Crypto Basics

Foundational concepts every crypto user should know.

Brand-new to crypto, or returning after a long break? Start here. These guides cover wallets, addresses, transactions, gas, mempools, and finality — the vocabulary you need before you touch real funds.

Square SSP Academy cover: reading a blockchain explorer

How to read a block explorer, and why you should

An explorer lets you check your wallet's claims against the chain instead of taking them on faith. Which six fields actually matter, what an explorer can't tell you, and an honest note about whose node you're really reading when you tap through from SSP.

6 min
Square SSP Academy cover: proof of work versus proof of stake

Proof of work and proof of stake: what a blockchain is actually buying

Both mechanisms solve the same problem — making participation cost something real so identities can't be faked for free. One spends energy up front, the other risks the attacker's capital afterwards. What each actually buys, and why it matters far less to your security than you'd think.

6 min
Square SSP Academy cover: the UTXO model, account balances and Solana rent

Coins, balances and accounts: why "how much do I have" has three different answers

Bitcoin stores no balances at all, Ethereum stores a balance and a counter, and Solana charges rent for existing. Why that explains high fees on small payments, transactions that fail and still cost money, and tokens that seem to vanish.

6 min
Square SSP Academy cover: crypto address formats and failed sends

Why your address doesn't look like theirs: address formats, and why sends fail

An address is a compressed description of what has to be true for coins to move — which is why a 2-of-2 multisig address is longer than a single-key one. The formats, why SSP's look unusual, and the Bitcoin Cash trap that CashAddr was invented to fix.

6 min
SSP Academy square cover: comparing self-custody options

Comparing Self-Custody Options

Seed phrase, hardware wallet, MPC, multisig — an honest comparison of what each model actually guarantees, what it costs you, and how to pick.

7 min
SSP Academy cover for a beginner guide to mobile crypto wallets and SSP Key

Mobile Crypto Wallet: Strengths, Risks, and SSP Key

What mobile crypto wallets get right — always-on access, biometric unlock, QR scanning — where they fall short, and how SSP Key fits as a signer.

7 min
Illustration of a browser extension wallet protected by a sandbox and a 2-of-2 signing lock

Browser Extension Wallets, Explained

How browser extension wallets work, the security risks they carry, and how SSP contains them with LavaMoat sandboxing and a 2-of-2 design.

6 min
SSP Academy cover comparing a software wallet on a phone with a dedicated hardware wallet device

Software Wallet vs Hardware Wallet: A Guide

Software wallet vs hardware wallet, explained for beginners: what each is good at, where each is weak, and where SSP fits in between.

7 min
SSP Academy cover comparing a network-connected hot wallet with an offline cold wallet

Hot Wallet vs Cold Wallet: A Beginner Guide

Hot wallet vs cold wallet, explained for beginners: online convenience vs offline safety, what cold storage protects against, and the middle ground.

7 min
Illustration of a crypto wallet as a keyring holding private and public keys, with a blockchain ledger behind it

What Is a Crypto Wallet? Keys, Coins, and Control

A crypto wallet stores keys, not coins. Learn how private keys, public keys, addresses, and signatures work — and what a wallet really is.

7 min
Step-by-step illustration of an SSP wallet being set up on a phone and a browser

Setting up your first SSP wallet

Step-by-step setup guide for SSP Wallet: install the app and extension, pair two devices, generate a 2-of-2 wallet, and send your first transaction.

6 min
Square SSP Wallet brand cover with the SSP logo and self-custody icons.

Meet SSP Wallet: Self-Custody With 2-of-2 Multisig

SSP is a self-custody wallet with 2-of-2 multisig built in. Two devices co-sign every transaction; neither can move funds alone.

6 min