$BTC "Crypto" is short for cryptocurrency, which is a type of digital or virtual currency that uses cryptography for security. Unlike traditional money issued by governments (like dollars or rupees), cryptocurrencies are typically decentralized and run on blockchain technology—a distributed ledger that records all transactions across a network of computers.

Here are a few key points:

Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency, created in 2009.

Other popular ones include Ethereum, Solana, Cardano, and Ripple (XRP).

People use crypto for trading, investing, sending money, or even for certain apps and games.

It's known for being highly volatile