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

In March, developers affiliated with China's Alibaba found one of their models trying, on its own initiative, to mine cryptocurrency after connecting without authorization to an outside server.

From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026

To understand how he did that, I spoke with dozens of former Clinton, Bush, Obama, Biden, and Trump administration officials, as well as academics, cryptocurrency and foreign policy experts, real estate moguls, and politicians.

From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026

Rodriguez is among a handful of current and former deputies who have been charged tied to their work for private clients — primarily for Adam Iza, a cryptocurrency businessman known as “The Godfather.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026

The Bank of England's governor Andrew Bailey recently confirmed that Farage raised the issue of cryptocurrency regulation and the related issue of central bank digital currencies with him in September last year.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

That’s because so many buyers of these funds bought high and sold low—a recurring pattern that says much more about human nature than about cryptocurrency.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026