How to use this glossary.
This glossary is a decision aid, not a dictionary dump. Each term is written with the question a trader or analyst should ask before using the metric in a position plan.
English-language readers often compare exchange data with SEC and CFTC actions, spot ETF flows such as BlackRock IBIT, institutional balance-sheet news from MicroStrategy, and market data from Glassnode, Coinglass and Kaiko. CoinView treats those references as context, not as a trading signal by themselves.
| Term | Plain meaning | Risk question |
|---|---|---|
| Funding rate | Periodic payment between longs and shorts in perpetual futures. | Ask whether the crowding is large enough to change carry cost. |
| Open interest | The amount of outstanding derivative contracts. | Compare with price and volume before calling it conviction. |
| Liquidation | Forced closing when margin cannot support the position. | Check distance to liquidation, not only leverage multiple. |
| Spot ETF flow | Net creation or redemption in ETF products. | Separate one-day flow from multi-week accumulation. |
| Stablecoin flow | Movement of dollar-linked liquidity. | Ask whether liquidity is moving toward exchanges or away from risk. |
| On-chain cost basis | Estimated acquisition zone for a holder cohort. | Useful as pressure context, not an exact support line. |
Reading order.
Start with price structure, then volume, then leverage, then on-chain or ETF context. A single attractive metric should not override a failed invalidation level.
When two metrics conflict, reduce confidence instead of choosing the one that supports the desired trade.
Local context.
English-language readers should remember that SEC and CFTC actions, ETF issuer disclosures and exchange access rules can change the meaning of a signal. A metric can be correct while a product remains unsuitable or unavailable.
Signal families.
Most CoinView terms belong to one of four families: price structure, leverage, liquidity and ownership. Price structure asks where the market accepts or rejects value. Leverage asks where forced buying or selling can appear. Liquidity asks whether stablecoins and spot volume can support the move. Ownership asks which cohort may feel pressure.
A term becomes more useful when it is placed in a family. If funding is hot but spot volume is weak, the problem is not the definition of funding; the problem is that leverage is moving faster than cash demand.
Common misuse.
The most common mistake is reading a metric as a verdict. Open interest rising can mean new conviction, hedging or crowded leverage. Stablecoin inflow can mean buying power, exchange settlement or defensive parking. ETF flow can move price, but it can also lag the decision process of institutions.
CoinView glossary entries therefore end with a risk question. The question is meant to slow the reader down before the number becomes a trade.