Popular Crypto Slang Terms. Part 8

In the crypto community, the term "alpha" has multiple meanings but is primarily used to denote early access to information or investment opportunities. Having an alpha pass to a cryptocurrency or platform means you're almost an insider, legally privy to information that others will only learn after the official release. This allows you to buy coins at a lower price or test platform functionalities before others.

The term "Alpha" is also used to describe investments with potentially high returns but high risks. For example, participating in an ICO can be considered an alpha investment.

However, be wary: shillers often entice newcomers by tagging projects destined for a rug pull with this word.

This slang expression, short for "When will you buy a Lamborghini?", commonly appears in comments on cryptocurrency posts across platforms like X, Reddit, Telegram, and others frequented by crypto traders. Its catchy nature has helped it become a viral phrase among market participants.

Often, "Wen Lambo" expresses investors' impatience regarding their open positions or specific assets. 

Sometimes, experienced investors use it ironically to underscore the unrealistic expectations of novice traders.

First, it’s because of the bull depicted on the sports car’s emblem. The brand's founder, Ferruccio Lamborghini, placed this animal on the logo in honor of his Zodiac sign, Taurus, without knowing the extra profit it would eventually bring the company.

Second, the car manufacturer, Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., enthusiastically sells this prestigious vehicle for cryptocurrency through the payment provider BitPay. In 2017, when there was a surge in buying cars with crypto, The New York Times even published an article about this trend, noting that "the only acceptable way to spend money in the crypto community is to buy a Lamborghini."

This slang term is commonly used in the cryptocurrency community when discussing hyped altcoins or meme coins. It is a blend of "pump" and "fundamentals."

Pumpamentals suggests that investment decisions are made not based on the fundamental analysis of the project (technology, team, business model) but rather influenced by sharp emotions like FOMO and the desire to quickly profit from a price pump. 

Projects characterized by pumpamentals often lack real value and long-term development prospects. However, they can generate significant hype through: 

• Alignment with popular narratives;
• Active marketing campaigns;
• Support from influential figures and opinion leaders;
• Unjustifiably generous tokenomics;
• Viral advertising. 

In such conditions, even an asset that seems pointless at first glance can receive a substantial pump. Thus, there are always investors—greedy or risk-taking—who are looking to make a quick profit. 

Blockchains that continue to operate but have lost most of their user base and value are referred to as zombie chains. Unfortunately, projects that are more dead than alive are not rare in the crypto market. These projects often suffer from neglected code that hasn't been touched by developers in years, and user activity diminishes annually.A prime example of a zombie network is Secret Network. Once a popular first-tier blockchain based on Cosmos with its own anonymous cryptocurrency SCRT, technical issues and internal conflicts led to the project losing more than 85% of its market cap in 2023, with the token price continuing to fall.

Clearly, this is quite a subjective parameter, so don't be dismayed if a project in which you are financially involved is labeled in this way.