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Reference

Glossary

The language of markets, defined plainly — the terms our coverage uses and what they actually mean.

E

Equity
An ownership stake in a company. Shareholders have a claim on profits and assets after every creditor has been paid, which is why equity is riskier than the same company's debt.
ETF
A fund holding a basket of assets whose shares trade on an exchange like a single stock. Most track an index, though actively managed ETFs exist.
Ethereum
A blockchain designed to run programs — smart contracts — as well as move value. It moved from proof of work to proof of stake in 2022, and most DeFi and token activity has…
Exchange
A venue for trading assets. A centralised exchange holds customer funds and matches orders on its own systems; a decentralised exchange settles trades through smart contracts with users keeping custody.