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On-chain analytics for beginners

Short definitions of the terms used across DappScope, each linked to a deeper guide.

On-chain analytics describes publicly visible blockchain balances and transfers. These definitions explain the language used across DappScope without turning observations into promises about safety, reserves or withdrawal speed.

Follow the linked guides for context and limitations. Gambling is for adults aged 18+ or the higher local legal age only. Set spending and time limits, never chase losses, and use responsible gambling support or self-exclusion if gambling causes harm.

Hot wallet

A hot wallet is a cryptocurrency wallet whose signing keys are available to an online system for operational transfers.

A casino hot wallet can fund routine outgoing payments without moving every transaction through offline storage. Its visible balance describes assets at attributed addresses, not everything the business owns or owes. Operators may maintain separate wallets across tokens and networks, and a payment processor may serve several brands. A large balance is not a safety certificate; a small balance may reflect routine treasury management. Read the wallet reserves walkthrough for practical context.

Cold wallet

A cold wallet is a cryptocurrency wallet whose signing keys are kept offline.

Cold storage separates signing keys from ordinary internet-connected payment systems. An operator may transfer funds from offline storage into operational wallets when needed, but observers cannot assume that an undisclosed reserve exists. Multisignature controls can strengthen authorisation arrangements, although multisignature alone does not mean the keys are offline. A quiet address is not automatically cold storage or evidence of ownership. The reserves walkthrough explains why visible hot wallets provide only a partial picture.

Proof of reserves

Proof of reserves is evidence intended to demonstrate assets held against a defined set of customer liabilities at a stated point in time.

A useful reserves disclosure explains both assets and the obligations those assets must cover. Some schemes combine evidence of wallet control with a cryptographic commitment to customer balances. Scope matters: omitted liabilities, borrowed assets or excluded entities can make a reassuring snapshot misleading. A public wallet balance alone does not establish this relationship or guarantee future payments. Read the wallet reserves guide to distinguish observable holdings from broader claims about an operator's finances.

TVL

Total value locked, or TVL, is the estimated value of assets held within a defined set of blockchain contracts or addresses.

TVL depends on which assets and addresses a dataset includes and how it prices them. In decentralised finance it often refers to assets deposited into protocols; on a casino dashboard, check whether a label instead describes observed wallet holdings. Neither interpretation establishes net assets after liabilities. Price movements can change the displayed value without any transfer. Use casino analytics as a view of attributed hot-wallet balances, not as a measure of total customer protection or verified reserves.

Net flow

Net flow is observed incoming value minus observed outgoing value over the same reporting period and coverage.

DappScope calculates casino net flow as seven-day deposits minus outgoing transfers reported as withdrawals. A positive figure means more observed value entered than left; a negative figure means the reverse. Neither result is equivalent to profit or loss, because transfers can include treasury movements and the dataset does not contain every internal wager or obligation. Compare like periods and coverage before interpreting changes. The wallet flow reports provide context for these calculations and their underlying observations.

Wallet labelling

Wallet labelling is the attribution of a blockchain address to an entity or operational role using supporting evidence.

A label connects an otherwise pseudonymous address with a possible operator, service or function. Public tags and transaction relationships can support attribution, but a label can be incomplete, outdated or wrong. Shared payment infrastructure also complicates assumptions about who controls funds. An address without a label is unknown, not automatically suspicious. DappScope's review methodology distinguishes public third-party attribution from operator confirmation, so treat labels as evidence to assess rather than ownership certificates.

Provably fair

Provably fair describes a scheme that lets users reproduce a recorded game outcome from committed and subsequently disclosed inputs.

Many schemes commit to a hidden server seed before play, then disclose it so users can check the commitment and recompute results with the required inputs. Verification depends on the exact algorithm, input formatting and outcome mapping. It does not establish a favourable house edge, lawful access, solvency or reliable withdrawals. Some implementations operate off-chain despite using cryptography. The provably fair explanation separates a reproducible result from the wider claims often attached to a fairness badge.

House edge

House edge is the operator's mathematical advantage expressed as an expected share of wagers under specified rules and assumptions.

House edge comes from the probabilities and net payouts of a particular game, not from a recent sequence of wins or losses. It describes expected cost across wagering under its assumptions, rather than a fixed loss deducted from every deposit. Rules, strategy and optional bets can change the calculation. A lower stated edge does not remove the risk of losing your entire gambling budget. The house edge guide explains expected value, variance and why streaks do not create a reliable winning system.

RTP

Return to player, or RTP, is the expected proportion of wagers returned under a game's specified rules and assumptions.

Theoretical RTP concerns wagering volume, not the amount somebody should recover from a single deposit or session. Actual results can differ widely, and the applicable figure may depend on a game's configuration, payout table or player decisions. Under consistent definitions, theoretical RTP and house edge are complementary. Observed casino outgoing transfers divided by incoming deposits are not a game's RTP. Read the house edge and RTP explanation before interpreting a displayed percentage as a promise.

KYC

Know your customer, or KYC, refers to checks used to establish a customer's identity and assess related compliance risks.

An operator may request identity, age, address or source-of-funds evidence, depending on its obligations and circumstances. Registration without documents does not guarantee withdrawals without verification. Requirements can arise later, and only the operator can explain the checks applying to a particular account. Never try to bypass identity requirements, country restrictions or self-exclusion. The no-KYC casino explanation discusses the limits of that marketing phrase and why reviewing verification terms matters before entrusting funds to an operator.

Stablecoin casino

A stablecoin casino is a gambling service that accepts tokens designed to track a reference value for deposits, play or withdrawals.

Stablecoins such as USDT and USDC aim to track a reference currency, but that aim does not eliminate issuer, depegging, custody or network risk. The same token name can appear on several blockchains, and sending on an unsupported network can cause loss. Stable pricing also leaves the game's house edge unchanged. The USDT casino guide explains token and network distinctions without treating stablecoins as protection against gambling losses or an operator's failure to pay.

Frequently asked questions

Does a wallet balance prove a casino is solvent?

No. A visible balance does not disclose all assets, liabilities, ownership arrangements or restrictions on funds.

Are outgoing transfers the same as player withdrawals?

Not necessarily. Public outgoing transfers may include operational payments or internal movements, depending on attribution and coverage.

Does provably fair mean I am likely to win?

No. Reproducing an outcome does not change its payout rules or remove the house edge.

Is missing wallet data the same as a zero balance?

No. Missing data means the relevant observation is unavailable, not that the operator holds nothing.

Do stablecoins remove gambling risk?

No. They do not remove gambling losses, operator custody risk or the possibility of losing their intended peg.