cryptocurrency

American  

[krip-toh-kur-uhn-see, -kuhr-] / ˈkrɪp toʊˌkɜr ən si, -ˌkʌr- /

noun

1. currency that exists only in electronic form, operates on a decentralized system of exchange, and uses advanced cryptography for security, or any individual currency of this type.

   Some expect cryptocurrency to become the dominant means of financing trade between markets.

   This particular cryptocurrency has a huge following among retail traders.

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adjective

1. being or relating to virtual currency that uses advanced cryptography for security.

   They are one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges on the internet.

   She got caught running a cryptocurrency scam.

Usage

What's the difference between cryptocurrency, virtual currency, and digital currency? See digital currency ( def. ).

Etymology

Origin of cryptocurrency

First recorded in 2005–10; crypto- + currency

Explanation

Cryptocurrency is a form of payment that's entirely digital, moving from one computer to another. The most well-known cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, was also the first ever created. Cryptocurrency gets its name from the cryptography or encryption used to protect digital "coins" and all information exchanged when they're traded. At the heart of the word is crypto-, from the Greek kryptos, "hidden or concealed." Cryptocurrency proponents emphasize its security, and the benefit of trading without the interference of banks or governments. Critics warn that investing real money in cryptocurrency is risky; in 2022, people lost a total of about $2 trillion using the digital exchanges.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cryptocurrency

While being transported from the airport to jail, Marset’s lawyers say, the DEA agents asked him to “donate” $4 million in cryptocurrency that was held in various accounts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026

Now, the question is no longer simply whether the cryptocurrency has found a bottom, but whether its recent move can develop into a lasting bull market, she told MarketWatch in emailed commentary Monday.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 21, 2026

I wanted to know if cryptocurrency actually offered a solution to the kinds of disastrous inflation and economic disenfranchisement the people I’d met had told me about.

From Slate ● Sep. 20, 2026

The cryptocurrency has struggled to hold above $80,000 since its mid-August surge.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

Bitcoin Cash surged after CME Group announced plans to launch futures tied to the cryptocurrency.

From Barron's