cryptocurrency

noun

cryp·​to·​cur·​ren·​cy ˌkrip-tō-ˈkər-ən(t)-sē 

-ˈkə-rən(t)-sē

plural cryptocurrencies

: any form of currency that only exists digitally, that usually has no central issuing or regulating authority but instead uses a decentralized system to record transactions and manage the issuance of new units, and that relies on cryptography to prevent counterfeiting and fraudulent transactions

Virtual currency bitcoin hit the mainstream in 2014. Bitcoin ATMs started springing up all over the world … , allowing people to exchange cash for the cryptocurrency, a secure digital payment outside of conventional financial institutions.

—Brenda Poppy

Examples of cryptocurrency in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Megadonor money shifts right Republican money is coming from Wall Street financiers and industrial titans alongside a new wave of cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence and online gambling executives. — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026

The photos and trailer released Thursday show Boyle as a brazen, ambitious college student who teams up with Garner’s brainy Ellison to launch their own cryptocurrency business. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026

Also be wary of anyone pressuring you to donate immediately or asking you to pay through gift cards, wire transfers or cryptocurrency. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026

Spanning two continents, the show — based on an incredible true story — delves into what happens when what begins as a simple con turns into one of the largest cryptocurrency Ponzi schemes in history. — Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

crypto- + currency

First Known Use

2009, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cryptocurrency

• eurocurrency
• concurrency
• currency

Kids Definition

cryptocurrency

noun

cryp·​to·​cur·​ren·​cy ˌkrip-tō-ˈkər-ən(t)-sē 

-ˈkə-rən(t)-sē

: any form of currency that only exists digitally, that usually uses a decentralized system for issuing new units and reording transactions, and that relies on cryptography to prevent fraudulent transactions