Skip to main content
Trading Glossary

Smart Contract

Basics

What it means

A self-executing computer program stored on a blockchain. Smart contracts automatically enforce the terms of an agreement when predetermined conditions are met, without requiring intermediaries.

Example

A DeFi lending protocol uses smart contracts to automatically distribute interest to lenders and manage collateral, with no human intervention required.

Mistake beginners make

Beginners assume smart contracts are always secure. Bugs or vulnerabilities in smart contract code can be exploited by hackers, often resulting in irreversible loss of funds.

Related terms

  • Blockchain — A decentralized, distributed digital ledger that records transactions across many computer…
  • Gas Fee — A transaction fee paid to blockchain network validators (miners or stakers) to process and…

← Trading Terms, Explained Simply