What's in this chapter
- How an on-chain transaction actually works (mempool → block → confirmation)
- What a smart contract is, in plain English
- Reading a block explorer (Arbiscan, Basescan, Etherscan) like a pro
- Aave 101 — depositing USDC to earn yield, with all the trade-offs
- Curve 101 — providing liquidity to a stablecoin pool
- Token approvals — the trap that drained $2B from beginners (and how to avoid it)
- Common scams: fake tokens, drainer signatures, "free airdrop" rug pulls
- Practice exercise: deposit $50 into Aave, earn one day of yield, withdraw
- Quiz: 5 questions on DeFi primitives and on-chain hygiene
Draft in progress. Full handbook content is being adapted from the live Cohort training material.
Outline above is the spec. Join the free Telegram to get notified when the full chapter publishes,
or reserve a Cohort 2 seat to get it taught live.