Plain-English definition
A block is a batch of transactions confirmed together and chained to the one before it. Chains produce them on a rhythm: Ethereum roughly every twelve seconds, faster chains in well under a second.
On Bathymark, time is measured in blocks rather than the clock, because the chain's own pulse is the honest unit. When the block height ticks up, the chain is breathing.
Why it matters
Block matters because crypto markets can look precise while still being shallow, crowded, or poorly sourced. A useful read is not just the number. It is the number, the size behind it, the context around it, and the part it cannot explain.
Simple example
A simple Block example is a reader comparing two venues with the same headline price but different depth. The deeper venue can absorb more capital before the trade, peg, or yield reading starts to move against the user.
How Bathymark uses this term
Bathymark uses Block to translate open market data into live liquidity readings. When the term touches a live page, the reading links back to the relevant chain, protocol, stablecoin, DEX, perps, or Signal so the source remains checkable.
Common mistake
The common mistake is treating Block as a complete signal by itself. Bathymark treats it as one instrument: useful when read beside liquidity, source, size, and what the number cannot prove.