# Crypto: Back to Basics **Published by:** [limes.eth](https://paragraph.com/@limes/) **Published on:** 2021-12-30 **URL:** https://paragraph.com/@limes/crypto-back-to-basics ## Content It has been my experience that any master of a given subject started with a strong understanding of the fundamentals instead of a flimsy understanding of complicated topics. That is why I will be writing to answer the questions I most commonly get from people just starting out. I am always open to feedback and corrections, feel free to DM me on Twitter @EnlightenedLime What is Cryptocurrency? Cryptocurrency is a digital currency that utilizes a blockchain for record keeping. What is Blockchain? A Blockchain is a ledger with three distinct features.It’s Decentralized. Records are replicated to multiple validators of the blockchain.They have Peer-to-Peer transactions. No party can prevent you from using the blockchain as it’s decentralized to multiple parties.It uses cryptography to record ownership. Every user of a blockchain has a public key (Like a username) and a private key (Like a password). Using a private key to interact with the blockchain leaves a “signature” of your public key. So your public key can be derived from your private key but not vice versa. Assets are recorded on the ledger according to the blockchains public keys. ## Publication Information - [limes.eth](https://paragraph.com/@limes/): Publication homepage - [All Posts](https://paragraph.com/@limes/): More posts from this publication - [RSS Feed](https://api.paragraph.com/blogs/rss/@limes): Subscribe to updates