What cryptocurrencies are, briefly
Cryptocurrencies are digital assets that move between holders over shared networks instead of through banks. The record of who holds what is kept on a replicated public ledger, copied across thousands of computers, which is what makes the history practically impossible to rewrite. Prices form through ordinary supply and demand on exchanges, where rand and other currencies are traded for these assets.
Two properties matter for a South African participant. The market is continuous: prices move every hour of every day. And it is volatile: swings of several percent in a day are normal, in both directions. The full beginner explanation, terms, transaction mechanics and all, is on our Crypto Basics page.