virtual currency

American

[vur-choo-uhl kur-uhn-see, kuhr-] / ˈvɜr tʃu əl ˈkɜr ən si, ˈkʌr- /

noun

an unregulated currency available only in electronic form that is issued and controlled by its developers and usually used within a specific online community.

The game is free to play, but you must make purchases in the app if you want virtual currency to spend.
As a virtual currency, bitcoin has less stability than a currency issued by a central bank.

Usage

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

Etymology

Origin of virtual currency

First recorded in 1995–2000

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Loot boxes are an in-game feature allowing players to buy random mystery items with real or virtual currency, but recent research has found they blur the line between gaming and gambling.

From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026

But many believe that with its limited supply, the virtual currency will bounce back.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 13, 2026

In a separate U.S. sanctions announcement in September this year, the U.S. said it was used for virtual currency scams and was linked to another Cambodian tycoon who was under American sanctions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 14, 2025

They include one serving Shwe Kokko, which the US Treasury calls a "notorious hub for virtual currency investment scams" under the protection of the Karen National Army, a militia affiliated with Myanmar's junta.

From Barron's • Oct. 14, 2025

Customers at the social casino buy virtual currency to use on the site, he said.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 7, 2024

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023