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Glossary

FUD

Acronym for "Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt" — used in crypto to label negative information about an asset, often dismissively whether or not the claims are legitimate.

"FUD" predates crypto (originally an IBM-era marketing pejorative) but has been extensively repurposed by crypto culture. It labels negative information about a project or asset — usually with the implication that the claim is exaggerated, motivated, or wrong.

The term is used both legitimately (dismissing actual manipulation campaigns) and as a deflection (rejecting valid criticism as "FUD" to avoid engaging with it). Recognizing the difference is one of the more important skills for evaluating crypto information ecosystems.