Crypto 101
Crypto 101: learn crypto in plain English
A calm, UK-focused learning centre for complete beginners. No jargon, no hype, and no financial advice — just clear explanations to help you understand crypto, and the risks, before you decide anything.
Start here
Choose your starting point
Six short pathways through the basics. Follow them in order, or jump to what you need.
Step 1New to cryptoWhat crypto is, in plain English, and how it works.Start →
Step 2Buying your first cryptoHow buying works in the UK, and what to check first.Learn →
Step 3Wallets & exchangesWhere crypto is held, and the difference that matters.Learn →
Step 4Keeping crypto safeAvoiding scams and protecting your account.Learn →
Step 5Understanding riskWhy prices move and why crypto is high risk.Learn →
Step 6Stablecoins & market basicsStablecoins, volatility and reading the market.Learn →
Featured guides
Beginner guides
Plain-English explainers, written for UK readers.
Before you buy crypto
A quick checklist to run through first.
- You are only using money you can afford to lose.
- You understand crypto is not protected like savings (no FSCS or Ombudsman).
- You have checked the platform on the FCA Register.
- You have checked the FCA Warning List.
- You know the current fees, from the provider’s own site.
- You have turned on two-factor authentication.
- You understand prices can fall sharply and quickly.
- You will never share your wallet recovery phrase.
Common beginner mistakes
The pitfalls that catch people out most often.
- Investing more than you can afford to lose.
- Trusting “guaranteed returns” or tips from social media and messaging apps.
- Sharing a recovery phrase, or letting someone remote-control your device.
- Assuming crypto is protected in the same way as a bank account.
- Rushing in because of fear of missing out.
- Not checking whether an app, website or firm is genuine.
Crypto terms explained
A plain-English mini glossary.
- Blockchain
- A shared, tamper-resistant record of transactions kept across many computers.
- Wallet
- A tool that stores the keys used to access and move your crypto.
- Private key / recovery phrase
- The secret that controls your crypto. Anyone who has it can take your funds.
- Exchange
- A platform where you can buy, sell and sometimes store crypto.
- Stablecoin
- A crypto that aims to track a steady value, often a currency like the US dollar.
- Volatility
- How sharply a price moves up and down. Crypto is highly volatile.
- Custody
- Who holds your crypto — the platform (custodial) or you (non-custodial).
- FCA
- The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority. Check firms on its Register and Warning List.
Stay safe in UK crypto
Crypto is high risk and largely unregulated in the UK, and most crypto is not protected by the FSCS or the Financial Ombudsman Service. Learn how to check a firm and avoid scams before you send any money.
Keep exploring
Risk warning Cryptoassets are high risk and volatile, and are largely unregulated in the UK. You could lose all the money you invest, and most crypto is not protected by the FSCS or the Financial Ombudsman Service. This is educational information only, not financial advice. Only invest what you can afford to lose.