ELI5

What is ELI5?

ELI5, short for “explain like I’m five,” has become closely associated with cryptocurrency and blockchain, even though it originated before Satoshi Nakamoto’s white paper. This is because the technology behind cryptocurrency and blockchain can be extremely complex.

The concept of ELI5 allows individuals in the crypto space to pause a conversation and have a specific aspect of the technology explained in the simplest terms possible before continuing the discussion.

The phrase “explain it to a six-year-old” can be traced back to a quote by Albert Einstein. Einstein believed that if you truly understood something, you should be able to explain it in simple terms that a young child could understand. He also stressed the importance of avoiding complicated language when explaining complex subjects.

This quote gained popularity through the TV show The Office, where characters frequently used the line “Why don’t you explain it to me like I’m five.” The U.S. version of the show coincided with the early years of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology, cementing the phrase’s place in the tech lexicon.