are extremely rare, making coins displaying them particularly valuable to collectors.

A unique art piece became the most expensive NFT when it sold for $92M

Non-fungible tokens sold for millions of dollars during their popularity peak from 2021 to 2022, with the top ten most expensive NFTs all costing upwards of $7M.

Watch an expert explain blockchain technology to five different people: a child, a teen, a college student, a grad student, and a fellow expert.

Ethereum Founder Vitalik Buterin was surprised by the emergence of NFTs

Scams have pervaded the NFT space and made critics question their legitimacy, but proponents believe their use cases could one day extend to real estate and credit scores.

See how the concept of verification and addition to the blockchain works in real time.

Every transaction made via bitcoin is recorded on its blockchain—the decentralized, distributed ledger that provides a permanent and transparent record of the currency's entire history. While that may sound abstract, the technology allows anyone to monitor and confirm each of the transactions.

Proof-of-work is the original way cryptocurrencies added new blocks to blockchains

It’s a competitive method requiring “miners” to solve cryptographic puzzles, often using equipment that consumes massive amounts of energy. Ethereum switched to proof-of-stake, a less energy-intensive method in which “validators” stake crypto to be randomly chosen to check transactions.

A simple visual explanation of how blockchains work

Blockchains are decentralized, distributed, and digital methods to record transactions and prevent alterations and tampering of the record. That's a simplified definition. This easy-to-understand six-minute video further and better explains what blockchains are and how they work using colorful illustrations and clear, concise clarifications on their processes and what makes them so special.

The stock market, explained in 3 minutes

The stock market consists of a set of exchanges and other venues where shares of public companies are bought and sold. The Nasdaq and the New York Stock Exchange are two of the most well-known exchanges in the US, while major exchanges also operate around the world, including in Tokyo, Shanghai, London, and São Paulo.

Bitcoin mining validates/adds bitcoin transactions onto the blockchain

Mining, done by a decentralized network of actors, is incredibly energy intensive, making the award of bitcoins a major incentive.

Listen to a podcast episode about the time a 'Bored Ape' NFT—a valuable, unique digital asset stored on a blockchain—was kidnapped.

The blockchain offers tantalizing possibilities for future use

Think of blockchains as a running list of information, where new details are added to the running chain as discrete "blocks." With crypto, the information contained within each block could be virtually anything, providing flexibility for uses in commerce, legal filings, healthcare records, and more.

Ethereum is a blockchain-powered operating system known for its cryptocurrency, ether

Ethereum's underlying blockchain allows developers to build decentralized applications (dApps) that leverage smart contracts to seamlessly run decentralized financial tools (crypto wallets, exchanges, marketplaces, and more), along with Web3 concepts like non-fungible tokens.

Bitcoin explained and made simple

Bitcoin, the most popular and well-known example of a cryptocurrency, came on the scene around 2010, with its evangelists proclaiming it would eventually displace government-backed traditional cash. While the concept of a digital currency may seem straightforward, the details can be deceptively simple. This quick video overview provides the foundation for a deeper dive into the world of decentralized currency.

Memecoins are cryptocurrency created around popular 'memes,' or viral internet jokes

Dogecoin is perhaps the most famous "memecoin." While they tend to be more volatile than other types of crypto (after all, they're often created due to ephemeral trends), that doesn't mean they can't be valuable: Dogecoin is currently one of the most valuable cryptocurrencies in the world.

The Nasdaq was founded in 1971, marking the debut of electronic trading

The Nasdaq stock exchange arguably invented electronic trading, making it a key part of fintech history. It's often used as a benchmark for how the tech industry is performing.

There are three main ways to start investing in the bond market

Invest in the boind market through a brokerage, mutual fund or ETF, or the US government. Each has different steps and terms to follow, from starting rates to opening specific accounts. Some bonds are relatively easy to purchase, but the process differs depending on the type of bond you want.

Over-the-counter markets are used to bypass traditional exchanges while trading

Commodities are regularly traded via OTC markets so that buyers and sellers can bypass central exchanges and negotiate terms more directly. Before the advent of formal exchanges, most assets were traded OTC.

Learn about Web3 and how it differs from past versions of the internet

Web3 is the idea of a new, decentralized internet built on blockchain technology. It aims to shift control from centralized entities like big tech companies to users through distributed ledgers and smart contracts. Key components include cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) that operate without a central authority. Web3 promises more user privacy, ownership, and control over data and digital assets.

Investors trading their municipal bonds can't use the same method to purchase them

Instead, they’ll have to go through the secondary market, which has its own set of rules and steps to follow. An illustrated, explanatory video can help you learn how to sell your municipal bonds for the best market value.

Minting a coin that can pay off the federal debt has been proposed as a quick fix to rampant borrowing.

The platinum coin, explained by the creator of the idea

An obscure US Mint law permitting it to create platinum coins of any amount surfaced as a possible means of quickly paying down the national debt. Here's an explanation from the creator of the idea.

In 1792, Congress established the first national mint to produce all the coins in the US

At the same time, the US also started producing the dollar, its first official currency. The US Mint has since issued coins throughout the country.

A look at nodes and miners in managing bitcoin transactions

Each time a transaction involving bitcoin is carried out, the information must be relayed and recorded onto the currency’s blockchain. Multiple steps are involved, including the passage of the transaction to various nodes and miners who comprise multiple layers of verification and validation. See an illustrated guide to how these two crucial features of bitcoin processing work here.

Bubbles can exist in markets for collectibles, not just industries and technology

This podcast tells how "Magic: The Gathering" faced its own speculative bubble as rare cards surged in resale value—risking a Beanie Baby-style crash. It follows how the game’s creators tried to engineer a system to keep a collectibles market from collapsing.

Using cryptocurrency to turn traditional financial arrangements on their head

Cryptocurrency is poised to drastically change everything in the financial world, including financial arrangements. Decentralized finance makes it easier for virtually anyone to take advantage of financial markets without the need for a bank. However, there are new risks involved as well. Professor of Legal Studies and Business Ethics Kevin Werbach, an expert on Bitcoin and blockchains discusses it all in detail in The Conversation.

Decentraland is a virtual world that runs on Ethereum

Users can buy plots of land in the virtual Decentraland universe to collect, trade, and battle Pokemon-like monsters in the video game “Axie Infinity.”

Decentralized applications are blockchain-based and run without a central authority

These apps use smart contracts to automatically execute functions, ensuring security, transparency, and censorship resistance. Built on platforms like Ethereum, Solana, and Binance Smart Chain, DApps power DeFi, NFTs, gaming, and social media, offering users control over their data and assets.

Meme stocks often have little underlying value but are fueled by crowd funding

"Meme stocks" is a phrase originating in the early 2020s, referring to companies with little underlying value who gain recognition through social media and whose stock price experiences rapid gains.

The number of active art NFT traders peaked above 529,000 in 2021

The market for art non-fungible tokens has collapsed since its 2021 peak. In 2024, it had just 76,000 active traders.

Top Ethereum dApps

Thousands of decentralized apps (dApps) run on Ethereum, including marketplaces, financial platforms, and social networks. Top apps include Uniswap, a decentralized exchange for buying and selling cryptocurrency, and OpenSea, the biggest marketplace for buying and selling non-fungible tokens (NFTs). New apps are built on Ethereum all the time, facilitating billions of dollars worth of transactions. Explore the biggest ones here.

What is an AirDrop?

An Airdrop is whenever a platform sends a large majority of people a token they have created, usually as a form of advertising or to reward early adopters.

Ethereum is a blockchain-powered platform for building decentralized software and apps

Among crypto enthusiasts, ethereum is known for the cryptocurrency it uses to facilitate transactions: ether, or ETH. It's often compared to an app store. The underpinnings of ethereum's blockchain include dApps, which operate using automated scripts called "smart contracts."

Explaining the Ethereum merge in simple terms

Ethereum slowly switched the way it adds blocks to the chain. In 2022, it completed its transition from a proof-of-work model to a proof-of-stake model. That event, called “The Merge,” happened when it combined two Ethereum blockchains operating under different systems. For an explanation of proof-of-work and proof-of-stake, and the significance of switching from one to the other, read this article.

Distinguishing between Web 1.0, 2.0, and 3, all made possible by the internet

The World Wide Web began as read-only, static webpages on Web 1.0, where data could not be entered. With Web 2.0, the online interface became a read-write space for data entry, post creation, and forum participation, among other activities. Web3 is intended to be decentralized, user-owned, and built on blockchain technology.

How exchanges like the Chicago Mercantile act as trading referees

Chicago's Mercantile Exchange emphasizes futures contracts on commodities. This podcast episode breaks down how exchanges actually work, make money, and streamline the market.