1. **What are cryptocurrencies?**

Cryptocurrencies are digital currencies built with cryptographic protocols that make transactions secure and difficult to counterfeit². They are not issued by any government, like the real or the dollar, and are completely digital³.

2. **Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH)**

**Bitcoin** (BTC) is the first and best-known cryptocurrency. With a market capitalization of R$6.97 trillion, BTC is widely used as a store of value and means of payment¹. **Ethereum** (ETH) is a decentralized platform that allows the creation of smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps)¹.