What is BIP?
A Bitcoin Improvement Proposal: the numbered document format used to specify and discuss protocol and standards changes.
BIPs range from consensus changes to wallet conventions. BIP-39 defines seed phrases; BIP-32 defines HD wallets; BIP-341 defines Taproot.
A BIP number means a proposal exists and has been assigned an identifier. It does not mean the proposal is accepted, active or good.
Related terms
Consensus rules
The validity conditions every node enforces: issuance schedule, signature validity, block weight, and…
NetworkSoft fork
A rule change that tightens what is valid, so old nodes still accept new blocks.
Keys & custodyHD wallet
A hierarchical deterministic wallet, where an unlimited tree of keys is derived from one seed.
This definition is part of the Bitcoin Logical glossary. For the fuller explanation, start with Learn, or see the live numbers on The Bitcoin Signal.