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Blockchain basics, Bitcoin, Ethereum, DeFi, wallets, exchanges, trading strategies, and regulations.
Cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual currency secured by cryptography, operating on decentralized blockchain technology. Bitcoin (2009) was the first cryptocurrency.
| Cryptocurrency | Symbol | Launch | Consensus | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin | BTC | 2009 | Proof of Work | Digital gold, store of value, first crypto |
| Ethereum | ETH | 2015 | Proof of Stake | Smart contracts, DeFi, NFTs, dApps platform |
| BNB | BNB | 2017 | PoSA (BSC) | Binance ecosystem, low fees, EVM compatible |
| Solana | SOL | 2020 | Proof of History | Fast (65K TPS), very low fees |
| Cardano | ADA | 2017 | Proof of Stake | Peer-reviewed, academic approach |
| XRP | XRP | 2012 | XRP Ledger Consensus | Cross-border payments, fast settlement |
| Dogecoin | DOGE | 2013 | Proof of Work | Meme coin, community-driven, tipping |
| USD Tether | USDT | 2014 | Fiat-backed | Stablecoin pegged to USD for trading |
DeFi uses smart contracts on blockchain to recreate traditional financial services (lending, borrowing, trading, insurance) without intermediaries like banks or brokers.
| Protocol Type | Purpose | Examples | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| DEX (Decentralized Exchange) | Swap tokens without intermediary | Uniswap, SushiSwap, PancakeSwap | Smart contract risk, impermanent loss |
| Lending/Borrowing | Lend crypto for interest, borrow with collateral | Aave, Compound, MakerDAO | Liquidation risk, smart contract risk |
| Stablecoins | Crypto pegged to fiat currency | USDT, USDC, DAI | Depegging risk, reserve risk |
| Yield Farming | Earn yield by providing liquidity to DEX pools | Uniswap LP, Curve Finance | Impermanent loss, rug pull risk |
| Staking | Lock crypto to support network security and earn rewards | Lido, Rocket Pool (ETH) | Slashing risk, lock-up period |
| Derivatives | Trading futures, options on crypto | dYdX, GMX, Synthetix | High leverage risk, liquidation |
| Insurance | Protect against smart contract failures | Nexus Mutual, InsurAce | Coverage may not pay out |
| Bridge | Transfer assets between blockchains | Wormhole,Across,Stargate | Bridge hack risk, front-running |
| Type | Description | Security | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardware Wallet | Physical device stores private keys offline | Highest - cold storage | Ledger, Trezor, Keystone |
| Software Wallet (Non-custodial) | App stores keys on your device | High - you control keys | MetaMask, Phantom, Trust Wallet |
| Exchange Wallet | Exchange holds your private keys | Lower - exchange controls | Binance, Coinbase, WazirX |
| Paper Wallet | Private key printed on paper | High if stored safely | Generated from bitaddress.org |
| Multi-sig Wallet | Requires multiple signatures to spend | Very High - distributed trust | Gnosis Safe, Electrum |
| Exchange | Features | Fees | Regulatory Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| CoinDCX | Largest Indian exchange, most pairs | 0.06% maker, 0.06% taker | 1% TDS + 30% tax on profits |
| WazirX | P2P trading, Indian INR pairs | 0.2% maker, 0.2% taker | P2P withdrawal, regulatory uncertainty |
| CoinSwitch | Simple UI, INR pairs, 100M+ users | Built-in spread | 1% TDS compliance |
| ZebPay | Banking integration, simple | Built-in spread | SEBI registered, compliant |
| BuyUcoin | Low fees, Indian rupee support | 0.24% trading fee | Tax compliant |
| Order Type | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Market Order | Buy/sell instantly at best available price | Quick trades, price not critical |
| Limit Order | Buy at or below / sell at or above set price | Specific entry/exit price |
| Stop-Loss | Trigger sell when price drops to set level | Protect against crashes |
| Take Profit | Trigger sell when price rises to target | Lock in profits at target |
| OCO (One-Cancels-Other) | Stop-loss + take-profit combined | Automated risk management |
| ICE (Iceberg) | Large order split into smaller pieces | Institutional/whale trades |
| Transaction | Tax Treatment | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selling Crypto (Profit) | Virtual Digital Asset (VDA) Tax | 30% flat + 4% cess | No distinction between short/long term capital gains |
| Crypto Losses | Cannot offset against income | 0% | Losses cannot be set off or carried forward |
| Receiving Crypto | Taxable as income if consideration received | As per slab | Mining income, airdrops with value |
| Crypto-to-Crypto Swap | Taxable event | 30% | Swapping BTC for ETH = selling BTC (taxable) |
| Gift/Transfer of Crypto | Taxable in hands of recipient | 30% | Gifting crypto attracts 30% tax for receiver |
| TDS on Transactions | Deducted by exchange at 1% | 1% | TDS deducted on all crypto sales above ₹50K (₹10K in case of specified persons) |
| Airdrops | Taxable as income at fair market value | As per slab | Tokens received for free, valued at receipt date |
| Mining/Staking Income | Taxable as income | As per slab | Value of crypto received on mining/staking date |
| Method | Approach | Tools | Skill Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical Analysis | Charts, indicators, patterns | TradingView, CoinGlass, RSI, MACD | Intermediate |
| Fundamental Analysis | Project utility, team, tokenomics | CoinGecko, Messari, whitepaper | Advanced |
| On-Chain Analysis | Blockchain data (whale tracking, exchange flows) | Glassnode, Dune Analytics, Nansen | Advanced |
| Sentiment Analysis | Social media, news, fear/greed index | LunarCrush, Santiment, Twitter | Intermediate |
| DCA (Dollar Cost Averaging) | Fixed amount at fixed intervals | Any exchange | Beginner |
| Yield Farming | Provide liquidity for token rewards | Uniswap, Yearn Finance | Advanced |