F | Glossary

Failover clustering

Failover clustering is a method used to ensure the availability and reliability of applications and services by grouping multiple servers or nodes into a cluster. In the event that one node fails or experiences issues, another node in the cluster automatically takes over the workload, minimizing downtime and maintaining continuous service.

Fair AI

Fair AI refers to artificial intelligence systems designed to make unbiased decisions, ensuring equitable treatment across different demographics and minimizing discrimination.

Fakeout

A "Fakeout" is a strategic maneuver often used in various contexts, such as sports, gaming, or even negotiations, where one party deliberately deceives or misleads another to gain an advantage. By creating a false impression or pretending to take a certain action, the initiator of the fakeout aims to provoke a specific reaction or to catch the opponent off guard, thereby creating an opportunity to execute their true plan more effectively.

Falling Knife

A "Falling Knife" is a term commonly used in financial markets to describe a rapid and often steep decline in the price of a stock or other asset. The phrase suggests that attempting to buy the asset during its sharp decline is risky, akin to trying to catch a falling knife, which can result in significant financial loss if the asset continues to drop. Investors are generally advised to wait until the asset shows signs of stabilization before considering a purchase.

Falling Wedge

A "Falling Wedge" is a technical analysis chart pattern used in financial markets to predict potential bullish reversals. It is characterized by two converging trend lines that slope downwards, with the price of an asset making lower highs and lower lows within the wedge. This pattern typically indicates that selling pressure is waning, and a breakout above the upper trend line may signal a shift to an upward trend. Traders often look for this pattern to identify buying opportunities.

Faster Payments Service (FPS)

The Faster Payments Service (FPS) is a UK-based system enabling near-instantaneous money transfers between banks and financial institutions, 24/7, year-round. Launched in 2008, FPS is designed for rapid transactions, supporting individuals and businesses by improving cash flow, enhancing payment flexibility, and allowing real-time confirmation.

FATF Travel Rule

The FATF Travel Rule mandates financial institutions to share sender and recipient information for cryptocurrency transactions to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.

Faucet

A crypto faucet is a website or app that rewards users with small amounts of cryptocurrency for completing simple tasks or activities. These tasks might include solving captchas, viewing ads, playing games, or participating in surveys. The purpose of crypto faucets is typically to introduce people to cryptocurrency by providing them with small amounts of coins for free, helping them learn how to use and store digital currencies.

Fault Tolerance

Fault tolerance refers to the ability of a system, network, or process to continue operating effectively even in the event of a failure or malfunction of some of its components.

Fibonacci retracement level

Fibonacci retracement levels are a technical analysis tool used in financial markets to identify potential support and resistance levels. These levels are derived from the Fibonacci sequence, a series of numbers where each number is the sum of the two preceding ones.

Field Programmable Gate Array

A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a type of integrated circuit that can be configured by the user after manufacturing. Unlike traditional fixed-function chips, FPGAs offer flexibility and reprogrammability, allowing designers to customize hardware functionality to meet specific application requirements.

Financial Information eXchange (FIX)

The Financial Information eXchange (FIX) Protocol is a standardized electronic communication protocol used for real-time exchange of financial information, primarily in the securities trading industry.

Financial messaging

Financial messaging refers to the electronic exchange of information related to financial transactions between institutions, such as banks, investment firms, and payment processors.

First in

First In refers to the principle where the first assets or securities purchased in a portfolio are the first to be sold when determining capital gains or losses. This concept is part of the First In, First Out (FIFO) method, commonly used for accounting and tax purposes.

Flashbots

Flashbots is a research and development organization focused on addressing the issues of maximal extractable value (MEV) in blockchain networks, particularly Ethereum.

Flash crash

A "flash crash" refers to a very rapid, deep, and volatile drop in security prices occurring within an extremely short time frame, often minutes or seconds, followed by a quick recovery.

Flash Loan

A Flash Loan is a type of uncollateralized loan in the decentralized finance (DeFi) space, typically executed on blockchain platforms like Ethereum. It allows users to borrow funds instantly and repay them within a single transaction block. If the loan is not repaid within the same transaction, the entire transaction is reversed, ensuring no risk to the lender. Flash Loans are often used for arbitrage, collateral swapping, and other complex financial strategies.

Flatcoin

Flatcoin is a type of cryptocurrency designed to maintain a stable value by being pegged to a specific asset or basket of assets, often used to hedge against inflation.

Flippening

The Flippening refers to the potential event where Ethereum's market capitalization surpasses that of Bitcoin, indicating a shift in dominance within the cryptocurrency market.

Flipping

Flipping refers to the practice of buying an asset, such as real estate, stocks, or other goods, with the intention of quickly reselling it for a profit. This strategy often involves making improvements or leveraging market conditions to increase the asset's value before selling.

Fork

A fork in the context of blockchain technology refers to a situation where a blockchain diverges into two separate paths, either due to a change in the protocol or a disagreement within the community. This can result in two distinct versions of the blockchain, each with its own set of rules and governance. Forks can be categorized into "soft forks," which are backward-compatible updates, and "hard forks," which are not backward-compatible and create a new blockchain.

Fraud Prevention

Fraud prevention refers to the strategies and measures implemented to detect, deter, and mitigate fraudulent activities. It involves using technology, policies, and procedures to protect individuals and organizations from financial and reputational harm.

Fraud Scoring

Fraud scoring is a method used to assess the likelihood that a transaction or activity is fraudulent. It involves analyzing various data points and patterns to assign a risk score, which helps businesses and financial institutions identify and prevent potential fraud.

Frictionless transactions

Frictionless transactions refer to seamless and efficient exchanges of goods, services, or information, characterized by minimal barriers or delays.

Friendly Fraud

Friendly fraud occurs when a customer makes a purchase online with their credit card and then disputes the charge with their bank, despite having received the product or service.

Front Running

Front running is the unethical practice of a broker trading an equity based on advance knowledge of pending orders from its customers.

FUD

FUD stands for Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt. It is a strategy used in marketing, sales, politics, and propaganda to influence perception by disseminating negative, dubious, or false information. The goal is to create a sense of fear, uncertainty, and doubt among the target audience, thereby undermining confidence in a competitor's product, service, or position.

Fully homomorphic encryption (FHE)

Fully homomorphic encryption (FHE) is an advanced cryptographic technique that allows computations to be performed on encrypted data without needing to decrypt it first. This means that data can remain secure and private while being processed, enabling secure data analysis and computation in cloud computing and other applications.

Fungible

Fungible refers to assets or goods that are interchangeable and identical in value, allowing them to be easily exchanged or replaced with others of the same kind. Common examples include currencies, commodities like gold or oil, and certain financial instruments. The concept of fungibility is crucial in markets and economies, as it ensures liquidity and standardization in trading.

Futo

Futo is a term that can refer to various things depending on the context. In the realm of sushi, "futo" is short for "futomaki," which is a type of thick sushi roll filled with a variety of ingredients such as vegetables, fish, and sometimes egg, all wrapped in seaweed and rice. In another context, Futo could also refer to a location, such as a town or city, or even a character name in various forms of media.

Glossary